Plantation slaves lived in
small shacks with a dirt floor and little or no furniture
. Life on large plantations with a cruel overseer was oftentimes the worst. However, work for a small farm owner who was not doing well could mean not being fed. The stories about cruel overseers were certainly true in some cases.
What did the slaves do on the plantations?
Many plantations raised several different kinds of crops. Besides
planting and harvesting
, there were numerous other types of labor required on plantations and farms. Enslaved people had to clear new land, dig ditches, cut and haul wood, slaughter livestock, and make repairs to buildings and tools.
What was life like on a plantation for the enslaved?
In the early 19th century, most enslaved men and women worked on large agricultural plantations as house servants or field hands. Life for enslaved men and women was brutal;
they were subject to repression, harsh punishments, and strict racial policing
.
What was life like for plantation owners?
Most plantation owners took an active part in the operations of the business. Surely they found time for
leisurely activities like hunting
, but on a daily basis they worked as well. The distance from one plantation to the next proved to be isolating, with consequences even for the richest class.
At what age did slaves start working?
Generally, in the U.S. South, children entered field work
between the ages of eight and 12
. Slave children received harsh punishments, not dissimilar from those meted out to adults. They might be whipped or even required to swallow worms they failed to pick off of cotton or tobacco plants.
How many hours did slaves work?
Slaves were whipped if they did not work hard enough. During harvest time, slaves worked in
shifts of up to 18 hours a day
.
How much did slaves get paid?
Wages varied across time and place but self-hire slaves could command between
$100 a year
(for unskilled labour in the early 19th century) to as much as $500 (for skilled work in the Lower South in the late 1850s).
How long did slaves usually live?
As a result of this high infant and childhood death rate, the average life expectancy of a slave at birth was
just 21 or 22 years
, compared to 40 to 43 years for antebellum whites. Compared to whites, relatively few slaves lived into old age.
How was the life of slaves?
Plantation slaves
lived in small shacks with a dirt floor and little or no furniture
. Life on large plantations with a cruel overseer was oftentimes the worst. However, work for a small farm owner who was not doing well could mean not being fed. The stories about cruel overseers were certainly true in some cases.
Who is the richest plantation owner?
| Stephen Duncan | Education Dickinson College | Occupation Plantation owner, banker |
|---|
What did House slaves look like?
Whereas many field workers were not given sufficient clothing to cover their bodies, house slaves tended to be
dressed with more modesty
, sometimes in the hand-me-downs of masters and mistresses. Most slaves lived in similar dwellings, simple cabins furnished sparely. A few were given rooms in the main house.
What did slaves do for fun?
During their limited leisure hours, particularly on Sundays and holidays, slaves
engaged in singing and dancing
. Though slaves used a variety of musical instruments, they also engaged in the practice of “patting juba” or the clapping of hands in a highly complex and rhythmic fashion. A couple dancing.
Did slaves work 7 days a week?
Slaves worked from dawn to well after dark from Monday through Saturday. Sundays were the only day they had to rest during the week. The only holidays that were usually free of work were Christmas and the Fourth of July. …
House slaves worked seven days a week
.
What did slaves do on their free time?
When they could, slaves spent their limited free time
visiting friends or family nearby, telling stories, and making music
. Some of these activities combined African traditions with traditions of the Virginia colonists.
How many pounds of cotton did slaves pick a day?
With the invention of the cotton gin, one slave could gin
50 pounds
of cotton per day. Did this mean plantation owners needed fewer slaves?
How much did slaves get paid a week?
For that time, the slave earned $0.80 per day, 6 days per week. This equals
$4.80 per week
, times 52 weeks per year, which equals pay of $249.60 per year.
