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Slavery During and After the Civil War

In: Historical Events

Submitted By dogzrule
Words 1060
Pages 5
Before the Civil War, legal, political, social and cultural circumstances in American society shaped the lives of African Americans by enslaving the population in fear, illiteracy, and even hierarchy.
Many plantation owners preyed upon their slaves with fearful explanations on what would happen to them if they tried to escape to freedom. “A slaveholder once told me that he had seen a runaway friend of mine in New York, and that she besought him to take her back to her master, for she was literally dying of starvation…” (Incidents in the life of a slave girl,pp39). The slaveholder’s would also tell stories of what a horrible death a slave endured after their escape. Much of their stories were fiction and just a tactic to ensure the other slaves would think twice about escaping. Many slaves did learn to read and write and learned of the truth through letters and newspapers. A wise slave would seldom speak of this knowledge, in fear that their master would learn of their ability to read. Slaves would often ‘dumb down’ their intelligence to avoid whatever the consequences might be. “One day he caught me teaching myself to write…. Before long, notes were often slipped into my hand. I would return them, saying ‘I can’t read them sir…” (pp29).
Slaves had a hierarchy in which they were placed or born to. Many worked hard and laborious hours in dire conditions. Still some work directly with their Mistress and cared for the children born to the Mistress. This labor was higher on the social ladder that provides learning conditions to the children that could also be learned by the mistresses’ slave. Many more comforts were afforded to the mistresses’ slave and included access to food, clothing, and home comforts. The social down side of being involved in the daily happenings of the mistresses’ family is the sexual abuse from the Master. If there is any desire seen by the

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