The Slavery System

Slavery was an integral part of the culture and lifestyle of Antebellum America. While mostly prominent in the south and western regions, slavery maintained a presence throughout the entire country in various forms. Through the analysis of multiple first-hand accounts of slavery in this time period, it is possible to gain an ample understanding of the antebellum slavery system, and more importantly the interactions between slaves and their masters. Slave owners were able to enforce their desires and rules through two avenues: physical and mental. Thus, it is important to understand the methods and motivations of enforcement used in these avenues.
Physical punishment is one of the most commonly known methods of enforcement in the slavery system,
By creating a dependent relationship, slave owners are more likely to be received and obeyed by their slaves. In the case of Douglass, their plantation was isolated from others, and the slaves had to rely on their overseers and masters for their supplies of food and clothing. Through being the only source of provisions for the slaves, masters are able to assert their dominance and ensure that the slaves will not act out and disobey them. While this type of relationship was ideal, masters sought for an even stronger one; the ultimate goal was to create a perverted sense of dependence, one where the slave felt indebted to them. If the slave feels that they owe their master’s, they will not only obey them unwaveringly, they would show initiative to go above and beyond for their master. Keckley in her later years exemplified this type of dependent relationship with her master. When he became so poor that the family could not afford anything, she chose to go find work and support the family. Then when her master offered her and her son freedom, she refused and was determined to purchase her freedom, which was aided in loans from others (Keckley 44-53). While there may have been underlying motives such as love for her family and pride that led to those outcomes, they are likely a result of her delusion that she
However, this does not refer to the fear of physical abuse, instead it indicates the fear of losing loved ones. One of the few rights slaves still had in the antebellum period was the right to have a family and love one another, thus the desire to maintain these relationships is a strong motivation to obey slave owners. Slave owners were aware that the loss of a family member created a deep sense of fear and sorrow within the slaves, and thus it was important to utilize that fear. Douglass tells of a story where a slave unknowingly spoke ill of Col. Lloyd, resulting in the slave being shackled and sold to a Georgia trader. While this story was more likely a myth, it represented the constant fear that slaves had of being sold, and worked to provide insight as to not have that happen. If a slave was to not only obey to their master’s when they are around, but to also remain loyal when in the company of strangers, they were likely to remain in their master’s good graces. Similar to the singing, this suppresses the slaves mentally by enforcing the idea that they must always speak and act towards their superiors in a positive manner, or else they may end up being separated from those they