Slavery In America

The institution of slavery in America was unique and the most inhumane abuse of human rights. Not only were African Americans slaves but also were denied their freedom and treated as chattel. They became critical to the economy in the southern states and were used as a raw material for production on plantations. Slaves in America were seen as beasts, similar to horses, and were administered in a similar way. There were professions in America that's primary responsibility was maintaining this system and was accomplished in a variety of ways. The system of slavery affected all involved and relied on power. The manifestation of power was the vital element in sustaining slavery in the United States.

The most transparent form power took was through

White males developed a systematic approach of reducing the status of slaves. Studying human nature was critical for the business of slaveholders. They understood ways that would leave slaves frozen and accepting of the role in the system of slavery. This included selling away a husband after he married, selling children, or public humiliation among many other ways. In Family, this was a regular occurrence. Peach and Always were sold, separating them from their sister Plum (61, 81). Slaveholders used fear and distrust for control purposes. They pitted slaves against each other, keeping them focused on arbitrary problems relative to the idea of gaining freedom. Their goal was to instill distrust, fear, and complacency in slaves, keeping slaves perpetually in a state of inability to even question if freedom could be a real, sustainable possibility. Slaveholders knew united, slaves could overthrow the whole system and gain independence. The imprinting on slaves of their role in slavery and the idea that they were inferior was most successfully accomplished through psychological

As discussed in class, they justified this by saying no matter how bad things get for you; you will always be better than slaves. Many of these individuals were drunks or lazy white males and were content with any sense of superiority even if it meant they were being abused themselves. These white males were used to track runaway slaves or work minor roles on plantations. They were taught that this was their role in society and not to question it. They had the same rights as slaveholders, but the coercion of power kept them complacent with their role in the system of