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Essay on Slavery

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Slavery

Slavery in America brought about a successful south but also proved to be one of the most terrible things done by humans to humans. Slavery became a way of life in early America. Eight out of the first twelve presidents owned slaves. People in the south benefited from slaves the most. Harvesting those huge cotton fields took many hands. That’s were the slaves became key to the success of the south. Slaves were predominately black Africans. Africans made up the majority but they were not the only ones. Native Americans and even English indentured servants made up the rest of the people put into slavery.

There are two different kinds of slaves. There are slaves that stayed in the house and took care of the families, and …show more content…

Slaves usually practiced their native religions. Owners became suspicious when slaves wanted to convert to Christianity. Only because they thought they would have to be freed. Years later after the American Revolution, slaves were encouraged to convert to their owners religion. When the slaves went to the white churches they were put into what was called a “slave gallery.” They were told to be obedient to their owners, and to do what they were told.

Slaves were transported to this country on ships built to small to hold the number of slaves put in them. There are two ways the owners of the ships used to pack in the slaves. They are tight and loose packing. Loose packing was when the owners gave the slaves a little more room, and fed them better. Tight packing was when the owners just stuffed slaves in the boat giving no room to maneuver around. Tight packing usually brought sickness quick and helped the disease spread quickly. Boat captains argued about the method they used and explained why it was better than the other was. Captains that used tight packing argued that the even though fatalities would was higher, there would be more slaves alive, which means more money. Loose packers said that if you give them a little more room and feed them better. A lot more will live. In the end the tight packers usually made out better than the loose packers because the number of slaves that lived was much higher. In 1788, you could only carry 454 slaves per ship

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