engine of souls | forum 2

mre · Senior Member

Assignment #6: Slavery and the Making of America

Zachary W. · Veteran Member

Group 5 RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.

1.
-The quilting patterns used signified directions and and safety when a slave was using the Underground Railroad.
-Southern slaves told tales and fables to retain African traditions and lessons.
-In areas where large plantations once stood, several instruments have been found which were made by the slaves. These include; banjos, drums, and rattles all made from African gourds.
-Many male slaves were skilled artisans, they were expert metal workers, blacksmiths, woodcutters, pressmen, and musicians.
-Many white slaveowners were afraid that by allowing slave gatherings where traditional song and dance was involved that slave revolts and rebellions would occur.

2.
Maria Stewart was an African American born free in Boston in 1803. After she met David Walker, who was a controversial author, she became an avid abolitionist and very focused on morality and self-improvement. Maria became well known through her continuous urging of African Americans to seek education, to aid this goal she started schools in Baltimore and Washington D.C., and taught in New York. Her devotion to the improvement of the lives and education of fellow African Americans was great

-- Edited by Zachary W. at 02:54, 2008-10-23

TaranComeDown · Member

I...just did the completely wrong section.
So I'm super behind on it now.

1. Objection, but not opposition to slavery had been around since the colonies were first founded.
Slaved who escaped to Union lines during the Civil War considered contraband after the Confiscation Act was passed, so slaves could be "captured".
The U.S's Republican Congress attempted to punish Southern White Democrats by completely disempowering them.

TBE.

-- Edited by TaranComeDown at 13:58, 2008-10-22

piracine · Veteran Member

Group 8

1.) 1- Though there was opposition to slavery in early America there was no organized opposition until the time of the Revolutionary War.

2- Based on the philosophical grounds that the patriots used to validate the war, many slaves worked to gain their freedom through the courts.

3-Even with slavery being a main cause of the civil war, President Lincoln still insisted that the sole purpose of the war was the preservation of the union.

4- In 1861 the first and second Confiscation Acts were passed concerning the escaping of slaves to the north, stating that any slaves who made it to Union lines would be considered contraband and could be recruited for the Union army.

5- After being emancipated at the end of the war the newly freed slaves had no where to go, as most did not emigrate to Haiti and Liberia and did not follow Grants colonization program. Because of this it was decided that the best solution would be integration.

2.) Character Spotlight; Robert Smalls was born into slavery and at 12 he was hired out in Charleston. This meant that he was making his own wages and after several years he even gained a right to his own employment. He was able to earn wages, unlike the slaves of earlier years, and even thought of buying freedom for himself and his wife. Later in his years his gained his freedom by joining the Union army during the Civil War. After the war he moved south and bought the house of his master, putting his mother in charge of it since she was now a free woman.

3.) 1- Which event matches this image? Lincoln runs for President.

2- Which event matches this image? Democrats regain control in the south. (wrong) Southern states secede (right)

3- Which event matches this image? Lincoln proposes the Emancipation Proclamation.

4- Which event matches this image? Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation

5- Which event matches this image? The Civil War becomes a fight for abolition.

6- Which event matches this image? (Wrong) The confederacy loses the war (right)

7- Which event matches this image? The Freedmans bureau is established.

8- Which event matches this image? The Fifteenth Amendment becomes law.

9- Which event matches this image? Revels becomes first African-American senator.

10-Which event matches this image? The KKK terrorizes black republicans

11-Which event matches this image? Johnson vetoes the Freedmans bureau

12-Which event matches this image? Democrats regain control in the south

4.)The lives of the slaves in America were slightly different than I had thought, for I believed that the slaves were all forced into labor on plantations. I did not know that some slaves were hired out for labor and even eventually given their own employment and wages in some places. I also had not heard about the Contraband Acts passed by Lincoln during the Civil War. Then I learned more about the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13-15^th amendments that occurred after the war and still stand today.

keithfortin · Veteran Member

Paul and Hannah Carter
In 1640 two married slaves were bought by the Littleton family in Virginia. Their names were Paul and Hannah Carter. They had six children while they were in slavery. Paul unfortnatly died as a slave in 1665. Just a few months later, Hannah was freed after the death of her former master, by her new master. Littleton had died and Francis Pigot married the Litteton widow, and now inherited Littletons property.
Edward Carter
Edward Carter was the son of Paul and Hannah Carter. After Francis Pigots death, his son Thomas Pigot inherited Edward. Whilst owned by Thomas, Edward was accused of beating a white woman. He was sent to court and sentenced to twenty lashes. A few years later, around 1690, Thomas Pigot died and Edward was freed.
Hannah Carter, Edwards Daughter
Hannah was born free because Edward was free. She only would have been a slave if she was born as a slave. She had three children, but she was unamarried so they were illegitmate. According to Virginia law, that was illegal, so she was brought to court and had to pay a fine. She could not pay them, so local farmers payed , but in return they wanted work from the child. They werent technically slaves, but they were bound to work without pay.
Thomas
Thomas was the first child of Hannah. He was born an illegitmate child and due to the fines his mother could not pay, he had to go work for the local famer that had paid the fine. He was lucky compared to his siblings. His siblings were bound to serve someone. He was apprenticed. He worked for someone, but in return he was supposed to be educated and taught a skill. Accroding to Hannah, this was never done and she went to court to fight this. She lost and when Thomas was 20 he was sold. The following year, he was 21 and petitioned for his freedom and won.

