What was life and work like for enslaved people on Southern plantations? Objective After completing this lesson students will be able to: • Describe some conditions of the lives of enslaved people. • Explain two of the ways in which enslaved people exercised agency. Background Students will use primary sources to examine the institution of chattel slavery in the United States to achieve a better understanding of the lives of enslaved people on Southern plantations. Students do not need significant prior knowledge for this activity, but they must understand the definition of African chattel sla Duration: 60 Minutes.