Question: In short, what do I need to know about slave life? (scroll down for definition)

Answer:

1. Paternalism - The relationship between slave and master was that of child to parent.

2. Only a very small percentage of people owned slaves before the Civil War. Surprised? Well, 6-7% of people, or 25% of families had slaves in the South. Most of the Southern population was comprised of poor yeoman farmers.

3. Slaves held onto their culture in music, but combined it with Christianity.

4. Eli Whitney's cotton gin actually increased the need for slaves, as 2/3 of the world's cotton came from the South by 1860.

4. Black Codes were laws preventing blacks (free and slave) Constitutional rights.

5. Slavery was different from area to area. It is impossible to make generalizations about slave life. Generally though, gang labor persisted on Southern plantations.

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