The Slavery, Law & Power project is developing a curated collection of key primary source documents in the development, entrenchment, and ultimate abolition of slavery in the British empire and early United States. We work with documents between the late 16th century to the mid 19th century, although to date our greatest period of concentration has been between the English Civil War and American Revolution. We are interested in understanding the history of slavery within the context of British imperial rule and governance, and in connection with other forms of hierarchy and domination, including authoritarian government / the divine right of kings, feudalism, capitalism, and patriarchy. For each document, we produce a transcription, prepare scholarly annotations, and write an introductory analytical essay. We also develop accompanying pedagogical resources, such as interactive maps, timelines, and lesson plans, to enhance the utility of our site for educators. 

VIP students will have the opportunity to participate in many of these activities, and develop a range of skills critical to historical research, archival work, and digital humanities. Students will learn how to read and transcribe early modern English handwriting and help prepare transcriptions of manuscript primary sources. As students develop greater historical grounding in the period, they will also help prepare scholarly annotations and conduct research to write and revise scholarly introductions to documents. Students will also assist in building and refining the design of our website to improve user experience and display of information. This will include designing, building, and testing interactive features like maps, timelines, and more. Students will also have the opportunity to help us with identifying and selecting documents and obtaining high quality digital images, both through the use of databases and through hands-on work in DC area archives and libraries.