Lives+of+Slaves+in+Antebellum

Slaves came across countless hardships, one of them being the treatment they received by their masters. Their masters mostly just cared about their crops, they gave no sympathy to the people who worked for them. Mostly, their clothes would be ripped up, and they would be very dirty. New clothes were hard to find on slaves, like said in this quote from a former slave, Sam Polite. "Every year, in Christmas month, you gets four or either five yard cloth, according to how you is. Out of that, you have to make your clote [clothes]. You wears that same clote till the next year. You wear it winter and summer, Sunday and every day. You don't get no coat, but they give you shoe." This shows that they did not have the luxury of having a clean shirt to put on whenever they wanted. Another struggle that was brought slaves was not being given sufficient food. They were given food with little protein, many carbs, and not a lot of calories.
 * Treatment by their masters: **

 **Typical work of slaves **  Slaves had a vast variety of jobs. For long hours slaves worked all jobs except for positions those normally thought powerful. Slaves tended the field; planting cotton, tobacco, and rice. Usually slaves labored from sunrise to sunset, however during harvest season they worked an eighteen-hour day. Slaves also looked after livestock and helped raise animals. They also cleaned the house and looked after children. Working in the house usually gave them better living conditions. If the slaves could not follow a command they would be tortured and mistreated frequently. The work was very difficult because of the long hours and difficulty.

**The Living Conditions of Slaves on Plantations ** . The living conditions in the southern plantations were very difficult for the slaves. They would usually choose their own parter, live under the same roof as them and they would raise their children in the same house. It was a struggle to take care of a family and work all day in the fields. Food- The average adult slave's intake was 2500 to 3000 calories a day. That was considered enough intake for a whole days work for the slaves. More than four fifths of the intake of calories were corn and pork. Also they would sometimes have Health Problems- While working on plantations many slaves faced very severe health issues. Improper nutrition, unsanitary living conditions, and excessive labor which caused them to have illnesses while living on the plantation. Slave Clothing- The slaves living on a plantation were given two outfits for the year. One for summer, one for winter. The slaves would be given "gator shoes" or "brogans". However, if you did not work hard on the plantation you would have to walk barefoot while working in the fields. The shoes they were given would not last very long anyways because they would get torn up in the fields and they would not get new shoes. 