Taylor Longmore
October 11, 2014
Period 4
Mr. Gallagher
In the 1700’s when slavery was a big business. Most slaves were treated horribly, beaten, raped, and whatever else the master could think of. There were few slaves who were more than just common field slaves they were called artisan slaves. Artisan slaves were slaves who were paid for their services. Having skills such as being a blacksmith, carpenter, cooper, shoemaker, tanner, spinner, weaver etc. These specific slaves were a benefit to have to the owner costing them not as much in service but having them run the more difficult challenges. Being an artisan slave benefitted the slaves themselves, giving them a higher status and being worth more than others. Being a skilled slave could also be harder depending on the owner, some skilled slaves had a hard time being in the house dealing with the drama they had to take all of the anger the owner dished out.
Artisan Slaves could be men or women. The men had a lot more labor and weren’t paid as much as a free craftsman because after all they were still slaves. The woman had many jobs as well as the men they could cook, quilt, weave, and be familiar in medicine. Women were often repressed and not only being women were slaves being a skilled craftsmen was one of the only ways to be treated a little bit better than a field slave, many women were artisans in cooking, cooking meals from their home land and soon blending them with the European foods making a new culture.
The women artisan slaves were the slaves that could live in the house depending on the master, they would sow for them, hem their clothes, fit dresses and such, cook for them and take care of them if they were sick. Some would watch the children and especially those in medicine would help with the young ones.
These slaves were special and not as plentiful as the field workers. The owners had cared for them better and they were worth more because they were some what