Slavery In 19th Century America

The history of slavery in the U.S. is very unique and adapted greatly throughout its time. There were many changes in the 18th and 19th Century due to events such as the Stono rebellion of 1739, different demands for slaves, political issues, and laws that were passed. There were different rankings for slaves based on gender, skills, and use for which the master had in mind. Repercussions for slaves varied widely but were all very horrific. The struggles faced by female slaves in the antebellum south ranged widely and was much different from the struggles that males faced. Slavery will always be a deep scar that America will never be able to erase from its past.
The Atlantic slave trade was a direct result of labor shortage. As Europeans began exploiting the New World and its resources, they began creating a workforce using African slaves. Approximately half of all slaves sent to the Americas during the 18th Century came from the Angolan region of West-Central Africa. Many slaves were purchased from African tribes who sold their captives, criminals, prisoners of war, and slaves that were obtained through kidnappings and raids.
This voyage is referred to as the “Middle Passage” because the slaves were in between their old world and the new world. Slaves were stripped naked, shackled to each other and forced to lie down or crouch. Although generally treated as cargo and not humans, the stronger, able bodied slaves were given preferential treatment over the weak. Women and children were sometimes considered too much hassle and thrown overboard, or subjected to violent sexual abuse. Slaves were packed in the hull of the ship tightly. Sanitation was no concern and diseases ran rampet. (Hoffer, 40) Beatings, uprisings, and suicide were common among many of the journeys. Estimates have been as high as 15 million slaves who ultimately made the Atlantic