 Most slaves were
taken from their
homes in West Africa
by slave traders
 Those who survived
the trip to the
Americas were sold
at slave auctions.
 Slaves could work in the fields, in
homes ,or in businesses.
 Children of slaves were
automatically slaves.
 Many slave families were broken up
at auction, with husbands and wives,
parents and children, and brothers
and sisters sold to different
plantations around the country.
 Not all slaves were physically
abused, though many were.
The fact that they did not
have their freedom was bad
enough.
 By 1860, there were over 4
million slaves throughout the
South and the Southern
economy was dependent on
slave labor. Without slave
labor, Southern plantations
couldn't compete with
Northern factories.
 Slave owners had a
source of cheap labor
 Some slaves escaped or
were freed
 Kidnapped from Africa
 Had to work without pay for life
 Families were often separated
 Physical abuse and psychological
torture
 Destruction of African culture
What do you
SEE?
What do you
INFER?
What do you
CONCLUDE?
 Abolitionists had three beliefs:

Slavery was morally wrong

Slavery was cruel and inhumane.

Slavery was a violation of the principles of democracy (that all men
were created equal).
 Escaped from
slavery.
 Led many slaves
to freedom on
Underground
Railroad
 Published anti-
slavery newspaper
called The Liberator
 Founded the
American AntiSlavery Society
 Escaped from slavery
 Great public speaker
 Published anti-slavery
newspaper called The
North Star
 Friend of Abe Lincoln
 Wrote book Uncle
Tom's Cabin that
opened eyes to evils
of slavery
 Lincoln said she was
the "little lady who
started this great
war."
 Fought against spread
of slavery in Kansas
 Tried to start a slave
rebellion by attacking
Harpers Ferry