Slavery

The Beginning of a Country In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed, saying that “All men are created equal.” But at this time, there were half a million Africans enslaved in the colonies America fought England to become free, but even after it won freedom, white landowners took the freedom of slaves

How it Started… The first slave ships began bringing Africans to America in the 1500s Over the next 400 years, 10 million Africans were captured and brought to the U.S.

The Journey Slaves were packed onto dirty, crowded ships and carried like luggage across the Atlantic Ocean The trip took 4 months, and many slaves died because of starvation and sickness The “Slave Trade” was ended in 1808, but that just ended bringing in new slaves. Slavery continued in the United States

What Happened Once They Got Here Slaves were sold in the colonies at slave markets Slave traders were looking for the healthiest and strongest looking slaves Many families were broken apart and sold to different slave owners. This included separating mothers and children and husbands and wives.

Why do you think these pictures are all drawings and paintings?

What was being a slave like…? Each time a slave was bought, he/she became the property of the slave owner As property, slaves could be sold, bought, and traded Slaves had NO rights They could not get married, travel, own land Their children became the master’s property Slaves could NOT learn to read and write

Plantations Some slaves worked in cities or farms, but most worked on plantations, large southern farms Plantations owners became rich selling cotton, tobacco, rice, sugar grown on their plantations However, the crops were grown and picked by the slaves. They never got paid

Southern Plantations and cotton picking

Life as a Slave Slaves worked hard in the fields, planting and picking They could also work in the master’s kitchen and home as maids, cooks & weavers Lived together in small cabins Given little to eat and worked from sunup to sundown, even if they were sick

Harsh Conditions Slaves could be treated cruelly by their masters Slaves were chained so they wouldn’t run away and whipped for breaking rules or not working hard enough As punishment, slaves could be sold to another plantation to be separated from their family

North vs South In the early 1800s, slavery was ended (ABOLISHED) in the northern states But slavery continued in the south, especially because plantations needed slave labor to run and make money In 1860, 4,000,000 slaves lived in the South Only 25% of southerners owned slaves, but the economy and way of life in the South depended on slavery

WAR As the United States grew, the North and South fought about whether new states would be allowed to have slavery In 1860, 11 states in the South separated (SUCCEEDED) from the North to form the CONFEDERACY This led to the CIVIL WAR

The Civil War During the war, President Abraham Lincoln signed the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION to declare all slaves in the South were free The South ignored the Proclamation and continued with slavery

And the War Continues… The Civil War lasted 4 LONG years and ended in 1865. The North WON So slavery was officially ENDED with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution 4 million slaves were FREED

In conclusion, what were the negative aspects of slavery? 1)Whipped/Beated slaved 2) They made work hard, for no money 3)They had no rights 4) No freedoms 5)Separated from family 6)Given little food

Here’s a tough question…Were there any POSITIVE aspects of slavery??? 1)not all white were horrible, some helped 2)Underground Railroad 3) Some white owners helper reunite families