Slavery in America-Part II
Life As a Slave
In America, Africans were sold and taken to new homes, where they would be forced to work, usually for more than twelve hours a day. Most slaves worked in the fields, picking tobacco or cotton. Slaves who did not work or tried to run away were beaten and sometimes even killed. Slaves were given simple shacks and clothes and food to eat, but this did not make up for what was taken away from them. By law, slaves were considered property that could be bought and sold. Families were often split up and never saw each other again. Slaves were forbidden to speak their native African languages or practice their native religions. Slave owners could kill a slave without punishment. Slaves were not allowed to own property, to gather for meetings, to marry whom they chose, or even to learn to read and write.
Frederick Douglass was born a slave in Maryland and treated harshly in his young life. He taught himself to read and eventually escaped to the North. There, he published his narrative and became one of the country’s most important speakers against slavery. Here is an excerpt from his narrative where he recalls Slave Life.
"Here, too, the slaves of all the other farms received their monthly allowance of food, and their yearly clothing. The men and women slaves received, as their monthly allowance of food, eight pounds of pork, or its equivalent in fish, and one bushel of corn meal Their yearly clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts, one pair of linen trousers, like the shirts, one jacket, one pair of trousers for winter, made of coarse negro cloth, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes; the whole of which could not have cost more than seven dollars. The allowance of the slave children was given to their mothers, or the old women having the care of them. The children unable to work in the field had neither shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers, given to them; their clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts per year. When these failed them, they went naked until the next allowance-day. Children from seven to ten years old, of both sexes, almost naked, might be seen at all seasons of the year.
There were no beds given the slaves, unless one coarse blanket be considered such, and none but the men and women had these. This, however, is not considered a very great privation. They find less difficulty from the want of beds, than from the want of time to sleep; for when their day’s work in the field is done, the most of them having their washing, mending, and cooking to do, and having few or none of the ordinary facilities for doing either of these, very many of their sleeping hours are consumed in preparing for the field the coming day; and when this is done, old and young, male and female, married and single, drop down side by side, on one common bed, — the cold, damp floor, — each covering himself or herself with their miserable blankets; and here they sleep till they are summoned to the field by the driver’s horn.
At the sound of this, all must rise, and be off to the field. There must be no halting; every one must be at his or her post; and woe betides them who hear not this morning summons to the field; for if they are not awakened by the sense of hearing, they are by the sense of feeling: no age nor sex finds any favor. Mr. Severe, the overseer, used to stand by the door of the quarter, armed with a large hickory stick and heavy cowskin, ready to whip any one who was so unfortunate as not to hear, or, from any other cause, was prevented from being ready to start for the field at the sound of the horn.
Mr. Severe was rightly named: he was a cruel man. I have seen him whip a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at the time; and this, too, in the midst of her crying children, pleading for their mother’s release. He seemed to take pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. Added to his cruelty, he was a profane swearer. It was enough to chill the blood and stiffen the hair of an ordinary man to hear him talk. Scarce a sentence escaped him but that was commenced or concluded by some horrid oath. The field was the place to witness his cruelty and profanity. His presence made it both the field of blood and of blasphemy. From the rising till the going down of the sun, he was cursing, raving, cutting, and slashing among the slaves of the field, in the most frightful manner. His career was short. He died very soon after I went to Colonel Lloyd’s; and he died as he lived, uttering, with his dying groans, bitter curses and horrid oaths. His death was regarded by the slaves as the result of a merciful providence."
Discussion Questions:
1. Describe the life of a slave in Maryland. What did they eat? How did they sleep? working conditions?
2. Who was Mr. Severe? What was the relationship like between the slaves and the overseer?
3. What would you have found most difficult if you were a slave?
To learn more about Frederick Douglass and his struggle for freedom click on this website: Young American Heroes.
rachael c.
ReplyDelete1) They either ate pork or fish. They usually slept on the floor with a course blanket to cover them. Their working conditions were awful. They had to work long hours and hardly got any sleep.
2) Mr. Severe was an awful man that usually punished the slaves. The slaves feared the overseer.