Shorey · Member

Branden Shorey Group #7

1) Historical Overview
· Exact numbers of how many escaped slaves there were to the North were as high as 100,000.
· Slaves that escaped during the Revolutionary War colonized Nova Scotia, Jamaica, Sierra Leone.
· Southerners who were uneasy with the growing black population wanted to establish black colonies in a distant place.
· All major slave rebellions in American History were thwarted, their leaders participants murdered.
· The majority of slaves responded to the conditions of enslavement as individuals rather than as groups, and in subtle rather than extreme ways.
2) Character Spotlight
· John Punch was the first recorded event of the courts sentencing someone to life in slavery. He had tried to run away from his master Hugh Gwyn with two other indentured servants. Even then in 1640 racism was at work the two other indentured servants were white so they were given a cruel punishment but Punch was sentenced to life as a slave.
3) Slave Decisions
· Josiah Henson should have stayed silent and went about his work as usual because it could be worse if he tried to intervene which could lead to the death or punishment of himself and his wife.
· Charles Ball should have just run away again because in Georgia the courts were racists and favored whites so he had no chance unless he had enough evidence, which he could not obtain.
· On the slave ship Robert all the slaves should have joined in the mutiny it would have a better chance at taking the ship.
· William Grimes should have gone to work in the fields so that he would stop getting blamed for trying to poison his owners and stop the beatings he was receiving wrongly.
4) What I Learned Today:
· I learned many new things about slavery that I did not know. I learned about John Punch and how he was the first recorded person sent into slavery in 1640. I also learned of how Nova Scotia, Jamaica, and Sierra Leone were colonized by runaway slaves during the Revolutionary War. Another thing I learned today was how some Southerners feared the growing black population and wanted to set up black colonies in a distant place. Viewing actually facts and stories about slavery rather than how I was taught up until now has really opened my eyes.

Rachel · Veteran Member

Rachel Acevedo

Group #3: Men, Women and Gender
Assignment:
1.       Collect 5 facts from the HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.
2.       Provide a brief explanation for the CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT (3+ sentences).
3.       Examine the SLAVE CLOTHING link and describe four examples of clothing.

Historical Overview
Females outnumbered men in fieldwork because they were cheaper and men had to do the skilled work such as blacksmithing, and carpentry.
Slave owners not only raped young single woman, but married woman too.

The different treatment, and sexual relations with black woman made the white mistress resentful.

Black women rebelled against the of slave owners, just as often as black men.

The average enslaved woman gave birth to her first child at nineteen years old.
Character Overview

Harriet Jacobs

            Harriet Jacobs was born in the fall of 1813. Harriett was mulatto and was taught to read at a young age. She was sold to James and Maria Norcom, as their daughters slave. When she reached her adolescent years, she found out that her master was a sexual threat. Not only was her master raping her but also her mistress despised her because of this. Her owner continued to sexually victimized Jacobs, until she fell in love with a free white man Samuel Sawyer, whom she had two kids with. She then ran away to her grandmothers house and had Sawyer buy her children from the Norcoms. She later gained freedom in 1852, and wrote her autobiography Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Slave Clothing

             Slaves were divided clothing wise by gender. Woman typically wore dresses with pant like stockings under them, and men wore pants and a shirt. In the winter they received more clothes but only enough to help them survive. Women were giving heavy wraps, which they wore as shawls, and men were giving extra clothes. Slave children hardly ever wore anything. Many ran around the plantation completely naked. Some girls wore nothing until the age of 14. Young boys wore dress like shirts till they were teenagers. Many run away slaves, both men and woman, dressed in uniforms to escape. They dressed as sailors, soldiers, and white men. During the Civil War many slaves used this strategy to run away.

-- Edited by Rachel at 13:57, 2008-10-22

James · Senior Member

Group 7

James Racine

Historical Overview

A. Some slaves strove to improve their conditions within the bounds of slavery, working to become overseers and managers.

B. A number of the early Atlantic Creole slaves were able to win their freedom in a court of law.

C. Mum Bett (who was later called Elizabeth Freeman), inspired by the Declaration of Independence, was one such slave who won her freedom through the courts.

D. Most slaves would not have won their court cases and instead fled.

E. Most runaway slaves were single white males who lacked close families and therefore did not have anyone to leave behind.

Character Spotlight

A. John Punch, James Gregory and Victor fled from their servitude due to the harsh conditions. When captured, all three were whipped, and James and Victor, white Europeans, servitude was extended for an extra four years, John Punch was sentenced to a life of slavery.

Slave Decisions

A. Cynthia: She should have accepted Mr. Walkers proposal to become his mistress, as the improved living conditions greatly outweigh the chance of sexual harassment.

B. Slave Ship Robert: In order to prevent being sold into slavery, two men and a women captured by the sailors rebelled, and fought against their captors, failing to due any more than kill and wound several sailors.

C. John Mason: John Mason went back to the South after escaping slavery to help other slaves escape as part of the Underground Railroad, and despite being recaptured, escaped and continued his work.

D. William Grimes: Faced with the possibility of being punished for another slaves attempts to poison their masters, William decided to instead work in the fields, where such an event could not be blamed on him.

