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19th Century American Slavery

1479 Words6 Pages

During the nineteenth century, slaves were used as a great part of the workforce in Southern states in America. Many of the men worked hard labor and the women were used mostly as nurses or housekeepers. Slave-owners were often strict on their slaves because they were looked at as property rather than people. Slave owners often had rules on their plantation of how their slaves must act under their ownership. One southern slaveholder, named Bennet H. Barrow, published a listed of rules on how slaves should be treated. “The very security of the plantation requires that a general and uniform control over the people of it should be exercised. Who are to protect the plantation from the intrusions of ill-designed persons when everybody is abroad?.. …show more content…

Slaves were often bought and sold so often it was difficult for families to seek freedom for themselves. Linda’s grandma tried to buy Linda and her brothers’ freedom but when she managed to raise some of the money needed, the mistress died along with the promise of Linda’s freedom. Slaves were often inherited or sold amongst slave-owners. Once Linda’s mistress passed she was inherited by her relative Dr. Flint. After a few years Linda’s brother, Benjamin escaped the plantation out of frustration with his master’s mistreatments. He looked to travel to New York as most slaves tried to do. Some slaves made it to New York to become free while others were often captured on the travel there or too sick to make it without food or care. In Benjamin’s case, however, he was captured and put in jail to suffer for running away. When he managed to escape again he made it to New York where he sought out freedom. This journey up north was very dangerous and frightening for slaves. Most were born into slavery and were only provided food and wellbeing by their slave-owners so when they escaped them, they essentially had nothing but the clothes on their back. Once the slave-holders realized their slave had escaped they would send dogs out to find them and if that was unsuccessful they would post wanted posters for their run-away slaves. If any run-away slave was publicly seen by a white man seeking for them or familiarized with their owners they were captured and brought back to their master. Linda learned about this first hand from watching her brother escape for

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