Plantation Relations In The 19th Century

Plantation Relations During the 19th century, many slaves worked on plantations throughout the entirety of Latin America. On these plantations, there was a rather unique and interesting social structure between the slaves and with their masters. While the working conditions were still brutal and unjust, the slaves spent a considerable amount of time together, and were able to find some joy in the midst of their arduous days. The vast majority of African slaves worked in Brazil. The coffee plantations were working hard, since demand for coffee was on the rise. The overseers on these plantations were very strict, and ruled their property while demanding discipline. Slaves in Brazil were usually taught to practice Christianity.

Alert slaves, feigning to peer at the hot sun, ‘spiced their words’ to comment in a loud voice, ‘Look at that red-hot Sun’ or intermixed African words common to slave vocabulary with Portuguese as in ‘Ngoma is on the way’ to warn their fellow slaves, who quickly set to work industriously.”

It also wasn’t unusual for the master to order one of the drivers to deliver cups of raw rum while the slaves worked, to eliminate the need for a break.

While the men were out working, the women and children stayed together. James Wood wrote in his article that “Mothers bore nursing youngsters in small woven baskets on their backs or carried them astraddle one hip. Those from four to seven trudged with their mothers, those from nine to fifteen close by.” During breaks, the mothers would nurse their babies. After a half hour, they would be ordered to go back to the “sun baked hillsides”. The slaves usually sang while they worked. This allowed them to keep a rhythm as they stroke their hoes. In these songs, they would sing about their troubles with their masters and the like. The quality of singing also had a tremendous effect on their work