Summery

Slaves had to make many hard decisions about how they lived their lives, not just whether or not to run away, but how to work if they stayed. Choosing between being a house slave, which carried more risks and benefits, and a field slave, with its harsh conditions and long hours, was one of the hardest decisions some of these slaves would make. Whether or not to sabotage their master was also one of the decisions they had to make on a daily basis, as this sabotage could result in brutal punishments in you were caught.

-- Edited by James at 13:52, 2008-10-22

-- Edited by James at 13:52, 2008-10-22

-- Edited by James at 13:53, 2008-10-22

-- Edited by James at 13:55, 2008-10-22

-- Edited by James at 13:56, 2008-10-22

keithfortin · Veteran Member

5 Facts, History Overview, The Family
· When sold into slavery, slaves were seperated from family members.
· Blacks from New Amsterdam to the Chesapeake Bay, tried to use the courts to help ensure the wellbeing of their family members.
· Black men would marry white women to ensure their childrens freedom.
· Most southern states in the late seventeeth and early eighteenth centuries made laws against interacial marriages.
· Many slave owners would sell their slaves daughter if she was pretty and/or malatto into concubinage. Owners would do this because it was very profitable.

Jessica! · Veteran Member

Religion

Historical Overview:
1. West African societies, the largest source for American slaves, shared a belief in a Supreme Creator that was a chief deity among lesser gods, to whom they prayed and made sacrifices.
2. In 1667, Virginia passed a law declaring that conversion to Christianity did not change the status of a person from slave to free.
3. Africans and African descendents working in the early modern Atlantic commercial system were exposed to the world of European Christianity as early as the fifteenth century.
4. Even blacks that embraced Christianity in America did not completely abandon Old World religion. Instead, they engaged in syncretism, which was a blending of Christian influences with traditional African rites and beliefs.
5. In the New World, fusions of African spirituality and Christianity led to distinct new practices among slave populations, including voodoo in Spanish Louisiana.

Character Spotlight:
Nat Turner was the son of an African slave on a Virginia Plantation who was considered a prophet by his fellow slaves. While he was still young, he became the spiritual leader of his community and people believed God sent him for some grand purpose. He preached against slavery from a Biblical perspective. As a young man in the 1820s, he started to hear voices and seeing things that he believed were divine messages from God to call to arms. After seeing an eclipse in 1831, he decided it was time to plan a rebellion. Another solar sign later that year convinced him that the time to strike was now. Turner led a group of 40 slaves on a violent rebellion that ended up killing about 60 whites. Most slaves in the rebellion, including Turner, were executed.

Hidden Objects:
Glass Beads: European trade items worn as protection from evil spirits. The color blue was especially desired.
Shells: Considered religious objects, especially by the Kongo, and were used in African based rituals.
Snakeroot: Used as an herbal medicine for healing by the African slave healers on the plantations.
Spirit Coins: Worn by slaves who practiced Hoodoo, coins were thought to keep evil away or bring health to the wearer.

What I learned:
I learned about the religious lives of the slaves in Southern plantations. They were very superstitious and wore amulets and beads to bring health or rid themselves of evil spirits. I also found out that there were dozens of different religions practiced by slaves during that time, ranging from Christianity to African religions to a mix of the two. The slaves who brought these religions to America taught them to their children and their childrens children which contributed to the religious diversity that we have today in the United States.

-- Edited by Jessica! at 14:01, 2008-10-22

Leslie · Veteran Member

Group #1: Legal Rights and Government
Assignment:
1.Collect 5 facts from the HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.
2. Provide a brief explanation for the CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT (3+ sentences).
3. Examine the YOU BE THE JUDGE link and arrive at a decision on each of the 4 Supreme Court cases.
4.Explain, in a paragraph and in your own words, what you learned today about the lives of slaves, slavery in America and the issues it connects to in the present day.

1.Before slavery was considered hereditary, black laborers had begun to replace white indentured servants as slaves for life.
Free blacks were kidnapped and forced into slavery.
During early years of settlement laws defining the civil status of African laborers did not exist.
Northern blacks faced curfews and travel restrictions
Any white who caused the death of a slave while carrying out punishment was excused in most states.
2.The character profile was of a slave named Mum Bett who was enslaved along with her sisters in Massachusetts. Their mistress often was violent towards them, once attempting to hit one of Mum Betts sisters with a shovel. Mum Bett stepped between the two of them and took the hit from the shovel, leaving her with a permanent scar. She often listened to revolutionary meetings where they spoke of American freedom. These meetings lead her to court to fight for her freedom. Mum Bett along with another slave, won their independence. She changed her name to Elizabeth Freeman. Her case set the stage for abolition of slavery in Massachusetts.
3.Commonwealth v. Jennison
Walker does not belong to Jennison because both his former master, and his former masters widow promised him freedom. Jennison was not his master, and therefore could not claim him as a possession.
Missouri v. Celia
It was both self-defense and rape. Celia was guilty of murder, but she killed her master in self-defense because of rape.
Suttle v. Burns
Burns is his slave under the fugitive slave law that required a state to return runaway slaves to their owners.
South Carolina v. Russell
There was a slave conspiracy, because the slaves did plan to resist their oppression by their owners.

4. I learned that slaves in America were denied rights that slaves in other countries were granted. Also, they were unfairly treated because they were not given a fair opportunity in court when they tried to get justice against their owners who committed crimes against them. It connects to the issue of racism in the present day, and discrimination of against people because of their social status.

