Effects Of Slavery On Black Families

The expansion of slavery in the 1800s was a brutal and sad time in our country’s history. Through the readings of Johnson and Rothman, along with other lesson materials, it is apparent that the effects of the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, along with the complicit behavior from the U.S., largely impacted slave trade and lives of many slaves that were forced from the East to the Deep South and Southwest.

In this debate, the discussion will surround whether or not slavery destroyed the Black family. A family is a social unit living together and people descended from a common ancestor. The debate focuses on Wilma A. Dunaway who posits that slavery did destroy the Black family, and her opponent, Eugene D. Genovese, who says that slavery did not destroy the Black family. By analyzing Dunway, Genovese, and a host of other writers I have gather my own ideas for one side to agree with.

I agree the northern and southern states have different economic needs.  With the large plantations in the South, the owners needed more land to farm.  They had the resources to buy land as well. Also, I think the idea of not wanting to expand slavery in the new states and territories and not wanting the wealthy land to buy up any more of the land in the new territories placed an important part as well. I think the war would have still taken place although slavery and the effects of slavery played an important part in the tensions of the

In the 1700 Africans made up most of South Carolina population. The African gave labor on sugar and rice plantation. This is important because it proved that the locked up Africans was a more tightly controlled labor force than the white written contracted servants whom they slowly replaced. In 1739 a slave known as the Stono Rebellion happened in a low county of South Carolina. Many blacks along the Stono River tried to march to Spanish Florida. The group of armed people militia was called in to put down the

Depopulation was another negative impact that slavery had on Arica. This affected the African culture because the people who were stolen may have fulfilled many societal roles in the community. Africa lost many young strong people who could have been potential traders, philosophers, and skilled laborers. This led to an economic and cultural depletion to the regions. This also slowed the growth of existing populations and halted the development of nations. The younger, stronger people were the highly chosen ones to be taken for enslavement. The opportunities they may have had to raise children of their own within their own culture damaged cultural perpetuation. The trauma of losing young family members, people removed from the social frameworks

Slavery had an immense impact on African American families, as the familial dynamic of the African American family was in many ways responsible for the stereotypes surrounding black families in the present moment. Not only were families the sole property of their slave owner, but there were laws restricting their rights and privileges. However, despite the fact that the African American slave family existed in a perpetually tumultuous state, there were cohesive slave families, but they faced many struggles and challenges. In particular, black women were faced with incredible hardships with regard to sustaining the familial structure. This paper explores aspects of the African American family structure during slavery, considering the effect that slavery had on black women. The legacy of slavery in the present moment is also considered, in addition to whether slavery continues to exist.

During the war, some slave owners ran businesses as well as owning plantations. In addition, African-Americans mostly worked in the fields plowing, weeding, planting, taking care of the tobacco, corn, cotton, sugar cane, tomatoes, and other vegetables. (Appendix 13). The slaves did the majority of work in the households they were assigned. When the slaves were assigned to a home that had less than five people, they were treated like family. When they were placed in a household with hundreds of slaves, they were treated more strictly with a great deal of discipline. 3 However, being an African-American during this time was rough. Slaves were not allowed to read and write as their white slave-owners thought they would pass messages along with slaves on other plantations and start a revolt.

It is undeniable that slavery has affected the American culture, our ancestors who either choose to be in America or were transported here less than 400 years ago. Over an estimated 300,000 slaves were transported to freshly colonized home, laden with diseases and new ordeals (Voyage, 2013). They were forced to work long and hard while their whip-torn bodies lay as an omen to what our freedom is built upon. An omen to how their very own freedom and basic rights are taken all for the advancement of a society that they were marginalized and systematically excluded from. This is the heritage that all Americans, especially African Americans, are so familiar with today. Though African Americans are no longer in the fields being beaten, but the underlying affects of this treatment of their race is irrefutable. Ever since slavery began, African Americans have had to

During early 19th century, the entrenchment of Southern slavery, there was discussion between planters who benefitted from it and abolitionists who fought against it. Most Americans, especially those in Southern states, understood that slavery system could not help parting from their economic and social system. Southern slavery system brought big economical benefits. However, it negatively influenced American society as a whole rather that positively.

The many ways that southern men showed respect to each other often had a big effect on slaves, including Douglass. Southern men loved giving gifts to each other, and were deeply connected with the economy of the south and its trade. Gift exchanges were popular, and “Gift exchanges flourished because they were so intimately connected to the values and behaviors associated with the language of honor and slavery.” This did not stop there, they often traded slaves and bought them: “They bought and sold slaves at prices that reflected the slave’s potential productivity.” This is when slaves would be separated from their families and sold to new masters. Douglass went through many owners, as he was sold and moved around frequently.

The fight over slavery and the resulting Civil War was probably the closest this great nation has to come to destroying itself . Years of constant disagreeing , compromises , and cynical idea about slavery Pushed the country into a terrible problem between the 2 major abolitionist , Southern & Northern abolitionist . The Nation suffered a major loss economically and everything went down hill. The reconstruction period started with many leaders stepping up to fix the crippled country . It didn’t turn out The way everyone hoped . Slavery was still one of the largest issues and the reconstruction halted because of the disagreement the people faced . After several years of working , compromising and passing laws, the task provided itself to be

Being a family while being black became extremely difficult. Mothers, fathers and children being pulled away from each other, sometimes for a day and sometimes forever. Slavery created an emotional distress for families, taking away the

Imagine being forced to work for people who have bought you, and not being treated equally due to your race. Well this act occurred during the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth century. This was known as slavery. African Americans were sold to Caucasians, where their freedom would be taken away from them. It was a consistent struggle to fight through the discrimination, that was occurring. African Americans who were willing to risk their lives had the ability to have freedom. However, it was a long crucial journey for people on the underground railroad. Even so, freedom wasn’t always guaranteed. Caucasians did awful things to African Americans, which will never be forgotten. The Pledge of Allegiance says “ … one nation, indivisible…” however, at one point we were not a nation. We were divided. To this day and in one hundred years we will always have that division, based on the act of slavery.

African Americans played an important role in the Revolutionary War. The slaves fought against their race and more. At this time slaves had no human rights, because of that, some ran away. Enslaved people could not legally marry in any American Colony or State. Slaves had to fight for their lives and rights. Some colonial states like Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut still considered African Americans as property at this time.( National Humanities Center.org). Another affect the slaves faced was being separated from their families.

There is something quite special about knowing your family history and how important it is to acknowledge the cultural from which you come from. As a little girl growing up I did not understand why I looked so different from the other people in my family. My father and mother are both African American with caramel complexions and brown eyes, myself on the other-hand have very fair skin with green eyes. I will start by explaining the significance of how slavery has impacted the culture of my family. First, for simplicity, I will start with my mother’s side of the family, which starts in Rockdale Texas with my great-grandmother Gertharine Green born during slavery in 1917, her mother died of a spider bite when she was a young girl around the age of 8, and her father a white man whom she never meet. She married Cornelius Green and had 13 children, one of which is my grandmother by the name of Juanita Green.