Atlantic Slave Trade - Slave punishments

Atlantic Slave Trade - Slave punishments

1. Slave Punishments

2. LEARNING INTENTIONS Describe the different methods that owners used to punish their slaves Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

3. Owners kept control of their slaves through different actions, including the fear of punishment. There were many different methods used to punish slaves. Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

4. Owners had many ways of punishing slaves that rebelled against them. The most common of these was whipping . Other slaves were made to watch, and sometimes another slave did the whipping. Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

5. Other punishments included not being given food or being forced to work longer hours . Sometimes slaves would be chained up , including to other slaves. Slaves who tried to escape might be branded too. Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

6. Sometimes slaves were made to wear strange devices, such as punishment collars or face masks . These aimed to not only cause pain and embarrassment, but also to make it impossible for slaves to eat or sleep properly. Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

7. Some slaves were threatened with being sent to a faraway plantation , or having their family sold, so they might never see loved ones again. Female slaves were also suffered sexual abuse and rape at the hands of owners or their workers. Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

8. There were also more extreme punishments. These included being half-hanged , burned , and having limbs amputated . Ultimately a slave could be killed , but this obviously cost the owner money and so was only rarely done (usually after violent rebellion). Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807

9. Thomas Thistlewood was a slave owner. His diary describes brutal punishments he gave to slaves, including: Beating slaves and rubbing salt into their wounds Raping female slaves Tying up slaves, covering them with sugar and leaving them to mosquitos Atlantic Slave Trade 1770-1807