G. Larsen · Veteran Member

RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION! (Group 5)
1. 1. The education of African-Americans, while almost universally banned in the South, was allowed in the North.
    2. Quakers were some of the strongest advocates for the education of blacks. They dramatically increased the black literacy rate in Massachusetts.
     3. There were often different cirricula for slaves, which were greatly restricted.
    4. Freed slaves gained support for abolitionism by writing narratives of their time in captivity.
    5. African culture was kept alive by slaves through arts, crafts, and music.

2. Maria Stewart, an African-American born free in 1803, devoted her life to the advancement of blacks in America. She used her education to write articles for The Liberator and anti-slavery tracts. Religious beliefs were a central part of her outlook on life. She believed that, with proper education, "the chains of slavery and ignorance would melt like wax before flames." To further this end, she became a teacher, as well as founding several schools.

3. 1. "Look Down That Long, Lonesome Road" is a song about dying and meeting God. The "long, lonesome road" is a metaphor for the end of life. The singer, when he instructs "five and ten cent men" to stand back, is saying that his religion is the most important part of his life. The "dollar man" knocking at the door is God.
    2. "Mealtime Call" is a simple work song about the end of the day. The singer asks "Miss Wright," presumably the person who calls them in for supper, to "ring that bell." This is a reference to eating dinner.
    3. "Hammer, Ring" is a work song that retells the Biblical story of Noah's Ark. It compares the hammering Noah did in the story to build the boat to the hammering work of slave blacksmiths.
    4. "Go to Sleep" is a calming lullaby with slightly unnerving undertones. When it talks about the child's parents being gone, it may be a reference to the way families were separated by the trading of slaves.

4. Today, I learned that slaves in America had their own unique culture. Through music and art, they blended African culture with American culture. They were a deeply religious people, again, with a combination of African and Christian spirituality. They used songs to help make work pass more easily and comfort each other.

Spoiler: spoiler tags are fun

-- Edited by G. Larsen at 13:58, 2008-10-22

R. Krupa · Veteran Member

Religion

Historical Overview-

1. As late as 1800 most slaves in the U.S. had not been converted to Christianity.
2. In later years, a large number of slaves were converted to many forms of Christianity during the Second Great Awakening.
3. In the 1820s and 1830s, Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner plotted two of the most significant slave rebellions in American history.
4. These revolts and other events resulted in regulations on black meetings and black preaching without white supervision.
5. The religious reform of slaves flourished in the North, and African Americans began to establish their own churches.

Character Spotlight-

Nat Turner was considered a prophet among his fellow slaves, who felt he had been brought to Earth for a higher purpose. He often preached and shared the words of the Bible.Turner began hearing voices and seeing visions, which he believed to be spiritual messages. He claimed to see things that he thought to be a spiritual call to arms, telling him to revolt. In 1831, he used a solar eclipse as a green light and, along with 40 other slaves, went on a murderous rampage, killing over 60 white people. At least as many slaves were killed in retaliation, Turner included.

Hidden Objects-

Metal Crucifix- The crucifix, a known symbol of Christianity, had been passed around the slave population as early as the Great Awakening, a period in which many slaves were converted to Christianity.
Grave Marker- Sun burst symbols, found on many grave markers, have been traced back to a similar symbol from the Kongo, representing the rejuvenation of life. Sacrificed Calf Skeleton- Cattle were often a sign of wealth in West African culture, therefore the sacrifice of a calf would be the symbol of the sacrifice of earthly riches. Sacrifice was a ritual of the African Yoruba tribe, and was incorporated into the Vodou rituals in America.
Cross- Crosses that have been found at archeological digs have shown the slaves ties to Christianity mixed with African religious beliefs.

What I Learned:

By reading "The Slave Experience: Religion," I learned many of the religious practices of the African American slaves held in bondage in America. Slaves practiced many different forms of religion, even introducing their own. The religious practices of the slaves often depended on the leniency of their masters. These practices that were developed have greatly contributed to the present religious diversity of the United States.

-- Edited by R. Krupa at 14:02, 2008-10-22

Tyler W. · Veteran Member

Tyler Wilkinson

Facts-

To preserve the masculinity of the male slave, they believed they had to have escaped from bondage.
Originally, African women were brought into the Americas to provide company for the African males.
Slave men were demoralized when they were forced to do as what they believed were woman jobs, as in hoeing in fields.
Women often had a child every two and a half years, to create a larger slave workforce for the master.
They were almost enticed to become pregnant because they were rewarded with more food and shorter work hours.

Character Overview-

Harriet Jacobs was a slave purchased by a Dr. Norcum in North Carolina. She lived from 1813-1897. Since she was a child living in the household, she lived in conditions far better than other slaves. Though at the point she became a young woman, her master, Dr. Norcum, made sexual advances on Harriet. Afraid, she sought solace in another person that she fell in love with, names Samuel Sawyer. She asked Dr. Norcum if she could marry this person, and he became furious. He had already raped Harriet Jacobs and she was feeling horrible. By declaring herself free from her master, she agreed that she was a single individual, not her masters property. She eventually fled the masters household to the Northern states and became a free citizen.

