Existing comment:
A Slave's Life: Shaped by the Owner:
To endure, plantation slaves needed strength, both physical and spiritual. With no right to govern their own affairs, they were completely at the mercy of their owners. Harsh physical punishment -- sometimes causing death -- was both legal and common. Families were torn mercilessly apart at slave auctions. Endless days of labor turned into months and years. Freedom was just a dream.
Nonetheless, slaves fought valiantly to sustain a sense of community through the practice of medicine and religion, story-telling, music, and dance. Many of these communal activities have made their way into modern American society.
Kingsley's slaves worked under a "task system," in which they had specific daily duties to perform. After work, they gathered or grew their own food or tended to family matters. In his will, Kingsley requested that his families not be broken up if sold.
1820's Cotton Tasks:
Listing 1/4 acre
Hoeing 1/2 acre
Picking 90-100 pounds
Ginning 20-30 pounds |