3) I would have found the work most difficult.
Melissa G.
ReplyDelete1. Slaves in Maryland ate pork, fish, and corn. They slept on nothing. If they were lucky they would recieve a blanket. Their working conditions were very harsh also.
2. Mr. Severe was a man who waited to beat slaves. The relationship between the slaves and the overseer was harsh.
3. I think that I would of found not getting enough food the hardest because i love food.
1)A slve in maryland ate eight pounds of pork or fish and a bush of corn meal. They did not have beds the slept on the floor and the men and women had a coarse blanket if that. Their clothing was two coarse linen shirts, one pair of linen trousers, one jacket, one trousers for winter, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes. the children got twwo coarse linen shirts per year and they get nothing elseso they dont need shoes, trousers, jackets, nor trousers.
ReplyDelete2)Mr. severe was a curel man that punished the slaves for not working hard enought. The slaves fear the overseer.
3)I believe that sleeping on the cold floor and being cold all the time because of not having proper clothes on for the weather.
Taylor Girard
Chris P.
ReplyDelete1. The slaves were given 8 pounds of pork or fish each month. Slaves didn't get a bed and would rarely get a blanket. Some of the slaves didn't fit in there clothes and had to walk around naked.
2. Mr. Severe was the overseer of the plantation. The slaves didn't like him because of his language and his personality.
3. I would find working long hours and getting little to no sleep the hardest of working on a plantation.
1. they hardly got anything to eat. they got 8 pounds of roast beef and some cornmeal. that had to last a month.they had no beds except a blanket. they had to wake up early and got little sleep.
ReplyDelete2. mr. Severe was their overseer who was horrible to them and whipped them.
3. i would have found the limited food and waking up early difficult. i love food and hate waking up early.
Mallory N.
Megan W.
ReplyDelete1.Slaves in Maryland got eight pounds of pork or fish and a bushel of corn meal monthly. They had no beds and had a coarse blanket. If they misbehaved or were late Mr. Severe would beat them regardless of who they were.
2.Mr. Severe was the overseer of the slaves. He was cruel and found pleasure from beating the slaves. He was also a profane swearer and showed no mercy to anyone.
3. If I were a slave I would find the beatings and sleeping conditions most difficult.
Tom G.
ReplyDelete1. They ate meat or fish. They also got one bushel of corn meal. They had bad condions and little clothing.
2. Mr. Severe is a terrible man. He treated the slaves horribly and they often feared him.
3. The most diffucult part of bieng a slave for me would be the work and punishment.
.A slave in maryland usually got eight pounds of pork or fish a month and would only sometimes get cornmeal. slaves did not have a bed so they slept on the floor with only one blanket. They usually worked all day and had to wake up when they were summoned.
ReplyDelete2. Mr.Severe was Douglass' master for a while and he was very abusive and swore terribly. Almost every sentance had a swear in it.
3.I would have found only getting one article of clothing a year the worst because you were probabally very cold.
Erika P.
1 slaves ate pork or fish with corn.They slept on a floor and were lucky if they got a blanket. They worked long hours with bad conditions and got little sleep.
ReplyDelete2 mr severe was a cruel evil man that usually punshied the slaves the slaves lived in fear of mr severe.
by mike
Matt W.
ReplyDelete1.The slaves were treated very badly. they ate small rations of pork, fish, and corn.they slept with nothing. Unless they were very lucky and got a very tattered blanket. The working conditions were horrible.
2. Mr. Severe was a horrible man who usually would punish the slaves if they ever did anything bad.the slaves were very frightened by him. (^^^)
1.They were treated so badly,like animals. They only ate 8 pounds of pork a month and some corn meal.Also they didn't even have bed or blanket so they slept on the floor.Working conditions were terrible for the slaves working all day they got so hot and sweaty.
ReplyDelete2.Mr. Severe was as bad as his name he hayed the slaves he always whipped and punish them. The only realationship with him and the slaves was the whipping and cursing he did to the slaves which the slaves didn't even like.
