Archy Moore The Slave Analysis

“The Slave: Or Memoirs of Archy Moore. Vol. II.” is a memoir of a slave named Archy Moore raised in Virginia who was frequently sold and traded around America. This provided Moore with a fairly expansive experience with slavery in different states, ships and countries. Moore eventually gained freedom from slavery and his memoir details his absolute distaste for slavery even past gaining freedom. In the final portion of the memoir, Moore mentions that he will go back to America so that he can search for his child. In the quote itself, Moore appears to be more confident against the American slavery system, “I will revisit America, and through the length and breadth of the land, I will search out my child. I will snatch him from the oppressor …show more content…
Moore expresses the vast difference in treatment under General Carter than from his slave owner in Virginia. General Carter was even offended that Archy had a last name as he did not approve of it.2 Virginian and Marylandian slaves were often sought after, so the fact that Moore was traded around is not unusual. Virginian slaves were known to be hard-working and reliable as many of the slaves were born into slavery.3 Archy mentions that his old slave owners were a bit more lenient and rewarding to the slaves. When the slaves needed more to do their jobs or live better lives it would be provided for them, if they deserved it or it was not “outlandish”. Therefore it could be theorized that Virginian slaves worked harder as they knew their hard work meant they would be treated better. Being raised into slavery could also have meant being raised with the idea that even as slaves hard work lead to better treatment and better livelihood. Many West Indies slaves or slaves straight from Africa were not wanted because they were often not as hard of workers, to the point of being considered “refuse” slaves. Therefore, slaves from Africa and the West Indies were kept to a minimum, so the slave trade in America stayed inside America more than in the West Indies or South …show more content…
The Tayloes; a prominent slaving family based in Virginia; moved their slaves all over America, with hardly a care due to the decent profits from slave-trading.4 The slaves would of course argue that they should be able to stay with their families. However, it was up to the slave owners if they would be able to or not. Since slaves were property they had limited rights and would have to submit to their masters. Nevertheless, Moore 's memoir is fairly accurate in comparison to the documents that state slaves were likely to be traded, family or not. Moore of course was traded away from his