week 5 his 121 discussion
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Georgia Military College, Fairburn *
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121
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Feb 20, 2024
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Slave owners provided a variety of excuses for why they had slaves and why they thought it was
acceptable. The following are some of their reasons: Some argued that slavery was mentioned in the Bible. Because most white Americans were religious, their perceptions of slavery and Christianity were warped. They asserted that slavery dates to the Bible, claiming that empires were formed with the support of slaves even during Biblical times. They contended that because Jesus never denounced slavery, it must be permissible to employ them as such. They believed it was a part of God's plan for the world. They relate to the Bible's Curse of Ham and how it is acceptable to condemn dark-skinned people to slavery. Slavery was even considered a moral wrong by some. "I do not believe God intended for anyone to be treated in the manner that slaves were treated."(Braude 2011) He would never sanction such behavior. Another reason for holding slaves was that the enslaved people could read the Bible and practice Christianity. They maintained that because they "allowed" them to attend church, engage in Bible study groups, and have access to Christianity, they were doing the slaves a service. During the colonial era, the Methodists and Baptists pushed for the abolition of slavery. Both organizations were essential in promoting black preachers and permitting slaves to join their churches. For those under servitude, organized religion had enormous influence." (Herr, 2008) While I am grateful that slaves had access to church and religion, their treatment in captivity was not mitigated by their being "allowed" to attend church. Everyone should be allowed to choose their beliefs and worship without restrictions. Some slave owners argued that they were
improving the lives of the slaves by providing them with essentials such as clothing and food. They said that if they were not imprisoned, they would be cold and hungry. "Slavery greatly enhanced the material well-being of the enslaved." (Walvin 2006) While slaves were given the essentials of food, clothes, and shelter, they were not treated as well as people who were not slaves. I'm glad they weren't cold and hungry, but there were ulterior purposes for making sure they were adequately cared for. Slave owners promised to give their slaves protection and security. Providing them with clothing, food, and shelter kept them secure. They stated that slaves felt protected and preferred servitude to freedom as a result. "During the picking season, enslaved people worked from sunrise to sunset with a ten-minute lunch break; many slaveholders tended to give them little to eat because spending on food would cut into their
profits." (Corbett et al 2014). So, was it about keeping the slaves safe and supplying them with what they truly required? Or was it because they realized they could get more labor out of them
if they were well taken care of? I suppose they were just interested in themselves, so if feeding them made them work quicker, they did it. Slavery, according to some slave owners, was a necessary evil for the country's economic benefits. "Slavery not only endured in the American Republic, but it formed the very foundation of the country's economic success." (Corbett et al 2014). They believed that without the support of slaves, the country would be unable to grow and prosper as they intended and required. Cotton planters calculated how much cotton they could gather depending on the number of enslaved people they controlled. A good "hand," or enslaved laborer, was required to work ten acres of land and pick two hundred pounds of cotton
every day. (Corbett et al 2014). Businesses and farms, without a doubt, require aid to thrive. It did not, however, must be handled in this manner. Enslaved people would have been delighted to work to provide for their families. They did not need to be slaves to labor.
References
Braude, B. (2011). The Curse of Ham in the Early Modern Era. The Bible and the Justifications for
Slavery. Corbett, P. S., Janssen, Volker, Lund, J. M., Pfannenstiel, T., Mankiewicz, S., & Vickery, P. (2014). 12.InU.S. History. OpenStax.https://openstax.org/books/us-history/pages/12-introduction
Herr, David F. "Negro Churches. “Gale Library of Daily Life: Slavery in America, edited by Orville Vernon Burton, vol. 2, Gale, 2008, pp. 20-21. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3057200153/UHIC?u=mill30389&sid=bookmark-
UHIC&xid=270edd67.
WALVIN, JAMES. "Slavery. “Europe 1789-1914: Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry and Empire, edited by John Merriman and Jay Winter, vol. 4, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006, pp. 2190-
2194.Gale in Context: World History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3446900780/WHIC?
u=mill30389&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=cf0c02df.
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