Does Gender Shape the Experiences of Slaves?

Gender in some cases shaped  the experience of a slave.In 12 Years A Slave, both women and men had different abilities and tasks that they were told to do on the plantation. Men were more likely to do more strenuous work because they were considered to be stronger than the women. Women were most likely assigned to do cotton picking, cleaning, and housework. On the plantation in the film, both men and women were assigned to pick cotton. At the end of each day, all the slaves were put in a barn so that the master could be informed of the amount of cotton each slave picked. There was a women on the plantation named, Patsey. Patsey picked more cotton than any other slave, including the men. Because of this, the master took pride in her and she was hardly ever beaten or yelled at. Whoever was considered to not have picked enough cotton was taken and whipped. The gender did not matter if the slaves were to be beaten or not. If the slaves are obedient and do whatever they are told, most likely their master would not whip them or beat them, unless they wanted to because they felt like it. Gender really only affected the slaves in the type of work they did but gender did not really matter for the forms of violence. It also really depended on the master because whatever he felt and whatever he wanted to do, he could do it. Gender in one particular case, which is the type of work a slave did, shaped the experience of a slave.

Master is taking pride in Patsey because of the amount of cotton she picked

Film Supports James R. Bradley's Letter

The film, 12 Years A Slave, supports James R. Bradley's letter of slaves desiring freedom, but kept it to themselves to avoid harsher treatment. In the film, Soloman meets another slave on a ship. On the ship the slave told Soloman that they should not tell the white people of their ability to read and write. The reason the slave told this to Soloman, was because reading and writing were considered to be a freedom especially for a slave, and if their master or overseer found out that their slave could read or write, all the chances of them being able to do that anymore was taken away from them. Once Soloman was informed about not saying anything about his ablilty to read or write, he became cautious of keeping things to himself because his rights could be taken away from him. In James R. Bradley's letter, he wrote about that many slaves including himself longed for freedom, but had to keep it for themselves because if they did not their masters would make them work harder and they could even get beaten. Soloman desired his freedom because he was a free man and he would tell his masters that and at times he would get beaten and yelled at because of it. On one of the plantations Soloman overhears a woman crying because of her separation with her kids. He then tells her that if she keeps crying she will get beaten because shes longing for something she cannot get back, which will only annoy the master. Therefore, the film supports James R. Bradley's letter of slaves desiring for freedom, but kept it to themselves to avoid harsh and cruel treatment.

Soloman tells his master that he cannot read or write because he was accused of writing a letter.

Violence in Slave Society

Violence during the time of slavery consisted of many forms of violence. The most common forms of violence towards slaves were whippings and hangings. Many slave owners thought of slaves as they were animals and if they did anything wrong or that they felt was inappropriate, they would either whip the slaves with many lashes or hang them. In the film, 12 Years a Slave, Soloman, had a master who was a kind-hearted, however it was the overseer of the plantation that disliked him. They both had gotten into a fight and Soloman started whipping the overseer. A few days later the overseer brought over some of his fellow friends and decided to hang Soloman. Fortunately, Soloman's master stopped all the trouble and the ropes were cut off. Soloman was sold to another master, which was cruel and whenever he lied or didn't pick enough cotton in a day, he would get whipped with at least 100 lashes because his master felt he didn't work hard enough. On one of the plantations Soloman worked for there was a women who would pick more cotton than any other person that worked on the field including the men. Because of this, the master took pride in her and never wanted to beat her. The master's feelings toward their slave could change in an instant. Violence all depended on the master and the behavior of the slaves. If the master was pleasant he most likely wasn't as cruel as masters that just have hatred toward slaves and therefore would beat his slaves whenever he felt like it. If slaves were "obedient" they were most likely less vulnerable to those who caused trouble and tried to revolt.

Soloman getting hanged by the overseer of the plantation

   

Jennie Hendricks-Slave Narrative

Jennie Hendericks was the oldest of seven children. She was born in Georgia and her family was brought to Georgia from Virginia in 1936. Jennie was sold to a plantation owner, Mr.Moore. Mr.Moore was not considered rich because although he had a large plantation he did not have much slaves. Mr.Moore's family consisted of his wife and his six kids. Since Jennie was a child she was brought into the master's house and played with his children. Sometimes Mrs.Moore's son would become jealous because he felt that his mother was giving to much attention to Jennie. Jennie never had to do any work and was not allowed to read or write, but Mr.Moore's children always taught her how. One day Mrs.Moore even taught her how to sew because she seemed interested in it . Jennie was always given food and said it was even better than what most people had. After the war was over freedom was declared and Jennie and her grandmother stayed with Mr.Moore's family. Overtime Jennie's grandmother dies and she soon has a husband from another plantation. He describes that at other
plantations people get severely whipped and were treated very harsh. Jennie lived a very long time and it was believed that she lived long because she was obedient and had a firm belief in God.

