Slavery During The Civil War

Slavery was undoubtedly an equally awful experience for both male and female African Americans prior to the Civil War. Torn from their homeland and forced to work grueling hours under cruel slave owners for no pay, the era of the American slave trade was arguably on of the most shameful eras in American history. Much of the work one would be forced to do as a slave was reflective of one’s gender. Although there were certainly exceptions, male slaves were generally expected to work long hours in the fields, while female slaves were given more domestic tasks and were often based indoors. The primary differences between male and female American slaves had to do with the jobs they were assigned, the treatment they received at the hands of their
According to the American Abolitionist article “Plantation Life,” adult male slaves were often given the exhausting task of working long hours in the fields. This work included harvesting crops, tending to gardens, and other outdoor work. Male slaves that were deemed particularly skilled by plantation owners could also be given jobs pertaining to blacksmithing and carpentry. In contrast, female slaves were usually assigned tasks having to do with work in and around the house. Positions such as cooks, maids, and midwives were almost always filled by slave women. Women were also expected to take care of children and other members of the household. (“Plantation.”) This didn’t mean that slave women had it easier than their male counterparts, however; indoor jobs were equally as demanding on both the mind and the
The male slaves who were stationed in the fields often had more freedom than females stationed in the house, most likely due to the plantation owner’s tendency to stay near their homes. However, white, horse-mounted Overseers were usually employed by plantation owners to keep an eye on the field workers. As a result, the beatings that male field slaves received were the most brutal out of all the slaves on the plantation. Whipping, and even lynching were extremely common solutions in response to a disobedient male slave. (“Plantation.”) Female house slaves were often spared from being whipped; however, they also received their fair share of mistreatment. One account from Harriet Jacobs in the Spartacus Educational article “House Slaves,” tells of the extent of the plantation owner’s sadistic treatment of house slaves. She states that after every meal, her mistress would spit in the food to assure that none of the kitchen workers would attempt to eat the leftovers. Displays of power and superiority such as this were not at all uncommon when you were a female slave. This wasn’t even the beginning of the awful treatment female slaves received, though; many were also subject to sexual advances by white males in the household. Often if they did not reciprocate these advances they were beaten, starved, and even raped. (“Plantation.”) Male