facts Flashcards
(20 cards)
how much of the Southern population did slaves account for?
Slaves accounted for 1/3rd of the Souths population, however, this varied from state to state. South Carolina had a large proportion of slaves with them making up 57% of their population.
proportion of slaves in states
Treatment of slaves in the Deep South typically was a lot harsher than those in the Upper South. The proportion of slaves in the Deep South was ½, comparted to anywhere between 1/5th and 1/3rd in the Upper South, showing that slavery was a greater problem in the Deep South.
types of labour
75% of slaves were fieldwork, whereas the other 25% had other duties. Women preformed a narrower range of jobs than men, e.g womens main alternative to fieldwork was house service, whereas men had a wider range of alternatives.
Different treatment
Divisions between slaves. For example house service slaves were seen as a slave aristocracy (higher ranked), they were better fed and dressed than other slaves. However, they experienced disadvantages. They were always under supervision which meant that their personal life was heavily interrupted by slave-owners.
hours of work
In the summer months during harvest times, slaves would work shifts of up to 14 hours as there was higher demand for their work.
paternal nature of slavery
Masters knew their slaves, directed their labour and interfered with their personal lives. Slaves lived under rules that were very detailed, untouched by the law. Masters treated their slaves as permanent children who needed constant direction and protection. White people in the South used the paternal nature of slavery to defend slavery, arguing that it had a human nature. Masters attempted to limit contact with slaves, named children, attempted to control their preparation and intake of food etc.
diet
Slaves had a range, if nt nutritionally balanced diet which meant that they were kept in healthy condition. This is shown through the fact that the death rate was 30 per 1000, which was similar to European whites and significantly lower than Caribbean slaves. They also received fairly good health care which contributed to this death count.
housing - slave quarters
Slaves lived in slave quarters which provided them with a level of privacy. Each slave family was provided with a wooden cabin which had to be cleaned regularly however, the quality of these cabins were poor as they often leaked and were badly built, meaning that the slaves lived in an unhealthy environment.
control over their lives
Slaves ate, sang, prayed, made love, cleaned etc in slave quarters, which meant that they were able to have some control over their lives.
clothing
Slaves were usually provided with 4 suits of clothes per year, however these were often poor fitting, so they were never worn. Clothing was issued annually but was not appropriate for the heat of summer and the cold of winter
medical care
Good health care. Medical records suggest that doctors were often called in on cases of extreme illness and masters spent large sums on healthcare. Death rate of 30 out of 1000.
legal authority of children and marridge
Slave families legally didn’t exist as the legal authority over slave children lied with their master. Despite marriage being encouraged, it is estimated that 1/3rd of first slave marriages were broken by separation ad ½ of slave children were separated from at least one parent.
traditions, and negatives to this
Slaves developed their own traditions and customs that reflected shared values, which were varying combinations of African and European cultural practices. For example, slaves sang spirituals and works songs, often using an anti-phonal call-and-response pattern of African origin. However the relatively small size of Southern holdings in the South meant that there was large proportion of white people compared to black people, meaning that they lacked this sense of community.
sexual exploitation of black women
Sex between white men and black women was common on plantations. White men (masters, their sons etc) took advantage of these women, one ex-slave autobiographer saw the victims as being black women forced to endure the shameful indignities “inflicted by fiends who bear the shape of men.”
punishment
Punishment ranged from unharmful to sadistic. Whipping was the most common method of punishment and it reminded black people of their status during this time. Other punishments included private jails, public humiliation, fines, etc. However the most effective punishment was threatening to separate a slave from their family.
crimes
Crimes committed by or against slaves were handled informally within plantations, without resort to the judicial system. Southern lawmakers also passed a range if legislation to secure the institution of slavery in the South, and free black people to white authority. They also passed laws to prevent slaves from hiring themselves without white supervision etc.
braking of families
‘Sold down the river’ was a significant and real threat to enslaved people. Up to 25% of enslaved family units broken by forced separation.
fear of a slave rebellion
however, in the state of Georgia, e.g., owners attempted to eradicate African customs by forbidding enslaved peoples musical instruments, as they feared they could be used to organise an enslaved people rebellion
historians views
Kenneth Stampp - The typical plantation was an area of persistent conflict between master and enslaved people.
Fogel and Engerman
Fogel and Engerman – takes the view that slave accommodation and standard of living was superior to that of free Americans living in New York in 1893.