Slave Clothing-

Clothing was gender appropriate, as deemed by the American white people. Men had pants that they wore, and women had dresses. During the winter months, the slaves would have an extra set of clothes that they would wear. Women wore pantalets and men wore an extra pair of knee-length coats. If the women slaves did something wrong, or were captured after they ran away, they were punished by wearing the opposite genders clothes. The slave children either had a very little amount of clothes or no clothes at all. This was due to the fact that clothes were in short supply for them and they received clothes on the onset of adolescence. When slaves left the plantation, for the Civil War, they felt empowered by the uniform, as if they actually belonged in this place for once.

JarredCondez · Member

Group 4

1.)
---Slaves Relied on their master for basic necessities, food, water, cloths, shelter, this preserved the social class of master over slave.
---Slaves were beaten and tortured on a daily bases, says The diary of Bennet H. Barrow.
---Slaves in urban areas made up only 6 % of all the enslaved population, and had much better living conditions then in rural areas. "A city slave is almost a freeman, compared with a slave on the plantation, "He is much better fed and clothed, and enjoys privileges altogether unknown to the slave on the plantation." " wrote the abolitionist Frederick Douglass
---In 1860, about 140,000 slaves lived in towns and cities throughout the south..

---Manchester and Wilmington Railroad wrote: "The railroad hands sleep in miserable shanties along the line. Their bed is an inclined pine board -- nothing better, softer, or warmer ... Their covering is a blanket. The fireplaces in these cabins are often so clumsily constructed that all the heat ascends the chimney ... as the negroes are not released from their work until sunset, and as, after coming to their cabins, they have to cook their ash-cakes or mush, or dumplings, these huts are by no means remarkable for their cleanly appearance."

2.)
This spotlight character is about the slave Jupiter, who was one of Thomas Jeffersons slaves. However Jupiter was different, Jupiter was Jeffersons almost friend. Jefferson Trusted Juniper. Jefferson often sent him out on important jobs consisting on large monetary sums. However even though Jefferson considered him a close ally and friend, Jefferson still continued to very him as an asset or a possession. When he died he wrote, "I am, sorry for him as well as sensible he leaves a void in my administration which I cannot fill up."

3.)

September = the pages of September show that the slaves due more then just pick cotton and even with them not all picking cotton and being sick and birthing children they still pick a very profitable amount of cotton each week

November = each day they take a log and describe specifically a few slaves and tells exactly what they did and what they are going to do for the following days or ideas like when they say that they are going to give the slaves more molasses in exchange for less meat.

December = this particular slave master had his slaves on holiday for almost a week due to Christmas and he gave then luxuries, such as three hogs, beef and molasses.

January = in January the primary crop is no longer cotton it is corn however cotton is still picked. in this time most of the slaves are picking corn.

4.)

Today I learned that slaves living conditions were really bad, they had very cold huts in the winter with chimneys that did not work, they ate mush and ashcakes and nutrition must not have been very good. I also learned that slaves got holidays I did not know that slaves got holidays I thought they were worked everyday, and they got sick days, didnt know that either

joel the not so brave · Veteran Member

Group 4- Living Conditions

joel the not so brave

1.Five Facts
' Living conditions were determined by the size and nature of the agricultural unit.
' Many agricultural units consisted of 20-30 slaves during the two decades leading up to the Civil War.
' Weekly food rations were delivered only on Saturdays, consisting of mainly of corn meal, lard, some meat, molasses, peas, greens, and flour.
' Some slave owners allowed personal vegetable patches adding to the small rations
' Working together, many slaves felt like they formed a united welfare.

2.Character Spotlight
During his youth, Thomas Jefferson had a slave by the name of Jupiter. Being close in age, they became life long friends, building both trust and friendship. When Jefferson turned 21, having become an adult, now owned Jupiter. Being so close and trusting him, Jefferson would give Jupiter privileges and would assign him jobs not normally given to slaves, such as running errands with large amounts of money.
When Jupiter died, Jefferson mourned for his death as a friend, not as a slave. He was deeply moved in the loss of his friend, stating, I am, sorry for himas well as sensible he leaves a void in my administration which I cannot fill up. He missed him as a friend, but realized that he was a slave and would be hard to replace.

3.Year in a Life
During the course of these four months, it seemed like the slave life was very monotonous. The first months entry consisted of describing the weather and how good the conditions were, keeping a small tally on how many sick slaves there were. The next months went on to explain the amount of plows were used to sow the soil, and the difficulties that consisted of, going from muddy conditions to heat stroke. After all the cotton was growing, the author discusses how it wasnt growing fast enough and how more and more slaves were getting sick from the sweltering conditions.

4.Paragraph of My Findings
Today I learned that the slaves living conditions were not as bad as some may view them. From the articles I read, some slave owners could treat them almost with some humanity. Jeffersons slave, Jupiter, was treated almost like a brother, or friend. From the journal entries the slave owner didnt treat his slaves quite like Jefferson (when he was youthful), but he did allow them some holiday breaks and even gave them tobacco on Sundays. These readings could influence many peoples views on slavery. I AM NOT SAYING SLAVERY WAS GOOD, Im just saying in SOME situations it wasnt as bad as other places.

mfloyd24 · Veteran Member

Living Conditions

1.

- Slaves were generally clothed, fed, and housed just well enough to ensure survival and energy for labor.

- Geographic location had a large impact on the lives of slaves.

- Urban slaves had jobs which required less physical labor, as opposed to southern slaves, and would work in shipyards, warehouses, and cotton presses.

- Urban slaves generally lived in their masters house, but when required to do a construction project, (ex. building a railroad), their living conditions became like those of the Southern slaves. They had very little comfort and warmth.

