Andrew
Green
10/16/2014
HIST
205
Discussion
Day #2
The
time period of The Revolution sparked a change in slaves. The process of
commodification began to end when the slaves saw their masters striving for
freedom from Great Britain. Masters realized that they had to treat slaves more
like humans in order to reduce insurrections and keep the slaves alive. Slaves
needed to be fed in order to do hard manual labor. The masters realized that
new slaves cost a lot of money so they had find a balance between pushing
slaves to produce a certain amount of product and giving them rest so they
don’t die from dehydration or heat stroke in the summer. During the winter
masters had to give slaves just enough clothing so they wouldn’t die from
frostbite, pneumonia, or other fatal consequences of living in cold conditions.
When
slaves saw their masters fighting Britain’s oppression, they decided to fight
for their rights as well. The slaves from Fairfield County, Connecticut in African American Voices constructed
their petition for freedom similar to how the colonists drafted up the
Constitution. These slaves spoke of how they were forbidden to read or learn in
order to keep them in submission. “They have added another dreadful evil in
holding us in gross ignorance, so as to render our subjection more easy and
tolerable.”[1]
They also brought up how slaves were separated from their families and treated
unjustly and had their rights taken away and were forced into a lifetime of
slavery only because they were a certain color. The Revolution marked a time
when slaves had more ways to fight the institution than ever before thanks to
their owners preoccupation with fighting Britain. Slaves had the three choices.
They could fight for the colonists, the British, create insurrections, or they
could simply run away.
British
generals like Lord Dunmore petitioned slaves to join the British side and
obtain their freedom. Lord Dunmore stated to slaves, “I do hereby further
declare all indented servants, negroes, or others, (appertaining to rebels,)
free that they are able and willing to bear arms.”[2]
The British followed through on their promises by relocating African Americans
who helped them to other British colonies.
Consequently
the colonists had to enlist African Americans in order to keep them from
flocking by the hundreds to the colonists’ forces. [3]
Some slaves who fought for the colonists were promised freedom and some even
fought on their master’s behalf.
The
Revolution afforded slaves who didn’t want to fight for either the British or
the Colonists the wiggle room to start insurrections. Nat Turner and Gabriel
Prosser, and others started insurrections with the same goals in mind that the
Colonists were fighting for themselves. Getting back at their masters while
freeing fellow slaves along the way was just an added bonus for them.
Slaves
began to get their humanity back as they saw their white counterparts fighting
against unfair taxation, forced military service, and being forced to house
unfriendly British soldiers. They wanted their masters and other whites to
realize that they were people too and deserved happiness. Slaves saw their
masters fight for freedom as justification for them to fight for the abolition
of slavery. Slaves went through harsher abuses against their humanity and
happiness like separation of family members, severe whippings, and forced
labor. Their masters fight against non-physically harmful abuses made slaves
realize they were justified in petitioning for their freedom.
Religion
also gave slaves their humanity back because they could now be part of a
community. Slaves could assimilate into the white man’s community by converting
to Christianity. They could now worship with and even preach to their white
counterparts. Accepting Christianity also led to some slaves learning how to
read. Slaves who had nicer, missionary-type masters were taught to read the
bible even though it was illegal. The bible was used by slave owners to say
that God approved of slavery, but abolitionists and slaves interpreted it as
being against slavery. These two ways of interpreting the bible made masters
prevent their slaves from learning to read. A ignorant, slow-witted slave was
easier to control than a smart, quick thinking slave.
After
centuries of being commodified and treated like work animals slaves began to
get used to life in the colonies. They formed little communities with each
other and even families when masters permitted it. They found similarities in
their different cultures and American born slaves fused together their African
heritage with their current situation in America. Thanks to the revolution and
the paradox that was seen between the colonists fight for freedom while still
holding slaves; people called abolitionists began petitioning for slaves
emancipation.
When
the workday ended slaves had the freedom mingle with one another without being
separated by age, sex, or ability to do what kind of work. Slaves were now able
to form friendships and relationships with each other. Families were being
formed and slaves could now help each other through tough times.
These
relationships and familial ties allowed slaves to resist the institution.
Masters were against teaching slaves to read because a dumb slave was a good
slave. Smart slaves had problems with being subservient to masters and
interpret the bible as being against slavery. Once slaves learned to read
religion became their biggest proponent in the fight for slavery.
Slaves
used religion to tell each other to escape and how not to be caught. “Steal
away Jesus”, meant for slaves to runaway; which was also called stealing
themselves. “Wade in the water”, meant to stay near the water so dogs couldn’t
track them down.
Thanks
to the changing times and attitudes about slavery coupled with less man power
masters had to institute a system of give and take in order to avoid trouble
with slaves. South Carolina
governor James Henry Hammond gave his overseer what he thought was the best
disciplinary regime. He kept overseers from going too far with punishment, he
separated child work from adult work, and gave slaves freedoms like marriage,
having gardens, going to church and town, and visiting slaves on other
plantations.
African American voices and Major Problems in African-American History
gave examples of how African Americans were given some of their humanity back
during and after the revolution. They were part of America’s Christian
community and formed communities of their own through their African heritage
and shared slave status on plantations. Because of their masters preoccupation
with the Revolution and a belief that slavery might be wrong masters had to
treat slaves more like humans in order to avoid insurrections, runaways, and
keep slaves from fighting for the British.
[1] Mintz,
Steven. “African American Voices: The Life Cycle of Slavery.” New York:
Brandywine Press 2004. Page 89.
[2] Mintz,
Steven. “African American Voices: The Life Cycle of Slavery.” New York:
Brandywine Press 2004. Page 86.
[3] Mintz,
Steven. “African American Voices: The Life Cycle of Slavery.” New York:
Brandywine Press 2004. Page 87.
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