Peculiar Institution Slavery

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Slavery has existed since the beginning of civilization, transforming and expanding throughout many different cultures. However, when the topic of slavery is mentioned, many immediately think of the slave trade between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. This form of slavery reached the colony of Jamestown in 1619 to help with the production of cash crops such as tobacco. In Kevin Stampp’s book, The Peculiar Institution; Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South, many aspects of slavery, such as workload, composition of families, slave life outside of work, and discipline of slaves. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is a story written about the lives of slaves and the different paths in life they take. To begin, a topic frequently examined …show more content…
A common idea is that all slave masters were the head of all operations of their plantation, but Stampp explains that this is false. Often the head of the plantation would hire another person to organize the work. The overseer was paid a salary, given some food, and could have a slave servant. Organizing everything that would take place on the plantation, every slave would answer to the overseer, including those with jobs such as driving. Planning the work for the day was often a meticulous job. Notebooks were kept with every detail of the day, ranging from crops that needed tending to what house servants needed to accomplish. If a slave didn’t obey, they would be disciplined, common punishments included whipping and beating. More severe punishments included the breaking of bones, being put in chains, or even solitary confinement. Stampp describes the use of beatings to “break the spirit” of slaves, much like one would do to a horse. This was to ensure that slaves didn’t slack or try to run away. Slavery on plantations was often run by an overseer who organized all the work and if slaves didn’t obey the commands from masters or the overseer, they were punished …show more content…
To begin, Tom is a slave owned by Mr. Shelby, who encourages him to live a good Christian life and treats him well. However, Mr. Shelby runs into some financial problems and is forced to sell Tom to a man named Mr. Haley who is known for not treating slaves well. Due to his loyalty to Mr. Shelby, Tom decides to go with Mr. Haley instead of taking the opportunity escape. Tom leaves his wife, Aunt Chloe, and his children behind to go with Mr. Haley. While on the boat, a young girl named Eva falls in the water and Tom jumps in and saves her. Eva’s father, Augustine St. Clare, is so grateful to Tom that he buys him from Mr. Haley. Tom then travels to New Orleans with the St. Clare’s where he further bonds with Eva and shares his Christianity with. St. Clare also buys another slave for his cousin Ophelia, who has a prejudice against black people. A major change comes in the story when Eva gets sick and passes away, causing Ophelia to love slaves and St. Clare to decide to set Tom free. Unfortunately, St. Clare is stabbed to death before he can fulfill his promise. Tom is then sold, along with another slave named Emmeline, to a cruel owner named Simon Legree who treats them terribly. Legree uses Emmeline as a sex slave and attempts to force Tom to beat another slave. When Tom refuses because it is against his Christian beliefs, Legree beats him severely. Tom
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