- Slaves who were hired out had the possibility of earning enough money to buy their own freedom.

This character spotlight is about Thomas Jeffersons childhood slave companion, Jupiter. At the age of twenty-one Jefferson becomes his complete master. Jupiter gains his trust and is allowed more leeway than other slaves. He is also given a leadership position, stable manager, but still works up to fourteen hours a day. Upon his death Jefferson is distresses due to both the loss of his old companion, and the position and labor Jupiter was used for.

A slaves life was very monotonous and strenuous. Their work was very similar day to day. They worked in almost all kinds of weather. However, slave owners were reluctant to let their slaves work in rain due to the fact they may catch cold and not be able to work for a week. A slaves job may be anything from sewing and filling sacks of cottonseed, to hoeing, to picking cotton. Whichever position they fulfilled, a slave would most likely be glued to the same job for at least a week, or until the job was done. In the winter a male slave would cut wood for fire, and a female slave would clean the quarters. They would have generally five or six days rest for Christmas holiday.

BKoster · Member

Group #2: The Family

Slave owners would buy a married slave couple or would force slaves to marry in order for them to have children born into slavery.
Emmanuel Driggus had two stepdaughters that were brought into being bound when Emmanuel and his wife were bought as slaves.
Some bound people would work in order to receive their freedom. They had a preset time period to work for whites and would be set free when their duties were done.
Some slave owners would bring up their slaves families up to protect them and maybe also have them work on their plantations.
Emmanuel Diggus still took care of his old children still in slavery after remarrying and starting a new life with a new family.

Emmanuel Driggus was bought with his wife Frances by Captain Pott a Virginia planter in 1640. Emmanuel had two stepdaughters that were bound with terminal contracts after Emmanuel had been bought. Pott allowed one of the daughters to leave after seven years of service on a thirteen-year contract. Emmanuel and Frances had several children while they were slaves and they did not get terminal contracts and were born into slavery. Two of Emmanuels children were sold by Captain Pott to help with his financial problems. Pott died and Emmanuel gained his freedom after Frances had already passed on. Emmanuel got remarried and had started a new family. Emmanuel still took care of his children from his past marriage that was still in slavery by raising live stock.

Luke Carter was born in 1716 the son of Hannah the freed mulatto. His mother went to court to see because of him being an illegitimate child. Hannah was to born to pay the court fee that a man named Absalom Satchell paid the fee in return for Luke to be bound to him for an unknown service contract that had been worked out.

Ned born of Elizabeth was born into slavery. Neds mother was supposed to be free by her contract but was not. It is unknown but she probably remained a slave for the remainder of her life. Her children were born into slavery and it is unknown as of know if they were ever freed.

Elizabeth was the daughter of Thomas and Ellenor. Elizabeth was supposed to be freed at the age of 24 for her service. Yet she remained there until she was 42 and her boss switched to his son and she probably remained in slavery for the rest of her life.

Mary also born of Thomas and Ellenor became freed once her master died. Mary moved in with her parents and soon after had a child. Marys son was illegitimate and the father was a black slave on a near by farm. Marys son was born into freedom since she was free according to the Virginia law.

What I have learned is have slavery had a major impact on the lives of familys of slaves. Also how bound servants are freed after an agreed time of set work for a person. Not always though were bound servants released upon the previously set dates and would continue to work for them unfairly.

-- Edited by BKoster at 20:47, 2008-10-22

Walter · Veteran Member

Walter Bohn- Goup 2- The Family

1) 5 Facts:·                Tobacco planting required fewer slaves on a single farm; Chesapeake slave families were often spread across several plantations. Men and women in this region often "married abroad," meaning that spouses had different owners and lived apart.
·                  New Amsterdam, however, a more balanced male to female ratio made as many as twenty-six marriages possible.
·                  In contrast, the largest of "Cotton Kingdom" plantations required dozens of hands, making it more common to find whole families working and living together.
·                  Owners could reap large returns by selling pretty girls, especially light-skinned ones, into prostitution or concubinage.
·                  Slave children were torn from mothers and brought into the house to be raised alongside the master's sons and daughters.                        2) Character Spotlight                     Emmanuel Driggus was a slave in 1640. A man bought him by the name of Captain Pott. Pott contracted Driggus' two daughters into slavery, only after he agreed to a terminal sentence. Both girls were to work for Pott and then be released after a specified time. Emmanuel's second daughter actually only served 7 of her 30 years, because he was able to buy her freedom. Emmanuel and his wife gained freedom after Pott died. Emmanuel, in his will left land and livestock to some of his children who were still enslaved, hoping they could use them to help gain their freedom.             3) Family Biographies:A)    Thomas was freed after the death of his master, along with his wife Ellenor. One of their children were freed, Mary.B)     Ellenor: Married to Thomas. Freed with Thomas after the death of their master. One child freed, Mary.C)    James: was bequeathed to the heirs of the same master that Thomas and Ellenor worked for. He served his new master for 20 years.D) Paul: was born into slavery like his siblings, was bequeathed to the heirs of the same master as above^. He probably served as a slave to his new masters for the rest of his life.4) Summary:I learned a lot today about the lives of slaves, slavery in America and the issues that it connects to today. I learned a lot about the lives of slaves, and how families were split up a lot, and how plantation owners used slaves to get free labor out of the children of slaves. I think that is a whorrible thing to have happened. I also learned about how there were more slaves in the Deep South than in the Upper South. I found this odd because I thought there would be more slaves in the Upper South, because there was more of a variety of crops to be grown. Its a good thing that slavery was abolished, because it is such a bad thing in general and should never be practiced. I think slavery in America is linked to issues today, because there are millions of people who are still held against their will, and live basically as slaves, or in actual slavery.