I can conclude that Jennie was probably a few of many slaves that was not treated harshly. She had plantation owners who actually cared for her and took great care of her. She was pretty fortunate because like her husband said, at other plantations people were whipped and beaten. Jennie did what she told and behaved well and therefore she was treated with respect. She was probably on eof many slaves who had a kind-hearted master and things were fortunate for her.

Jennie Hendricks Slave Narrative

Jennie was born a slave in Georgia

Tecumseh Speech

Tecumseh's speech has an evident themes of bravery and challenges, Tecumseh states, "My people are brave and numerous, but the white people are too strong for them alone." This quote proves that there was a challenge for Tecumseh because he's trying to convince the Osages to unite with them because they are having problems with the white people and they feel that without them it would be challenging to defeat them alone. Tecumseh also says, "Who are white people that we should fear them?" This quote by Tecumseh proves that he is brave. Although he has a challenge of defeating the white people alone with his own tribe he is confident and brave. He believes that if they unite with the Osages they have enough strength and power to defeat the white people with uniting all the red men.

Song: "Break Free"  By: Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande's song, "Break Free" resembles the theme of bravery in Tecumseh's speech to the Osages. Ariana sings, "...When I say I don't want ya.. I'm stronger than I've been before ...This is the part when I break free." Ariana Grande's lyrics resembles the theme of bravery in Tecumseh's speech because she is explaining that she is not afraid anymore to tell her boyfriend, in her disastrous relationship, that she is going to stand up to him because she feels that she has the strength now. Likewise to Tecumseh's speech, he speaks to the Osages about how they shouldn't fear the white people once they unite because they feel that they'll have the strength the defeat the white people. Therefore "Break Free" by Ariana Grande resembles the theme of bravery in Tecumsehs speech to the Osages.

Tecumseh

Break Free Album Cover

Slavery In America

Frederick Douglass

• 1619- Captive Africans were sold into slavery in Jamestown, Virginia
• 1793- Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin
• 1831- Nat Turner leads a rebellion in South Hamilton, Virginia where enslaved Africans revolted and killed a plantation owner as well as 57 other whites.
• 1847- Frederick Douglass escaped to the North and produced a an abolitionist newspaper and named it "North Star".
• 1849- Harriet Tubman escapes from a Virginia plantation and knew the trails of the Underground Railroad
• 1850- Fugitive Slave Act: Any black caught leaving a plantation was to be brought back to slavery.
• 1860- Abraham Lincoln was elected to be president
• 1870-15th Amendment is ratified. Now black men are have the right to vote
• 1871-KKK Act is passed
• 1875-Clinton Massacre

Abraham Lincoln

Slavery

Religion in the Early 1800s

The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant revival during the early 1800s. This movement began around the 1790's , was at its peak in the 1800s, and kept rising rapidly after the 1820s where the Baptists and Methodists were creating a movement led by the preachers of their congregation.The Second Great Awakening sparked the establishment of new members of evangelical denominations which then led to the formation of new denominations.

Baptists

• Largest Christian denomination
• Rejected infant baptism
• Most Baptists are evangelical in doctrine
• Jesus Christ is their Lord Savior and is symbolic of the cleansing of their sins

Methodists

• Founder of Methodists movement was John Wesley
• Did not arise as a result of doctrine dispute, but practical Christianity
• Used the Bible to study and prayed to receive acts of charity and communion
• Became known as the "Holy Club"

Unitarians

• Belief that God exists as one person not three
• Believed that the Holy Spirit is not a person
• Believed that human reason and experience is the final authority in determining spiritual truth 

Mormons

• Believed that Jesus Christ is their Savior and the Son of God
• Believed that the church they attend is the same church Jesus established when he was on Earth
• Joesph Smith founded Mormonism and people believed that he was chosen by God to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the Earth

Presbyterians

• The word "Presbyterian" comes from the Greek Bible from the word "elder"
• Governed by elders
• Came from the Protestant Reformation
• Believed that their only authoritative guide for faith and life was from the Bible

Congregationalists

• Ruled by their Congregation
• Avoid all hierarchy

Mormon Church

Methodists Church

Methodists Symbol

Baptist church