Solomon Northup: Emancipated Slave

In 1841, the son of an emancipated slave, Solomon Northup was conned into playing the fiddle/violin in circus and during that trip, he was drugged, kidnapped and subsequently sold into slavery down in the South. Northup was born free and he lived in New York. He was a violin player but also labored in various industries. When you think back to the times when slavery existed, the living conditions are really harsh, and to think that humans were treated that way, it just is really sickening. When you think about it, back then, the slaves in the North were not treated as bad as the one in the South. The story of Solomon Northup is what helps us see how a free slave’s fate changes, and the living conditions change as well.
When Solomon Northup

Freeman gives Northup the name Platt. Northup and Eliza are sold to a Baptist preacher, William Ford. Ford’s Plantation is located in the great pine woods along the Louisiana red river. Northup/Platt’s job at the plantation is to stack and chop logs at the lumber mill. Since Ford is a kind “ Master” he decides to build a set of rafts, so ford can deliver them by the canal, which will help fords profits, basically increasing them more. Northup, sold to John Tibeats, in the winter of 1842, a carpenter that ford was indebted to ( Northup 103). Tibeats in never satisfied, he works his slaves from early dawn to late at night (Northup 107). Northup is almost whipped, and instead fights back and a person watching, intervenes and saves his life, Tibeats attempts to bead Northup again, but this time with a hatchet, he then escapes and by running and swimming. He hides at fords’ Plantation.
Tibeats sells Northup to Edwin Epps, a cotton planter. Epps describes Northup, as being devoid of any redeeming qualities. He was hired periodically to work on sugar plantations. (northup 208-213) Epps, quips that,“no slave of mine is ever likely to suffer from gout and superinduced by excessive high living” (Northup 169) And decries slave huts, stating that the nicest couches wont be found in the hut. (Northup

The first home, was one probably the second worst compared to Tibeats. The second home, Ford’s, was probably where Northup was at least happy with and was treated properly. Through the 12 years of his slave life Ford gave him the best living conditions and also treated him well, as if he were part of his family. Through the 12 years of his slave life Ford gave him the best living conditions and also treated him well, as if he were part of his family. The third home that he sent to, the owner was a bit of a “mad Man”. He treated all the slaves pretty bad, it came down to Northup standing up, and this is were you see the resistance to authority. It drove Northup to runaway and to William fords plantation too. The fourth plantation that Northup was living in was but gave his slaves a decent living accommodations Through the 12 years of his slave life Ford gave him the best living conditions and also treated him well, as if he were part of his