-- Edited by Walter at 21:38, 2008-10-22

mfloyd24 · Veteran Member

mfloyd24 wrote:

Living Conditions

1.
      - Slaves were generally clothed, fed, and housed just well enough to ensure   survival and energy for labor.
      - Geographic location had a large impact on the lives of slaves.
      - Urban slaves had jobs which required less physical labor, as opposed to southern slaves, and would work in shipyards, warehouses, and cotton presses.
      - Urban slaves generally lived in their masters house, but when required to do a construction project, (ex. building a railroad), their living conditions became like those of the Southern slaves. They had very little comfort and warmth.
      - Slaves who were hired out had the possibility of earning enough money to buy their own freedom.

This character spotlight is about Thomas Jeffersons childhood slave companion, Jupiter. At the age of twenty-one Jefferson becomes his complete master. Jupiter gains his trust and is allowed more leeway than other slaves. He is also given a leadership position, stable manager, but still works up to fourteen hours a day. Upon his death Jefferson is distresses due to both the loss of his old companion, and the position and labor Jupiter was used for.
         3. A slaves life was very monotonous and strenuous. Their work was very similar day to day. They worked in almost all kinds of weather. However, slave owners were reluctant to let their slaves work in rain due to the fact they may catch cold and not be able to work for a week. A slaves job may be anything from sewing and filling sacks of cottonseed, to hoeing, to picking cotton. Whichever position they fulfilled, a slave would most likely be glued to the same job for at least a week, or until the job was done. In the winter a male slave would cut wood for fire, and a female slave would clean the quarters. They would have generally five or six days rest for Christmas holiday.

4. Honestly, I didn't learn anything about the lives of slaves that I didn't already know. I knew about their harsh living conditions, as well as their inhumane treatment from their masters. I also already knew about the undesiarable tasks they were assigned to do, as well as the hardships they faced where freedom and rights were concerned. In America the Southern economy used to be dependant on slavery, as well as the states/countries that traded with the South. By plantation owners is was viewed as normal, seeing as they needed people to do their work, and felt that African Americans were inferior to them, so it was basically the norm. In the North, slavery was outlawed.
These views were extremely influencial and unfortunate for the future of America. The fact that slavery was viewed as okay, created an extreme ammount of prejudice towards African Americans once slavery was outlawed. There was a huge amount of segregation leading as far up to the 1960's. Even after that prejudice continued, and still continues today in America, although not to the extent it once did. There is also still slavery today, but of many other races. American companies pay very little money to 'workers' in factories located in other countries, making products shipped to America. These people are sometimes working in horrible conditions, and are being paid far under minimum wage. Complete enslavement, such as that of children, exists today as well. There is also the issue of human trafficing. I believe that this is because slavery was not outlawed from the begining. People were under the impression that it was okay to enslave other human beings, and America has not yet realized this.

Kevin · Member

Group 3

Historical Overview:
Skilled labor such as carpentry and blacksmithing was assigned to only male slaves, reducing their availability for agricultural work.
Slave buyers originally purchased female field hands because they more readily available and also cheaper.
After giving birth, slave women immediately went back to work while the child was raised by others, putting the needs of her master ahead of her own children.
Female slaves would sometimes comply with slave owners attempts at relationships in hope that such relationships would increase chances that the master would free either them or their children.
Slave unions were not legally recognized and they held no joint property in common.

Slave Clothing
Slave clothing was divided by gender. Men were given pants to wear and women were given dresses. In the winter, owners would provide their slaves extra clothes. For men, it was knee-length coats and for women heavy wraps, which were used as shawls. Slaves would also often make their own clothing. For example, women would make pantalets, pant-like items that reached just above the knee. Children often didnt wear clothes. Young boys would wear dress-like shirts until they were teenagers and could trade it in for a pair of pants. Slaves also would use clothing as disguises to escape, dressing as sailors, soldiers, and even as white men.

ZachB · Member

Group #4: Living Conditions
Assignment:
1. Collect 5 facts from the HISTORICAL OVERVIEW.
2. Provide a brief explanation for the CHARACTER SPOTLIGHT (3+ sentences).
3. Examine the YEAR IN A LIFE link and describe the events of four months in a slaves life.
4. Explain, in a paragraph and in your own words, what you learned today about the lives of slaves, slavery in America and the issues it connects to in the present day.

1.) In the Historical Overview there is many facts within the essay. One fact is that slaves were condemned to impoverishment by the law. Next I found that Southern Plantation owners defined slavery not as an institution of brute force, but of responsible dominion over a less fortunate, less evolved people. Third fact I found was that Paternalism was more a justification for slavery. The next fact I found that slaves was giving a weekly food ration to survive on. The last fact I found was that slaves, these living conditions not only impacted the physical and psychological state of the slave, but also had effects on the relationships that African Americans built with each other and with whites in the age of slavery.

