“Slaves apparently thought of the South’s peculiar institution chiefly as a
system of labor extortion. Of course they felt its impact in other ways—in
their social status, their legal status, and their private lives—but they felt it
most acutely in their lack of control of their own time and labor. . . .
In Africa the Negroes had been accustomed to a strictly regulated
family life and a rigidly enforced moral code. But in America the
disintegration of their social organization removed the traditional
sanctions which had encouraged them to respect their old customs. . . .
Here, as at so many other points, the slaves had lost their native culture
without being able to find a workable substitute and therefore lived in
a kind of cultural chaos. . . . Marriage, insisted Frederick Douglass, had
no existence among slaves. . . . His consolation was that at least some
slaves ‘maintained their honor, where all around was corrupt.’ ”
Kenneth M. Stampp, historian, The Peculiar Institution, 1956
“We have made a great error in the way in which we have viewed slave life,
and this error has been perpetuated by both whites and blacks, racists and
antiracists. . . .
What the sources show . . . is that the average plantation slave lived in a
family setting, developed strong family ties, and held the nuclear family
as the proper social norm. . . . We do not know just how many slaves lived
as a family or were willing and able to maintain a stable family life during
slavery. But the number was certainly great, whatever the percentage,
and as a result, the social norm that black people carried from slavery
to freedom was that of the nuclear family. . . . There are moments in the
history of every people—in which they cannot do more than succeed in
keeping themselves together and maintaining themselves as human beings
with a sense of individual dignity and collective identity. Slavery was such
a moment for black people in America.”
Eugene Genovese, historian, American Slaves and Their History, 1971
Using the excerpts, answer (a), (b), and (c).
(a) Briefly explain ONE major difference between Stampp’s and
Genovese’s historical interpretations of the nature of slavery.
(b) Briefly explain how ONE historical event or development in the
period 1820 to 1860 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts
could be used to support Stampp’s interpretation.
(c) Briefly explain how ONE historical event or development in the
period 1820 to 1860 that is not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts
could be used to support Genovese’s interpretation.
(a) One major difference between Stampp's and Genovese's historical interpretations of the nature of slavery is their views on the existence and impact of family life among slaves. Stampp argues that the disintegration of social organization among slaves led to a lack of traditional family structures and cultural chaos. On the other hand, Genovese asserts that the average plantation slave lived in a family setting, developed strong family ties, and held the nuclear family as the proper social norm. Stampp sees a lack of stable family life as a negative consequence of slavery, while Genovese emphasizes the resilience of enslaved families and their ability to maintain a sense of dignity and identity.
(b) One historical event or development in the period 1820 to 1860 that could support Stampp's interpretation is the slave trade abolitionist movement. During this time, there was a growing awareness and opposition to the slave trade and the institution of slavery overall. The abolitionist movement highlighted the inhumane treatment of slaves and the disruption of their family lives. This movement provided evidence of the negative impact of slavery on family structures and could support Stampp's argument that slavery led to a disintegration of social organization and cultural chaos.
(c) One historical event or development in the period 1820 to 1860 that could support Genovese's interpretation is the development of slave codes and legislation that regulated and controlled the lives of slaves. These laws restricted the rights of slaves, including their ability to marry and form stable families. By explicitly keeping slaves from establishing legally recognized families, the slave codes reinforced the idea that slaves were property and not entitled to the same rights and privileges as free individuals. This event could be used to support Genovese's argument that the slave experience included an ongoing struggle to maintain stable family life and a sense of dignity in the face of oppressive conditions.
make your answers two short sentences each
(a) One major difference is that Stampp argues slaves felt the impact of slavery most acutely in their lack of control of their time and labor, while Genovese emphasizes the existence of strong family ties and the nuclear family as a social norm among slaves.
(b) The growing abolitionist movement, which highlighted the negative impact of slavery on family life, could be used to support Stampp's interpretation of the disintegration of social organization among slaves.
(c) The development of slave codes that restricted the ability of slaves to marry and form stable families supports Genovese's argument that maintaining a stable family life and a sense of dignity was a struggle for slaves.
(a) One major difference between Stampp's and Genovese's historical interpretations of the nature of slavery is their focus on the social aspects of slave life. Stampp argues that slaves primarily saw slavery as a system of labor extortion, with their lack of control over their own time and labor being the most acutely felt aspect. On the other hand, Genovese argues that slaves had strong family ties and considered the nuclear family as the proper social norm. This difference in focus highlights the contrasting perspectives on the social organization and cultural impact of slavery.
(b) One historical event or development in the period 1820 to 1860 that could support Stampp's interpretation is the expansion of cotton cultivation and the emergence of the cotton gin. With the increased demand for cotton, plantation owners in the South required more slave labor to cultivate and harvest the crop. This intensified the labor exploitation of slaves, as they were compelled to work longer hours to meet the growing demands of cotton production. The economic and labor-driven nature of slavery during this period aligns with Stampp's assertion that slaves saw slavery primarily as a system of labor extortion.
(c) One historical event or development in the period 1820 to 1860 that could support Genovese's interpretation is the abolitionist movement and the growing resistance against slavery. As the anti-slavery sentiment gained traction, enslaved individuals were exposed to ideas of freedom and rights, which could have influenced their desire to maintain stable family lives. The existence of strong family ties among slaves could be seen as a way to counteract the dehumanizing effects of slavery and to preserve their sense of individual dignity and collective identity. The pursuit of family cohesion and the preservation of social norms, as highlighted by Genovese, can be seen as a form of resistance to the oppressive nature of slavery.