"Ain't I a Woman?" Socratic Seminar

Target: I can use Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman?" speech to generate open-ended, analytical questions for a Socratic Seminar.

Key Vocabulary

• Sojourner Truth: A formerly enslaved woman who became a powerful abolitionist (fighter against slavery) and women's rights activist.

• Abolitionist: A person who actively worked to end (abolish) slavery in the United States.

• Suffrage: The right to vote in political elections.

• Socratic Seminar: A formal, student-led discussion where participants analyze a text by asking and answering deep, open-ended questions.

• Open-Ended Question: A question that has no single "right" answer and requires evidence and interpretation to discuss (e.g., "Why..." or "How...").

• Closed-Ended Question: A question with a simple, factual answer (e.g., "When..." or "Who...").

Part 1: Do Now (5 minutes)

Directions: Read the prompt below and write a 5-8 sentence response.

Prompt: What is the difference between a "debate" and a "discussion"? In a debate, what is the goal? In a discussion, what is the goal? In a detailed paragraph, explain your thoughts.

Sentence Starter: The goal of a "debate" is usually to... while the goal of a "discussion" is to... I think the main difference is that...

Part 2: Analyzing the Source & Preparing for the Seminar

Directions: Read the source below. Then, use it to help you write "open-ended" questions for tomorrow's Socratic Seminar.

Source 1: Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?" Speech (1851)

Original Text	Simplified Text
"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon...	"Well, children, when there's this much noise, something must be wrong. I think that with Black people in the South and women in the North both talking about rights, white men are going to be in trouble soon...
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches... Nobody ever helps me... And ain't I a woman?	That man says women are delicate and need to be helped into carriages and over puddles. Nobody ever helps me! And am I not a woman?
Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted... and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman?	Look at my arm! I have done farm work like plowing, and no man could do more than me! And am I not a woman?
I could work as much and eat as much as a man—when I could get it—and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman?	I can work and eat as much as a man (when I had food) and I survived the whip ("the lash") too! And am I not a woman?
I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?	I have had thirteen children and watched almost all of them be sold into slavery. When I cried with a mother's sadness, only Jesus heard me! And am I not a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? ... "intellect"... What's that got to do with women's rights...? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?	Then they talk about 'intellect.' What does that have to do with rights? So what if you are smarter than me? If my cup is small (a pint) and yours is big (a quart), wouldn't you be cruel to not let me have my small cup filled?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? ... From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.	Then that preacher says women can't have rights because Christ was a man. But where did Christ come from? He came from God and a woman! Man was not involved.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again!	If Eve (the first woman) was strong enough to turn the world upside down by herself, then all of us women together should be able to fix it.

Activity: Closed vs. Open Questions

Your goal is to write OPEN-ENDED questions.

These are questions that lead to discussion, not "yes or no" or google-able facts.

Closed-Ended (Factual)	Open-Ended (Analytical)
How many children did she have?	Why does Truth bring up her experience as a mother in this speech about women's rights?
What did the man say women need help with?	How does Truth use the idea of "helping women into carriages" to expose a flaw in the argument?
What does she call "the thing in the head"?	What do you think Truth means by the "pint and quart" metaphor? What is she really saying about intellect and rights?

Partner Work: Question Generation (10 minutes)

Directions: With your partner, re-read the speech and write at least two strong, open-ended questions below. These questions should be based on the text and will be used in our seminar tomorrow.

Part 3: Exit Ticket (5 minutes)

Prompt: Look at the speech one more time. Write two strong, open-ended, analytical questions that you are prepared to ask in tomorrow's Socratic Seminar. (Your question must not have a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer). My Questions: