Slave Community, Essay Example

The whole purpose of the plantation was to produce goods with low costs to its producers. Over time, slaves began to form families and social lives with other enslaved people. When slaves arrived in American they had been ripped away from their families and all they knew. Some slaves formed relationships with other slaves on the vessels that carried them, but once here they too were separated. Once on plantations, slaves formed what resembled families and relationships, but they were always aware of the looming fear that their new families could be torn away at any time. Communities within the plantations were very important. These communities could extend beyond the barriers of the plantation and often onto other neighboring plantations. These quarters or communities were the only place that slaves were free of the constant watchful eye of the slave masters. (Blassingame, 1979). Unfortunately, these family formations became the focal point for the upbringing of new generations of slaves. These slaves who were born and raised on the plantation were inheritably different from slaves that had been captured and brought to the plantations. These new slaves were taught a new culture and the dangers and risks of plantation life.

Some enslaved Africans brought their own beliefs and religious practices along with them. Over time these practices were intertwined with the religious beliefs of the slave masters. This merging of religions came from the obstruction of slaves by their slave owners to practice their beliefs freely. For example, “The slaves were religious people before Christianity came to the West Indies. Many practiced tribal African religions, and two slave religions—Obeah and Myalism—were formed in the islands. On many plantations, slaves were not allowed to practice these religions, and they were severely punished if they were caught” (Carroll, 1938). As a result, many of the slaves left behind their religious beliefs and adopted the slave masters’ Christianity. These beliefs provided the slaves with a framework of faith that helped them endure the institution of slavery.

References

Blassingame, John W. (1979). The slave community: plantation life in the antebellum south. New York: Oxford University Press (Electronic version)

Carroll, Joseph C. (1938). Slave insurrections in the united states, 1800-1865. New York: Negro Universities Press. (Electronic Version)