Differences between slaves in the North and slaves in the South. Slavery Differences between slaves in the North and slaves in the South.

Slavery in the North By 1820 there were approximately 3,000 slaves in the Northern states. Most of them were working on large farms in NEW JERSEY. Slaves were not an important part of the Northern ECONOMY. There were plenty of WHITE men who wanted those jobs. Many Northerners believed that slavery was in direct violation of our CONSTITUTION and basic HUMAN RIGHTS.

Abolitionists and The Underground Railroad An ABOLITIONIST is a person who fights to help slaves and is trying to end SLAVERY.

By the 1830’s, thousands of slaves used secret ROUTES and locations to help them escape north on what became known as the UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

If a slave could make it the whole way to CANADA, they had a better chance of freedom because slavery was not permitted there. Food for thought- From Jackson, Mississippi to Canada it is 990 miles- Do you think that you would be able to walk that distance?

The most famous “conductor” on the Underground Railroad was HARRIET TUBMAN. She helped to lead more than 300 slaves to freedom In order to try and keep everyone safe on the Underground Railroad, a SECRET CODE was developed. This was found in MUSIC, quilts, and everyday conversation.

By 1790 nearly 1/3 of the population in the South was slaves. Slavery in the South By 1790 nearly 1/3 of the population in the South was slaves. The general belief by people in the south was that slaves were ITEMS not HUMANS. When a slave was just a few months old, his or her mother could be sold to another master.

The story of Venture Smith By the age of 5, slaves were expected to begin running errands and carrying water to those in the fields. Around the age of 8, children were expected to work in the fields or as a “domestic” or house slave on the plantations. Slaves were subject to many severe PUNISHMENTS if their masters felt they were out of line; some of the punishments included being WHIPPED, beat with objects such as BROOMS, knife handles, and HARD SHOES. The story of Venture Smith

The types of crops slaves fielded included COTTON, tobacco, HEMP, and others. They worked from SUNRISE to sundown with few breaks and very little FOOD. As slavery grew in the south, SLAVE CODES were created which outlined the rights allowed by slaves and the acceptable treatment of slaves.

Examples of some “Slave CODES” One could not do business with a slave without the prior consent of the owner. Slaves could be awarded as prizes in raffles, wagered in gambling, and transferred as gifts from one person to another. A slave was not permitted to keep a gun. If caught carrying a gun, the slave received 39 lashes and forfeited the gun. The education of slaves was prohibited. Anyone operating a school or teaching reading and writing to any African-American in Missouri could be punished by a fine of not less than $500 and up to six months in jail. Slaves could not assemble without a white person present. Marriages between slaves were not considered legally binding. Therefore, owners were free to split up families through sale.

As slaves continued to try and escape, Southerners came up with the FUGITIVE SLAVE LAWS in 1850. These laws allowed escaped slaves to be HUNTED down in the North and returned to their MASTERS. Under these laws, even if a slave had been FREE for several years, they could be returned and forced back into SLAVERY.