1) In Maryland the slaves ate eight pounds of pork, or fish, and one bushel of com meat. The slaves selpt with no beds and both woman and men didnt even have a blanket. The work the slaves had to do was work in the fields, washing, mending, and cooking.
ReplyDelete2)Mr.sevre was a cruel person. He has whiped a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at a time. He was also a profane swearer, it made it hard for people to talk to him and hear him swear. Mr.severe's career was short because of death. -Taylor
1. The people ate eightpounds of pork or fish and they had a bushel of corn too. They slept on the floor and if they got a blanket they would be considered lucky. Also they had to work all day and a lot of people had to wash, mend, andcook.
ReplyDelete2. Mr.Severe was a very cruel and mean overseer who stood by the quarters with a large hickorystick, and heavy cow skin whiping people who did not obey.
Andrew says...
ReplyDelete1.
-they slept on cold damp floors
-they eat very little portions
-they had very little room to sleep
-the working conditions were very difficult
2.the relationship was not the best because the slaves were not treated the way whites were treated. the overseer had much more food than the slaves did.
Bailey J.
ReplyDelete1) Life as a slave in Maryland was very difficult becasue they were treated very bad. The slaves were forced to work, usually for 12 hours a day. If the slaves didn't work or tried to run away, they were be beaten and sometimes even killed. They ate pork, corn, or fish and they slept on nothing but if they got lucky, they would recieve a blanket.
2) Mr. Severe was a cruel man becasue he had whipped a woman and caused her to bleed for a half an hour. It was hard to hear him talk becasue he was such a profane swearer. The relationship between the slaves and the overseer was not good at all.
Luke said:
ReplyDelete1.A slave ate pork, fish or corn meal. They did not have beds unless you consider their one bad blanket a bed. They had to work all day rain or shine and if they did anything wrong they would get whipped.
2.Mr. Severe was the very mean and cruel overseer. The slaves hated the overseer because he was always mean and would whip them.
Marcus E.☻
ReplyDeleteThey either had eight pounds of pork or the equivelint in fish,and one bushel of cornmeal.working conditions were rough.at night they hardley got any sleep.
1.) The slaves recieved monthly food and clothing. The food they got was eight punds of pork or its equivalent to the amount of fish they could get, ( they either got to choose from pork or fish ), and they got one bushel of cornmeal. The clothing they get are 2 linnen shirts, one pair of trousers, one jacket,one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes. The slaves didnt have beds, unless, they considered a blanket to put underneath them. They didnt have much time to sleep either.
ReplyDelete2.)Mr. Severe was an awful man that usually punished the slaves.He was a man who waited to beat slaves. The relationship between the slaves and the overseer was harsh.
1. life as a slave in Maryland was difficult. for each week they were given eight pounds of pork and bushel of com meal.they sleph with one coarse blankets and many of their sleeping hours were spent preparing for the field work on the next day. they also slept on a cold, damp floor side by side together. the work a slave had to do was very dificult and they had to work hard.
ReplyDelete2. mr. Severe was a overseer of the slaves. the relationship between Mr. Severe and the slaves was not very good. the slaves said he was na cruel man. the slaves believed that he enjoyed being mean and he didnt mind death of the slaves. he was a horrible man and didnt treat the slaves kindly.
emily
Oscar R.
ReplyDelete1. the slaves mostly ate eight pounds of pork or fish. they slept on the floor with a blanket to cover themselves. the slaves worked hard and long and didnt get alot of sleep.
2. mr. severe was a bad man that treated the slaves like trash and the slaves feared the overseers
Sara says, 1.)A slave in Maryland would only eat:
ReplyDelete-8 pounds of pork or the equivlant of fish
-1 bushel of corn meal
They slept on the cold, damp floor with a thin, weary blanket. There working conditions were terrible. If they didnt work or they were late, they would get whipped or badly beaten, they worked long hours and had barely any sleep.
Maddie says, 1) Life as a slave was bad. They recived their monthly allowence of food and their yearly clothing. their monthly allowence of food was eight pounds of pork , or its equivelent to fish, and one bushel of cornmeal. their were no beds. work condistions were unusual.
