Slavery: History and Influence Report (Assessment)

The institution of slavery and its effect on people and families

In many ways, enslaved African Americans families bore a resemblance to any other family living in different times. Men and women would love each other or failed to cope with each other. The children would abide or rebel against their parents, just like normal children. However, being literally owned by another human presented the families with agony, interference, and irritations. The slaves were not allowed to wed legally. They were regarded as commodities and properties. The slaves would enter into what they considered marriage but was not considered lawful by the authorities.

The tasks the slaves had to perform

The slaves were meant to provide labor for the masters and generate wealth. They would perform different chores from dawn to dusk. Mothers would resume work a few days after giving birth. During the day, they would sneak to breastfeed the newborns. In huge plantations, it was ordinary for children to be brought together, and one mother assigned to feed them while the others toiled. On reaching seven years, children would be allocated duties such as delivering food to the master’s kids at school.

Miscegenation, how is the reality represented, effects of the development

During the slavery era, people would cohabit or marry. However, relationships between black men and white women were not allowed. The white man’s supremacy over blacks hijacked the patriarchal role of black men. They were not allowed to get anywhere close to a white woman. This was aimed at ensuring the establishment of a solid disconnection between white women and black men. The effects were that black men were considered inferior to their white counterparts.

Why age was a determining factor during auctions and enslavement

Slave buyers aimed at forcing the slaves to toil in their farms to generate wealth. Inherently, the highest bidder would take the strongest slave. Children were rarely bought unless the buyer was not financially endowed. Old people did not have any value for the buyer. Younger men were mostly bought as they were energetic and would live longer to generate more wealth. They were hence preferred, especially those with a large physique.

What were the auctions, why was it a concern for enslaved workers

Slavery auction involved the sale of humans to those who required labor. The slaves would be captured and sold to traders in Africa. When they reached America, they would be auctioned to plantation owners. When the ‘owner’ did not need the service of such a slave anymore, they would auction them to another ‘owner.’ This caused family separations. The buyer may not have the resources to buy the whole family. In that case, only the strongest would be bought.

Psychological effects of auctions

Some slaves, especially men, came to hate themselves for lacking the capacity to rid themselves of the hurdle. Those who were left behind would not know whether those captured reached their destination or not. For those who reached the Americas, their attachment with culture and surroundings felt distanced. The fact that individuals would not choose their owners was devastating, leave alone the fact that they had no control over their own destiny.

The future of slavery in the USA during the era

The victory of Northern America after the civil war and the liberation of slaves interrupted the oppression by getting rid of slavery as a lawful status. The future of slavery was uncertain as slaves were released and settled in different locations. The laws that were consequently legislated saw the abolition of the practice.

Differences between abolition and emancipation

Emancipation refers to the releasing of slaves and granting them freedom. Abolition refers to the complete stopping of slavery through legislation.