2.) In Character Spotlight Thomas Jefferson true character is revealed. With Jupiter being a long time child friend he still only consider him as a void an administration on his death. He also never thought about freedom for any of his slaves, he believed that they were move important to his administration then free peoples.

3.) September = the pages of September show that the slaves due more then just pick cotton and even with them not all picking cotton and being sick and birthing children they still pick a very profitable amount of cotton each week

November = each day they take a log and describe specifically a few slaves and tells exactly what they did and what they are going to do for the following days or ideas like when they say that they are going to give the slaves more molasses in exchange for less meat.

December = this particular slave master had his slaves on holiday for almost a week due to Christmas and he gave then luxuries, such as three hogs, beef and molasses.

January = in January the primary crop is no longer cotton it is corn however cotton is still picked. in this time most of the slaves are picking corn.

4.)
Today I learned that slaves living conditions were really bad, they had very cold huts in the winter with chimneys that did not work, they ate mush and ashcakes and nutrition must not have been very good. I also learned that slaves got holidays I did not know that slaves got holidays I thought they were worked everyday, and they got sick days, didnt know that either.

becca · Veteran Member

Legal Rights and Government:

1)

1. In 1662, Virginia legally recognized slavery as a hereditary, lifelong condition.

2.Black laborers gradually replaced white indentured servants as the principle source of agricultural labor during the second half of the seventeenth century.

3. South Carolina passed an Act for the Better Ordering and Governing of Negroes and Slaves in 1696.

4. The Act for the better ordering and governing of Negroes and Slaves outlined penalties for offenses commited by blacks and pardoned whites who killed slaves while carrying out punishment.

5.Virginia was the first colony to define the status of slaves in explicit legal terms.

2)

This Character Spotlight focus's on Mum Bet, who later changed her name to Elizabeth Freeman. She and her sister were slaves to the Ashley household, and Mrs. Ashley was cruel and had violent eruptions. In once case, she threw a hot shovel at Bet's sister, but Mum bet blocked her, getting hit with the shovel herself, leaving a permanent scar. During the year 1776, Mum Bet overheard lots of discussion of American freedom and later went to court to gain her own independence. It was at this time that she changed her name to Elizabeth Freeman and set the stage for future abolitionism in MA.

3) 1. Colonel Charles Suttle vs. Anthony Burns (1854)- I believe the Anthony Burns should not return to Virginia because the the Fugitive Slave law of 1850 is unconstitutional and their are witnesses that saw him in MA, the day they said he escaped.

2. Missouri v. Celia

I would rule that she is innocent of murder because their is no evidence that she intentionally wanted to kill her master. Murder is defined as to kill with intention. If she did kill him, the evidence in the case points to the most likely reason of self defense from sexual assault. It also doesn't make any sense that a pregnant, weak, woman, could kill a presumably stronger man. Also, it is unjust that the Missouri Statue of 1845, Article 2, Section 29 does not apply to slaves giving her a disadvantage.

3. Commonwealth vs. Nathaniel Jennison (1783)

I agree with the court rulings of this case that Nathaniel Jennison is guilty of assault and battery to a freeman because of the evidence strongly supports that Quaker's was granted his freedom at age 21 from his old master and his wife.

4. South Carolina vs. Tom Russell (1822)

I believe he was guilty, but i believe being put to death for the crime was absurd. My ruling is just based on the fact that I believe the prosecution's evidence is stronger and due to the fact that it was a crime for blacks to insinuate rebellion, he would therefore be guilty.

4. From this activity, I received a better idea of just how unjustly and inhumanely, slave were treated. They were basically viewed as property, like in the state of Missouri, and were at such a great disadvantage to fair justice in the court systems. From the Character Spotlight, I learned how slaves were used as scapegoats for master's anger and were subject to terrible violence. I now have a slightly greater grasp on the unimaginable plight of slaves during this time.

-- Edited by becca at 02:36, 2008-11-03

-- Edited by becca at 02:37, 2008-11-03

-- Edited by becca at 02:38, 2008-11-03

-- Edited by becca at 02:39, 2008-11-03

becca · Veteran Member

EXTRA CREDIT
Review some of the SLAVE NARRATIVES and in a complete paragraph, describe their experiences as explained in an interview. For more depth, see http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/index.html.

In the interviews of ex-slaves Walter Calloway and Charity Anderson, a slightly different view of the emancipation of slaves is given. For Charity Anderson, her years of slavery were the best years of her life. She calls the world now "wicked" and remembers the better days where she served her master and mistress cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, etc. She describes her masters as kind and good, yet she was aware of other masters that would hurt their slaves. She did not work on a cotton plantation and never saw one until after she was freed. Her view is interesting because she was liberated, yet now wishes for her bondage. This is probably do to the fact that she was treated so well.

Unlike Anderson, Walter Calloway worked on a cotton plantation. He began plowing by the age of ten. He describes a good master, but a cruel overseer who had a black slave named Moshe carry out the whippings. He describes a thriteen year old girl almost dying from this punishment. Even so, he says that life was more difficult after being freed than when he was enslaved.

These two stories pose an important point about liberating slaves. Once liberated, how do these people adjust to making decisions about their own life themselves?These former slaves describe the stability their masters provided for them. In freedom, a person is responsible for creating their own stability. These narratives just show that even when change is for the better, sometimes those who are effected are so used to their old life style, that they don't appreciate the change. These two slaves never wanted to be freed, therefore their freedom wasn't necessarily welcomed.