ReplyDelete2. mr. severe was the owner or in charge of the slaves. his relationship with the slaves was powerfull because he was their ruler.
1.The life of a slave in Maryland was very hard. They ate pork,fish and cornmeal. The servings were very little. They didnt have beds to sleep in which made it uncomfortable for the slaves. They worked in tobacco fields or cotton fields for about 12 hours a day. Slaves who did not work or tried to run away were beaten or killed. This was a very terrible life.
ReplyDeletechris s.
ReplyDelete1.The slaves in Maryland ate either pork,fish, and corn.They would usually sleep on the cold damp floor with a blanket to cover them. They're working conditions were pretty bad because they just worked constantly with little rest.
2. Mr. Severe was a cruel man who whipped people constantly. The slaves feared the overseer a lot.
3. I would have found working all the time with little rest and getting whipped all the time would have been the hardest thing for me.
1. The life of a slave was very harsh. they were given a monthly allowance of food and yearly clothing. The food consisted of 8 lbs of pork, or the equivalent in fish and one bushel of cornmeal. the slaves had very little sleeping time but when they did sleep it was on the floor. their working conditions were hot and strenuous 12 hour day out in a field picking tobacco or cotton.
ReplyDelete2.Mr. Sever was the overseer of the slaves. if the slave did anything bad, he would take care of them or send them to the master for further punishment. because of this, the relationship between Mr. Severe and the slaves was a bad one.
3. To me, i would find that the lack of sleeps they got as slaves the hardest to deal with.
Nate T.
1.) Slaves were treated very poorly in Maryland. They were given food, but not something we'd want as an allowance. Food and clothes was given as an allowance. They were given 2 pairs of clothes a year. If a slave ran out of clothes they were sometimes naked.For food they were given eight pounds of pork or its equivalent in fish monthly. Sometimes they were given mush. They always had work to do either in the fields or inside. Men and women were given a one coarse blanket, if they were lucky, to sleep on. They sometimes would sleep on the cold damp floor. The conditions while they were working wasn't so great especially if they were half or fully naked. And even if the weather was cold they were still not given good clothes.
ReplyDelete2.) Mr. Severe was the overseer. He would make sure that all the slaves did their work on the fields or inside. "He was rightly named a cruel man", as stated in the narrative. He would stand by the door of the quarter with a large hickory stick and heavy cow skin. Mr. Severe would whip any slave that refused to work or resisted. The relationship between the slaves and Mr. S was not a good one. In the narrative it said that he once whipped a woman causing the blood to run half an hour at the time and that he seemed to find pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. He was also a profane swearer.
3.) I would have found being naked and having no bed very very difficult. I cannot live without clothes because I love shopping for clothes and wearing them. I would have found not having a bed hard because I love to sleep and I need it everyday or I'll just pass out.
Heidie F.
Mike L.
ReplyDelete1)the life of a slave in Maryland was horrible in Fredrick Douglas's case. A slave ate pork,fish,and cornmeal. They had to sleep on the ground. They got some clothing and some kids were naked. They worked in the fields from sunris to sunset.
2) Mr. Sereve was the overseer on the palntaion that Fredrick was on. His relationship with the slaves was horrible. He would torture them if they did one thing wrong.
3) Everything.
Gage
ReplyDelete1.the slaves either ate 8 pounds of pork or fish. they usually slept on the floor with a small thin blanket. there working conditions were brutal they had to work all day and got about 4 hours of sleep.
2. mr severe was a very mean man, he usually whipped the slaves if they should the tiniest bit of resistance.
3. i would have found listening to my overseer and master the hardest part because i hate people telling me what to do when i dont want to do it.
*Danielle B.*
ReplyDelete1. Slaves in Maryland ate 8 pounds of either fish or pork a month. it wasn't a lot. They slept on the ground with a scratchy blanket, if you will. they would have to wake up to a horn everyday. Their working conditions were horrid.
2. Mr. Severe was the slave breaker. he inflicted the punishment. He would whip and attack slaves when they wouldn't get up by the sound of the horn, wouldn't work, or tried to run away. He even beat women. Sex doesn't matter to him.
