Revolutionary War Slavery

Slavery before the American Revolutionary War was predominantly in the southern territories. It was so common as a source of livelihood that “slaves could be found working at virtually every kind of job from building roads, clearing land, cutting timber for firewood, and herding cattle and pigs in the countryside to such urban skilled occupations as carpentry, shoemaking, blacksmithing, stoneworking, butchering, milling, weaving, and even goldsmithing” (Davis 129). Plantation owners would own hundreds of slaves at a time that they would not only sell or trade their slaves, but also leased them by their owners for a good profit. Slaves were also not regarded as human beings but rather property, or material things, holding no more value than

“Almost overnight, it seemed, an institution that had long been taken for granted came under intense scrutiny and debate: critics questioned its efficacy and morality, proponents rushed to its defense, and thousands of slaves took advantage of wartime turmoil to flee their bondage” (Kolchin 63). It was the begging and near end of slavery. After the war slavery was still practiced and abundant however it was diminishing, even some slave owners decided to let go and free their slaves because all the bloodshed that was caused. Slavery aimed straight at the public and was given much attention. The Revolution constructed new views and ideas about "liberty" and "equality," which established new laws on human rights. The changes that were made to slavery in the Revolutionary Era brought to light the possibility for constitutional change and its failure more than any other

For these women, life could be rough, and just fine for others. It wasn’t unusual for colonial woman to breed ten or more kids, eight or so being the average due to survival of the fittest. The man of the house ran the household, and woman made sure food was on the table at supper, and the fields and gardens were tended to, and all the kids were clothed, dressed and did their chores. In many fashions colonial indentured servants and colonial slave woman were regarded just as slaves, and were faced with harsh punishments if they did not fulfill their duties and obligations. Female trade was common and “interwoven with the mercantile economy and with the “family economies” of particular households” (Ulrich 84). Colonial women were expected to pay their full respects to men they were with and do whatever is that they were told. Uniquely, Puritan woman and wealth European colonial woman were treated much more fairly and did not receive such unfair treatment however; they still had to abide to the rules and regulations governed by