1.
2.
3.
4.
Slaves did not accept slavery as a permanent way of life. In an
attempt to resist enslavement, they started revolts.
The enslaved population outnumbered the population of the white
planters.
The planters lived in constant fear of uprising or revolts among the
slaves.
The planters feared losing their lives, livestock, families and having
their properties being destroyed.
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4.
5.
6.
Psychological Control
Social control
Economic control
Physical control
Cultural control
Legislation (slave laws & codes)
1.
2.
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4.
5.
Measures put in place to control the mind or the thought
process of the slave.
Slaves were conditioned to believe that they were inferior and
barbaric
They were told that they were unsophisticated, impolite,
uncivilized savages
This affected their confidence, sense of identity and self
worth.
Slaves were ridiculed as being stupid, lazy and lacking
intelligence.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Slaves were ridiculed by their looks and their
physical features
Mockery of their lifestyle and culture
The concept of white supremacy and black
inferiority
Public punishments
1.
2.
3.
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Methods used to manipulate slaves as a group by dividing them into
social groups making some superior and some inferior.
Each social group was assigned a level of status which meant the
enslaved now fought to be seen as good in the master’s eyes.
For example
The domestic slaves: were fed better food and had better living areas.
The drivers: drove carriages and were feared among the slaves
Skilled workers and midwives: were valued by planters. They had
more freedom of movement than field slaves.
Artisans: highly valued for their skills. They were sometimes hired out
across plantations
1.
2.
3.
Caused a divide among the enslaved.
Increased slave loyalty to plantation owners.
Prevented revolts as loyal slaves would report plans
to plantation owners.
Masters controlled the enslaved by limiting the amount of money
they had. This ensured that slaves were consistently dependent.
1. Masters provided food, shelter, and clothes for their slaves
making them fully dependent.
2. Slaves spent most of the day working on the plantation. This
limited the time they had to grow food for their families and
limited the amount of produce they had to sell in the market.
3. Slaves could not legally own land and property.
4. Most of slave earning went to their masters.
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2.
3.
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5.
Flogging
Treadmill
Hanging
Mutilation
Torture
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4.
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9.
An extension of social control
Masters prevented each group from performing their cultural
practices, disconnecting them from their past. (deculturization)
Colorism put slaves of lighter versus darker skin tones
Creole vs. African born
Mulatto’s vs. Africans
Slaves were forbidden from blowing horns and beating drums.
Some slaves were baptized into European religion
Enslaved names were changed from African names to Christian
Names.
Slaves were made to celebrate Western holidays.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The fundamental difference in the legal position of slaves between
the British and the French or Spanish islands was that in the former,
the slaves had no rights under the law.
The basis of the British laws was fear.
The severity of the laws increased as fear grew with the increase in
the number of slaves.
The British tried to keep a “safe ratio” 10:1, 15:1, 20:1
Few whites holding down many slaves the fear of revolt was very
great, and any leniency was regarded as weakness.
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A slave was a property “a thing” referred to as “goods and chattels”
Slaves were referred to as if they were inanimate things for example:
‘one tonne of slaves or three slaves’
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The slave was the personal possession of his master who had the
absolute power over him.
•
Masters could sell, transfer, use the slave as payment of a debt and
security of debt all against the slave’s will.
•
The value of an estate included the slaves on it, and a slave was sold
with the land, buildings and equipment.
1.

The English colonies had no legal English code, laws were made by
masters in their posts, as members of the legislative of each
individual colony. The British parliament, therefore, had no control
over the laws passed in the colonies.
‘Masters could get away with murder’
The slave laws were based on the following:
1. Manumission
2. Slave Marriage
3. Education
4. Christianity
5. Punishments
Manumission: release of slavery
1. In the British Islands slavery was for life
2. Manumission was dependent on the owner
3. Deposits had to be paid before slaves were manumitted by 1739 in
Barbados.
4. Slaves could buy manumission with the owner’s consent and at a
fixed price
5. Manumitted slaves had to carry a certificate of freedom and wear a
badge with a blue cross on their right shoulder at all times.
6. Freed slaves working along with slaves.
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1.
2.
3.
Slave marriage
Prohibited- denying slaves’ basic human right (degrading)
Colonial legislatures would not allow marriages because:
It was an extension of the principle of the slave having no rights
outside those that his master permitted him. ( no right to a wife or
family)
It would give the slaves the security and love that come from family
ties and remove dependence from the master.
Slave could not enter into any contract or promise.
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Education
Slaves were not allowed to be taught to read or write.
Education would improve the service their slaves could perform and
increase their value.
1.
In nearly all the British islands the laws expressively forbade slaves to
become Christians.
2.
Missionaries would spread ideas like freedom and brotherhood.
Would lead to emancipations or deprive the owner of full rights over
his slaves.
3.
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Each colony had its own method of control.
(The Spanish, French & British)
British Laws
The French: Code Noir
The Spanish: Siete Partidas
 Black code
 French laws that governed how slaves should be treated were called Code Noir (Black Code) and
these were drawn up in France.
 The code Noir was meant to be strictly applied, but in the practice, the milder measures were
disregarded.
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All slaves were to be baptized
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Slaves not to be worked on Sundays or Holy days.
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Slave marriage was encouraged with the owner’s consent.
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Sexual Intercourse between the master and slave to be punished and slave
would be confiscated.
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Rations and clothing to be provided
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Old and sick slaves to be fed and maintained.
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Slaves were forbidden to own property.
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Promises, contracts and gifts from slaves were made null.
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Striking the master or mistress would require death penalty for the slave.
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Absenteeism of one month to be punished by cutting off ears and
branding the other shoulder.
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If absent twice a month to be punished by cutting off a buttock and
branding the other shoulder.
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Absent three times in a month to be punished by death.
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Slaves were regarded as movable property and sold apart from the rest
of their family.
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The plantation and slaves to be regarded as one.
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Owners had the right to free a slave after twenty years of service
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Manumitted slaves had the same rights as free persons.
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Code Noir was more humane than the British law.
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Mutilation was forbidden; however punishments were equally harsh and
in many other ways were similar to those in the British colonies.
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Drawn up in the 13th century
Slavery had already existed legally in Spain before the Spaniards
arrived in the New World. Slavery in Spain, however, was less severe
than in the Spanish colonies.
The main difference between the Spanish code and other slave laws
was that the Spanish believed that slavery was contrary to natural
justice and that it was an evil, but a necessary evil for the economic
development of the colonies.
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Implied that freedom was the natural state of man and gave slaves their
justification for revolting.
The authorities recognised the right of slaves to seek freedom, so they
tried to remove the danger of revolt by other means of repressive
legislation.
 There was a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 slaves to freemen
 A minimum proportion of female slaves were enforced
 Marriage was encouraged to family life
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The Spanish laws promoted more humane treatment for slaves and led
them to a larger proportion of free blacks and mulattoes.
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Slaves could appeal to court against ill-treatment.
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A slave could purchase his freedom without the consent of the owner.
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Slaves had a right to his ground with the consent of his owner.
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Slaves had the right to marriage without the consent of his owner.
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Masters had to instruct slaves in Christian Faith
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Slaves were given Sundays and Holy days free from work.
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Master provided food, clothing and care for elderly slaves.
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Slaves could not be killed pr be ill-treated.
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Slaves could not be over worked nor under fed.
• Each