Slave Life in the South

No one wanted to be a part of the slave trade and be put into slavery, but people were forced to, even by their own people. Life as a slave in the Southern English colonies was not good, whether one was a plantation slave or a city slave. Despite their treatment, the slaves were able to keep some of their culture and contribute positively to the development of America. How good a slave's life depended on his master and what kind of slave he was. There were house slaves, skilled slaves, and field hands. House slaves worked in the homes of their masters; they were like maids, cooks, and nannies. Skilled slaves were carpenters, blacksmiths, stone masons, or slaves with other skilled trades. Field hands were the slaves that worked in the fields, and on plantations. Slaves that worked and lived in the city generally had a better life than the slaves that lived and worked on plantations. Some masters treated their slaves as if they were less than human. Still, slaves were able to create a culture and contribute to the development of America. They did this through their skills, tools, music, food, and language. Through their skills, tools, music, food, and language, slaves were able to contribute to the development of America through culture. African slaves brought with them to America collard greens and barbeque. Musical instruments that they brought with them were the banjo and the spoons. Africans contributed to the culture by raising high class white children and teaching the children what they knew. Slaves had many ways that they tried to resist slavery. They would work poorly, fake illness, commit crimes, or just try to run away. There were also major slave rebellions. In 1712 a group of slaves, armed with guns, set houses in New York City on fire. The African slaves vowed revenge for the “hard usage” of their masters. This first slave rebellion was known as the New York City Rebellion. The rebellion did not go the way the slaves wanted