Slavery In The 19th Century Essay

In the early 19th century, Virginia had long been the central point of focus in terms of the American slave trade. Slaves were brought in to the city from the surrounding areas where they were housed in jail cells and sold at auctions. The primary sources of today’s reading experienced by James Martin, Elizabeth Keckley, and Elizabeth Veney offers insight into the process of the selling of slaves in order to allow us to better understand the history of the past. It was during this time period that the movement of the slave trade was termed the Second Middle Passage. Slaves were sold and shipped over land in the United States rather than overseas. Men, women, and even infants were victims of this inhumane process. This huge movement of the
Slaves were sold by auction to those who bid the most money and it is seen here that many families are split up. According to James Martin, bidders typically would not purchase an entire family but rather “makes offers accordin’ to size and build” (Mintz, AAV, p. 96). Many slave auctions were advertised as an attempt to capture the attention of those aboard a slave ship that would soon arrive. When a slave ship docks, the slaves would be forcibly removed and taken to be “put in stalls like the pens they use for cattle” (Mintz, AAV, p. 96). To look presentable, slaves were washed and made to look as though they are in their best and healthiest condition in order to be priced by the highest bidder.
The facial expressions of those who stepped on the platform were always the same and displayed emotions (anguish, distress) that were far from happiness. The factors that influenced the value of a slave (the price) was determined by age, strength, and health. The description of slaves in the auctions countered the arguments of many slave holders that African Americans were unfit for society and lazy. The sale and transport of slaves forced millions of American-born slaves to