A slave generally came into the world in a one-room shack with dirt floors. Women were only given three weeks to nurse their babies before having to return to the fields, and they would have to bring their babies with them, laying them next to a fence or tree. The mothers would only be allowed to nurse their babies at the will of the overseer.
A young slave generally did not have to start working in the fields until he/she reached the age of 11 or 12. However, they all were brought to the fields as there was no child care for slaves. In the summertime, it was not uncommon to see these children brought to the fields completely naked, and fully exposed to all of the elements. Some were allowed to play with the children of their masters.
No comments:
Post a Comment