Response To Slavery

Black Response to Slavery Throughout the age of slavery in America, most viewed the general conflict between the molarity of slavery and the need for it. What is often overlooked is how slaves were not only treated, but how they lived and were affected by this harsh and inhumane institution. Blacks in enslavement should be looked at as one of the most strong groups of people in American history because of this. During the late 17th century to when slavery was abolished in 1865, these people were viewed as property to most, and were often treated like such. In general, treatment of slaves was characterized by degradation, rape, brutality, and the lack of basic freedoms, although it varied from place to place. They were often punished for fatigue …show more content…
The denotative meaning of abolition is the action or an act of abolishing a system, practice, or institution. The abolishment of slavery meant ending it wholly. Slaves showed great eagerness towards freedom and were willing to work for it. In most cases, no matter how hard they worked they weren’t granted their freedom, instead they may have gotten to hire their own time or work in a tobacco factory, which generally had less restraints than the plantations (CC 289). But, of course, slaves weren’t happy with their situation no matter the degree of freedom they were endowed, because it was not to the same degree as a white man. But, the fight for their freedom was restrained by their slave owners dominance over them. One account of a former slave says, “A man in slavery knows, and no one else can know, the yearnings to be free, and the fear of making an attempt.” (CC 298) Although slaves usually yielded to authority, given they had no other choice, most expressed their discontent at some point in their lives (CC 293). Revolt took many forms, from individual acts of sabotage, poor work, feigning illness, or committing crimes like arson and poisoning to escaping the system altogether by running away to the North. But, rarely did slaves revolt on a large scale because it was difficult to conspire while living in conditions where they were watched so closely. One example of a large scale rebellion was …show more content…
“Slave culture combines elements of tribal African culture with Christian worship and stresses the importance of family and cooperation. It enabled a significant amount of resistance to the plantation economy and created a cohesive and homogenous slave identity that remarkably shaped Southern life and relationships between slaves and whites in the antebellum era.” (Outside Source) This newly formed identity still shines in black culture. Hard work ethic, and an importance on family can clearly be seen (CC 320). Because most slaves could not read or write, slaves carried traditions orally, like through songs and storytelling, and have been integrated into African American tradition. This can be seen as resilient because through all the oppression and dominance slaves faced, the identity they created is still celebrated in many aspects of African American tradition today. Clearly, this is one response blacks had to slavery that was very