3. i cannot wake up on the spot. I can barely wake up to an alarm clock. My mom usually comes in my room and shakes me until I wake up.
Devin H.
ReplyDelete1.) They ate pork, fish, and sometimes corn. They slept on the floorwith a thin blanket for cover. Their working conditions were absolutely terrible. They usually worked from dusk till dawn so they didn't get much sleep.
2.) Mr. Sever was an absolutely awful man that punished his slaves all the time. The slaves feared him.
3.) The work would have been very difficult for me.
1) The slaves ate either pork or fish. They usually slept on the floor with a coarse blanket. They had to wake up early and work all day.
ReplyDelete2)Mr. Severe was the overseer who beat the slaves and made them cooperate. He was cruel and the slaves feared him.
3) I would have found all the work and hardly any sleep most difficult.
Josh c.
~*~*Chelsi C.~*~*
ReplyDelete1.) Slaves mainly ate cornmeal, pork, or fish. the slaves lived in shacks with no beds (unless you consider the ground and a thin blanket a bed.) they slept there until they were awakend by the horn in the morning.
2.) Mr. Severe was the overseer; he swore and whipped slaves often. Some women were whipped until they bled for half hours at a time. Mr. Severe hated the slaves until the day he died.
3.) I would have found the whipping to be the most difficult to deal with because the pain would be unbearable.
1. The woman and slaves recieved monthly allowance of food. Eight pounds of pork, or its equivalent in fish and one bushel of corn meal. The yearly clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts. One pair of trousers like the shirts, one jacket, one pair of trousers for the winter, made a coarse negro cloth, one pair of stockings, and one pair of shoes. The whole of which could not have cost more than seven dollars. The children were unable to workin the field and had neither shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers. Children from seven to ten years old , of both sexes, almost naked and might have been seen at almost all seasons of the year.
ReplyDelete2. Mr. Severe was the overseer and was ready to whip anyone who was so unfortunate as not to hear, or from any cause was prevented from being ready to start for the field at the sound of the horn. He was a cruel man, He has whipped a woman, causing the blood to run half an hour at the time and he was a profane swearer that the slaves feared.
3. I would have found the time you had to come in contact with Mr. Servere the most difficult, because it was not illegal to beat your slave as badly as they wanted to which can cause death or blood to occur which he was known for.
Alicea C.
gabby says:
ReplyDelete1. the slaves ate either pork or fish. thier working conditions were very harsh and the slaves were not treated well at all. if the did something wrong they would be whipped/punished severely. they slept on the floor with a blanket most of the time.
3.what i would have found most hard about being a slave was the way they were treated. they were treated inhumanely, like animals. this would have been very hard.
emma d
ReplyDelete2.Mr. Severe was a man who wasn't very nice. He was an overseer who puished the slaves if they tried to escape.
3.The thing that would be most difficult about being a slave is getting physically hurt day after day.
Christina D. says:
ReplyDelete1. The slaves got monthly allownces of food. they got eight pounds of pork, or the same amount in fish, and one bushel of corn meal.There were no beds for the slaves, unless they considered the one blanket as a bed, but none of the chlidern got a blanket, only the adult slaves got them. They would have to sleep on the cold, damp, crowded floo. They would sleep , right next tp each ther, next to people they didn't know. They had two coarse linen shirts, a jacket, one pair of linen pants like the shirts, a pair of linen pants for the winter made of thier own cloth, one pair of socks/stockings and a pair of shoes. They didn't get to sleep until thier work for the day was done. The had to work in the fields, they had to wash, and mend thier own cloths, and cook, not having many hours to sleep.
2. Mr. Severe was the overseer who used to stand by the door of the quarter, armed with a large hickory stick and a heavy cowskin, ready to whip anyonewho didn't hear his horn. He was cruel man to the slave, whipping them, so they would be bleeding a half an hour at a time.
3. I would find not sleeping many hours hard because I can't get up to work, after only acouple hours of sleep, and not getting to go back to sleep until the work was done.