Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
Main Characters from Roots
Lamin-younger brother of Kunta Kinte
Davies-Captain of the Lord Ligonier
Irene-Wife of Tom
Chicken George-Son of Kizzy and Tom Moore
Kunta Kinte-Toby's African name
Matilda-Wife of Chicken George
Omoro-Father of Kunta Kinte
Belle-Wife of Toby
Kizzy-Daughter of Toby
Tom-Son of Chicken George
Binta-Mother of Kunta Kinte
Alex Haley-Author of the novel/movie "Roots"
Missy Anne-Kizzy's childhood friend who later denies she knows Kizzy
Important Facts from Roots
1. What year was Kunta Kinte born?
He was born in 1750.
2. When Kunta Kinte was captured, what was he trying to do?
He was trying to find a log to make a drum for his brother.
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Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
3. What tribe did Kunta Kinte belong to in Africa?
Kunta Kinte belonged to the Mandinka tribe.
4. What task was Kunta Kinte given when he first saw the white man?
He was directed to bring back a wild bird without killing the bird.
5. What river in Africa did Kunta Kinte live close to?
Kunta Kinte lived near the Gambia River.
6. How many days after birth was Kunta Kinte named?
He was named after eight days.
7. Who was the captain of the slave ship that transported Kunta Kinte to
America?
Mr. Davies was the captain of the slave ship.
8. Which of the following people in "Roots" did not make it to America
alive?
The Wrestler from Africa did not make it to America.
9. What was the name of the ship that brought Kunta Kinte to America?
The Lord Ligonier was the name of the slave ship.
10. Where did the slave ship arrive in America?
The slave ship arrived in Annapolis.
11. The ship that brought Kunta Kinte to America was then going to
London. What was the main product it was brining to London?
Tobacco was the main product they were bringing to London.
12. What year does the ship arrive in America?
The slave ship arrived in 1767.
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Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
13. Who is the first person to purchase Kunta Kinte after he arrives in
America?
John Reynolds was the first person to buy Kunta Kinte at a slave auction.
14. What punishment did Kunta Kinte receive for running away the
SECOND time?
Kunta had half of his foot cut off.
15. Who did Toby marry?
Toby married Belle.
16. What term was used to mean getting married?
"Jumping the broom" was a term used when getting married.
17. Who was the slave that was supposed to train Kunta Kinte to be a
good slave?
Fiddler was supposed to train Kunta Kinte.
18.Why did the overseer for Dr. Reynolds want to sell Noah?
Dr. Reynolds wanted to buy a cotton gin with the money.
19. What does the name Kizzy mean?
It means to “stay put.”
20. Why was Kizzy sold?
Kizzy was sold because she knew how to read and write.
21. What was the name of the slave that escaped and killed many whites?
Nat Turner escaped and killed many whites.
22. Who was the father of Chicken George?
Tom Moore was the father of Chicken George.
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Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
23. After Chicken George received his freedom, he came back to his
family. Why did he then have to leave?
He was told he would become a slave again if he stayed in the country after
60 days.
24.Why did the slave Tom Moore kill Jimmy Brent?
Jimmy Brent assaulted Tom's wife.
25. Who was the last slave owner of Chicken George's family?
Mr. Harvey was the last slave owner.
26. After the Civil War, the "Night Riders" raided farms. What was the
plan to find out who was doing the raiding?
Tom Harvey marked the horseshoes.
27. When the Civil War ended, how did Tom Harvey and his family make a
living?
Tom and his family made a living sharecropping on the Harvey plantation.
28. How did Chicken George get land to move his family?
Chicken George raised money with rooster or cock fighting.
29. After Chicken George's family finally manages to leave, what state did
they go to?
They moved to Tennessee.
30. Who was the author of Roots?
Alex Haley wrote the book Roots.
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Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
31. Why did the ship's crew make the slaves dance on the deck?
They danced on deck to exercise the slave's muscles and to wash their
wounds.
32. According to Mr. Slater, he explains that it is good to bring the
Africans to America. Explain Mr. Slater's reasons.
Slater brought slaves to a Christian land so they may be saved and to
rescue the slaves from eating each other.
33. What was the purpose of the "Night Riders"?
Night riders scared and terrorized the African Americans. Sometimes the
night riders killed them.
34. Throughout "Roots" a "dream" was passed down from generation to
generation. What was that dream? How does this dream affected by
the African diaspora?
The Africans Diaspora is the term used to describe when Africans were
displaced around the world in slavery. African slaves desired to be free.
The main characters in Roots had a dream to be free.
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Name______________________
Roots Study Guide
Mr. Zindman’s Class
Discussion Questions
(Be able to answer two of following questions.)
35. Rituals are part of the rite of passage in a culture. We
discover they are an important part of Kunta Kinte’s culture.
Explain a rite of passage you have observed in Kunta’s life.
Explain in your own words why these traditions are so
important to Kunta’s culture?
36. What are some of the complications Kunta Kinte faced in
Roots? Are Kunta’s complications solved in the movie? Explain
your answer.
37. What are slave codes? What effect did slave codes have on
Kunta Kinte, Kizzy Moore, and Chicken George? Explain your
answer.
38. Explain how Chicken George feelings towards his father
changed when he found out he was his biological father.
Explain your answer.
39. How did the Night Riders terrorize the ex-slaves? Why did
the Night Riders terrorize ex-slaves? Explain your answer.
40. The African Diaspora-Be able to explain what the African
Diaspora is and relate this to the theme of Roots.
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