Unit 2 Writing Assignment
Your Name
History 321-92NT
Unit 2 Writing Assignment
April 20, 2014
Dr. James G. Carson’s Canebreak: A View of an Antebellum Louisiana Plantation Canebrake plantation’s history has been recorded through overseers’ account books. Dr. James G. Carson and his wife, Catherine, can be compared to Ashley and Melanie in the movie Gone With the Wind. They displayed according to kept records, a genuine compassion for the many slaves on their plantation. The overseers hired by Dr. Carson proved to be wonderful historians, bookkeepers, and responsible managers. Even through these overseers were uneducated men; their recordings have preserved some of Canebrake’s history. Canebrake had three different overseers. The first overseer was a little lax because he had recording of many runaway slaves. Also he was dismissed from his position because of a small crop. Dr. Carson did not take into account that many obstacles hindered the productive crops. Spring floods, a severe windstorm, and boll weevils all contributed to poor crops. Furthermore, there were fewer slaves to work the crops. The second overseer proved to be a better organized manager. Slaves did not run away and more cotton was produced according to his records. However, he was dismissed for reasons that are not recorded. The third overseer seems to have been a “borrowed” overseer. In comparison to the previous overseers, F.M. Williams seemed more apt in his duties. However, Mr. Williams, like many overseers of the antebellum period, was quite harsh on the slaves. So many white overseers have been portrayed as vicious, whip-bearing overseers. Through these recordings, much was revealed about the day-to-day workings on a plantation. It seems that Dr. Carson was a caring person about the operation of his plantation. He seemed to not worry about the higher prices on slaves because his slave prices were much lower. The “job force” of Canebreak would have made Walt Disney smile! Every slave had an assigned job
History 321-92NT
Unit 2 Writing Assignment
April 20, 2014
Dr. James G. Carson’s Canebreak: A View of an Antebellum Louisiana Plantation Canebrake plantation’s history has been recorded through overseers’ account books. Dr. James G. Carson and his wife, Catherine, can be compared to Ashley and Melanie in the movie Gone With the Wind. They displayed according to kept records, a genuine compassion for the many slaves on their plantation. The overseers hired by Dr. Carson proved to be wonderful historians, bookkeepers, and responsible managers. Even through these overseers were uneducated men; their recordings have preserved some of Canebrake’s history. Canebrake had three different overseers. The first overseer was a little lax because he had recording of many runaway slaves. Also he was dismissed from his position because of a small crop. Dr. Carson did not take into account that many obstacles hindered the productive crops. Spring floods, a severe windstorm, and boll weevils all contributed to poor crops. Furthermore, there were fewer slaves to work the crops. The second overseer proved to be a better organized manager. Slaves did not run away and more cotton was produced according to his records. However, he was dismissed for reasons that are not recorded. The third overseer seems to have been a “borrowed” overseer. In comparison to the previous overseers, F.M. Williams seemed more apt in his duties. However, Mr. Williams, like many overseers of the antebellum period, was quite harsh on the slaves. So many white overseers have been portrayed as vicious, whip-bearing overseers. Through these recordings, much was revealed about the day-to-day workings on a plantation. It seems that Dr. Carson was a caring person about the operation of his plantation. He seemed to not worry about the higher prices on slaves because his slave prices were much lower. The “job force” of Canebreak would have made Walt Disney smile! Every slave had an assigned job