Social Effects Of Slavery Essay

The Effects of Slavery on Southern Society during the 18th and 19th centuries

During the 18th and 19th centuries slavery was economically efficient, but more importantly a social aspect of almost everyone’s life. There was an extreme importance depending on the existence of slavery in the majority of white land owners and also the South’s economy. Slaves also greatly contributed and were an important role to America’s history. Another important aspect of slavery was the nature of their life in America, their culture, and how this intertwined into the slave’s relationship with their master. Culture contributed a great deal in their religion and family as well. As many slaves as there were, conflict would very easily ignite with other slaves, but even more so with a master, which often lead to slave revolts or slave resistance. Slaves not only left a historical footprint on early America, but they also formed an important foundation for the country we know today. The social impacts of slavery seemed to outweigh the economic impact even though there were tremendous profits made in many ways. Slavery literally defined the Southern society. “—whether in civilized or in savage society, or whether in regard to individuals, families in successive generations, or to more extended

This proved to be very important later down the road when it came to slave- master relationship. The smaller farmers who owned slaves were more likely to have a pleasant, parent- child relationship while large plantation owner often treated them as if they were an easily replaceable animal. The small farmer often allowed their slave to eat dinner with him and he or she most likely stayed under the same roof as the master. Most of the time masters of this status couldn’t afford a separate house for their slaves. While larger farm and slave owners crammed them in barns and shelters wherever they