The Slave System 12.4
Unwilling Immigrants ► Between 13 – 17 million Africans were taken between 1500 – 1890 Most ended up in Latin America ► In 1808, Congress outlawed the importation of Slaves into the USA
Slaves & Work ► Most slaves were field hands. Worked from dawn to dusk in heat & ice ► House slaves lived in better conditions, but were always on call ► Driver: an overseer, often another slave, who forced others to work.
Slaves were considered Property & endured many punishments & torture
Slave Culture Helped them Cope ► Spirituals: Emotional Christian songs with African rhythms basis of American popular music ► Folktales: African stories retained in a rich oral tradition.
Resistance ► Slaves did many things to resist their masters. ► Many tried to escape ► Many violent slave uprising occurred between
Nat Turner’s Rebellion (1831) ► Bloodiest slave uprising in US History. ► 100 slaves & 60 whites killed in Virginia ► Led to harsher slave codes that prohibited reading