How Often Were Slaves Whipped?
Viewing this article gives readers a inside look on how frequently slaves were whipped and how brutal the slave masters were to their slaves. Whippings were given for any number of reasons. If a slave was to steal, or not do their work to which the master thought not up to their standards, for running away and getting caught or even singing. Slave masters knew there were no laws against whipping their slaves, so they would cruelly and viciously beat them with sticks, chains, or whips to the point of cutting their skin open, breaking bones, and even death. Slaves during this time period were considered property, and were bullied, attacked, and looked down on. There was no discrimination on who was whipped, men, woman, and children all suffered the abuse of the overseers at their discretion. Whipping was one of the main punishments; however slaves also suffered mutilation, branding, tar and feathering, put in stocks, and many other unimaginable acts
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A plantation owner named Bennet H. Barrow kept a detailed log of how often he whipped and punished his slaves in the 1800’s in this diary of sorts; it has almost two years of recorded beatings. There are examples of why the slaves were beat such as for a bad conduct during cotton picking season, or breaking into the kitchen to eat, or even for being ill. Reading material such as this really opens one’s eyes to the injustices suffered by the slaves and how much of a hell on earth they lived in during that time period.

1: What other punishments could the slave masters have given to their slaves instead of violence?

2: Do you think if the slaves were treated with respect and like human beings, instead of property they would have worked harder for their masters?

3: Why would the slaves run away if they knew more than likely they would get caught and suffer severe consequences?