Chapter 9.3 The Peculiar Institution

EQ: How did enslaved African Americans develop a unique

culture and fight against slavery?

What do you think you know about Slavery in the South?

Family LifeFamily Life• Slaves faced constant uncertainty and Slaves faced constant uncertainty and

dangers. dangers. • American law did not protect their American law did not protect their

freedom and at any time they could be freedom and at any time they could be sold to a new master. The death of a sold to a new master. The death of a slaveholder could lead to the breakup slaveholder could lead to the breakup of entire families. of entire families.

• Marriages between slaves were not Marriages between slaves were not recognized by law, however many recognized by law, however many couples did marry. couples did marry.

• Their ceremonies included the phrase Their ceremonies included the phrase “until death or separation do us part.”“until death or separation do us part.”

• To provide some sense of stability To provide some sense of stability slaves established a network of slaves established a network of relatives and friends, who made up relatives and friends, who made up their extended family. their extended family.

• If the parents were sold, the If the parents were sold, the children would have a family children would have a family member or friend to raise them. member or friend to raise them.

• Large close-knit extended families Large close-knit extended families became a vital feature of African became a vital feature of African American culture.American culture.

How were slave families able to

support one another in case of separation?

African American CultureAfrican American Culture• Slaves endured their hardships by Slaves endured their hardships by

extending their own culture, fellowship, extending their own culture, fellowship, and community.and community.

• The growth of the African American The growth of the African American population came mainly from the birth population came mainly from the birth of slave children in the US. of slave children in the US.

• In 1808 the Congress banned the slave In 1808 the Congress banned the slave trade. Slaves were not longer allowed trade. Slaves were not longer allowed to be legally brought to the United to be legally brought to the United States.States.

• By 1860 nearly all slaves in the South By 1860 nearly all slaves in the South had been born in the US. had been born in the US.

• The slaves practiced many African The slaves practiced many African customs passed down through the customs passed down through the generations. generations.

• Music, dance, folk stories and clothing Music, dance, folk stories and clothing styles were shared with the children so styles were shared with the children so they would remember their African they would remember their African roots.roots.

• A large number of slaves accepted A large number of slaves accepted Christianity; however they often Christianity; however they often followed their traditional religious followed their traditional religious beliefs and practices of their ancestors.beliefs and practices of their ancestors.

Why would stories and customs be

passed down through the Oral

Tradition?

African American ChristianityAfrican American Christianity

• Christianity became a religion of Christianity became a religion of hope and resistance. They prayed hope and resistance. They prayed for the day when they would be for the day when they would be free from bondage like the Jews in free from bondage like the Jews in the Old Testament. the Old Testament.

• The passionate beliefs of the The passionate beliefs of the slaves were expressed in the slaves were expressed in the spiritual, a song that provided a way to secretly communicate with one another.

• The spiritual connected the The spiritual connected the African American slaves African American slaves with the enslaved people of with the enslaved people of the bible. the bible.

• It also followed the oral It also followed the oral tradition of passing down tradition of passing down stories and songs through stories and songs through speech rather than writing. speech rather than writing.

Why would slaves use the Bible and Christianity as a

way to keep hope?

Resisting SlaveryResisting Slavery• Slaves had few legal rights. The Slave Codes Slaves had few legal rights. The Slave Codes

of the 1830s through the 1860’s became of the 1830s through the 1860’s became more severe. more severe.

• Slave codes were written primarily to prevent Slave codes were written primarily to prevent slave uprisings. They prohibited large groups slave uprisings. They prohibited large groups of slaves from meeting together and from of slaves from meeting together and from leaving the master’s property without a leaving the master’s property without a written pass. written pass.

• They also made it a crime to teach slaves to They also made it a crime to teach slaves to read or write. White Southerners believed read or write. White Southerners believed that a slave that couldn’t read and write that a slave that couldn’t read and write would be less likely to rebel. would be less likely to rebel.

Why was it illegal to teach slaves to read

and write?

Rebellions• Some slaves did rebel against Some slaves did rebel against

their masters and overseers. their masters and overseers. • Nat Turner was a popular Nat Turner was a popular

religious leader amongst his religious leader amongst his fellow slaves. He had taught fellow slaves. He had taught himself to read and write. himself to read and write.

• In 1831 he led a violent rampage In 1831 he led a violent rampage through Southhampton County, through Southhampton County, Virginia, that resulted in the Virginia, that resulted in the death of at least 55 whites.death of at least 55 whites.

• Turner was hanged, but his Turner was hanged, but his rebellion frightened whites rebellion frightened whites and led to more severe slave and led to more severe slave codes. codes.

• Other slaves planned Other slaves planned rebellion but were usually rebellion but were usually discovered and killed before discovered and killed before rebelling.rebelling.

Why did most slave rebellions

fail?

Other Forms of ResistanceOther Forms of Resistance• Armed rebellions were rare; Slaves Armed rebellions were rare; Slaves

knew that they would ultimately lose in knew that they would ultimately lose in an armed uprising. an armed uprising.

• Slaves resisted slavery by working Slaves resisted slavery by working slowly or by pretending to be ill. slowly or by pretending to be ill.

• More active forms of resistance More active forms of resistance occurred when slaves set plantation occurred when slaves set plantation buildings on fire or by breaking tools.buildings on fire or by breaking tools.

• Resistance was one way that slaves Resistance was one way that slaves could strike back at their masters and could strike back at their masters and establish boundaries that the white establish boundaries that the white people would respect.people would respect.

What were three other

ways slaves resisted?

Escaping Slavery• Some slaves tried to escape by running away Some slaves tried to escape by running away

to the North. to the North. • Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were

two African American leaders who were born two African American leaders who were born into slavery, gained their freedom when they into slavery, gained their freedom when they fled to the North. fled to the North.

• For most slaves getting to the North was For most slaves getting to the North was almost impossible, especially from the Deep almost impossible, especially from the Deep South. South.

• Most slaves that succeeded escaped from Most slaves that succeeded escaped from the Upper South.the Upper South.

Why would escape from

the Deep South be nearly

impossible?

• The Underground Railroad, a The Underground Railroad, a network or “safe houses” owned network or “safe houses” owned by blacks and whites who opposed by blacks and whites who opposed slavery, offered assistance to slavery, offered assistance to runaway slaves. runaway slaves.

• Most runaway or fugitive slaves Most runaway or fugitive slaves were captured and returned to their were captured and returned to their owners. owners.

• Discipline for runaways was Discipline for runaways was severe, usually whipping, but other severe, usually whipping, but other times hobbling, cutting off a times hobbling, cutting off a portion of the foot was used.portion of the foot was used.

• Even if a slave made it to the free Even if a slave made it to the free states in the North they weren’t states in the North they weren’t automatically free. automatically free.

• In some Northern communities In some Northern communities fugitive slaves were captured and fugitive slaves were captured and returned to the South. returned to the South.

• This prevented many runaway This prevented many runaway slaves from settling in the North slaves from settling in the North and forced them to continue even and forced them to continue even further to Canada.further to Canada.

Why might Northerners

turn in Fugitive Slaves?