1. What was life like for Harriet Jacobs and other slaves?
Life for Harriet Jacobs and other slaves was dehumanizing. Before the Civil War, African-Americans were slaves to White Americans where they owned slaves like they were their property. This quote from ‘Page 15’ “These God-breathing machines are no more, in the sight of their masters, than the cotton they plant, or the horses they tend.” perfectly describes what it was like to be a slave in America. Harriet Jacobs metaphor for slaves was dehumanized into “machine” to help evoke how slaves were not even seen as human to their own slave owners – even if they were loyal and devoted workers to their masters.
Furthermore, not only are they not seen as human, however they are controlled and ordered without sympathy by their masters. Their slaveholders choose the life these people will live: the home they will live in, where they will stay, what they will do, what they will eat, etc. Quote on ‘Page 25’ “If a slave is unwilling to go with his new master, he is whipped, or locked up in jail, until he consents to go, and promises not to run away during the year.”. Jacobs and slaves were sold as workers for slaveholder’s plantations and farms to make cotton and take care of their slave holders’ families and business. If they refused, there would be consequences punished by law.
2. What are some specific examples of hardships suffered by Jacobs and other slaves during this time?
During this time, slaves such as Jacobs experienced multiple hardships such as: a slave auction, separation from families/loved ones, lack of rights, and slave labor. There would be annual slave auctions hosted with advertisements stating: "a public sale of negroes, horses, &c." ‘Page 20’, where slaves were sold and advertised in the same sentence as horses, disregarding the fact that they are people too. In these auctions, slaves would stand up on auction blocks where the public would purchase the strongest and most physically fit for labor slaves. The experience of standing on an auction block was humiliating to say the slightest, where the public would chime in criticism if they did not see potential in the individual working on a plantation.
Separation from families/loved ones was another hardship that slaves and Jacobs had to deal with in this time. Slaves would be sold and bought by slaveowners, in which it came down to the decision of their masters who they would put back up for auction. Slaves would be separated from their parents and children, and would never see them again after auction if they were bought by different masters. With loved ones, Harriet Jacobs talks about how she fell for her colored neighbor. Her master, Dr. Flint, did not approve and was enraged by her statements about loving this neighbor “If I ever know of your speaking to him, I will cowhide you both; and if I catch him lurking about my premises, I will shoot him as soon as I would a dog. Do you hear what I say? I'll teach you a lesson about marriage and free ni**ers!” ‘Page 63’. Slaves did not have the right to marry and the master had the power to stop Jacobs from pursuing any form of relationship. Complete control over basic rights that white Americans did not have to experience.
3. How did Harriet Jacobs and slaves in general cope with their bondage? How did they survive? Did they fight back? Why or why not?
Harriet Jacobs coped with her bondage through the use of religion, family, and the idea of escaping. During slavery, Christianity became an important part in their lives to cope with slavery. Christianity was spreading amongst the colonies with a new interpretation of God. Slaves had their own interpretation of Christianity and used God to cope with slavery. In Harriet Jacobs autobiography she talks of God multiple times throughout as a guiding light and direction for slaves and herself to get through these harsh times.
"Don't grieve so, mother; God knows all about it; and HE will have mercy upon me." ‘Page 24’ and “God bless them! God give them strength and courage to go on! God bless those, everywhere, who are laboring to advance the cause of humanity!” ‘Page 48’. These quotes show different slaves referencing God of how he will bless them with an afterlife and how God is used as a driving force to help correct and direct society towards equality.
Another way slaves coped with slavery was through their love of family. Throughout Jacobs autobiography we are provided with multiple examples of how families depended on one another through Benjamin’s jail visits to Jacobs Uncle helping escape into the North. Furthermore, family was a form of encouragement as shown where Jacobs dreamed and desired a better life for herself and her children.
Lastly, another coping mechanism for slaves was escaping. Harriet Jacobs went into hiding for seven years to avoid Dr. Flint, the master who owned her. Escaping was a dangerous act to do for slaves, for if a slave was caught escaping, there would a high chance that the slave would be killed. However, the chance of escaping would be everything for slaves, and some would take that opportunity over living as a slave for the rest of their life.
Slaves survived in slavery by doing what they were told. If slaves were reluctant to perform the labor their master ordered them to do, there would be punishments such as whipping, beating, or even death. There was an instance in Jacobs autobiography where Benjamin threw his master to the floor “He had raised his hand against his master, and was to be publicly whipped for the offence.” ‘Page 34’. If slaves fought back they would be punished, jailed, or even killed.
4. Education was denied to most slaves, does it surprise you that Harriet Jacobs was able to write such a descriptive account of her experiences? Why or why not?
It does not surprise me that Harriet Jacobs was able to write such a descriptive account of her experiences. On ‘Page 16’ Jacobs talks about how her former mistress taught her how to read and spell “she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of a slave, I bless her memory.”. White Americans way of suppressing slaves was by denying education and the spread of education for slaves were not allowed to teach other slaves how to read or write, it would be punishable by law. The rare blessing of Jacobs being able to read and write helped her be independent and exercise that power to help other slaves understand newspapers or even individual use for the bible.
5. How were African-Americans treated in the North? Was the antebellum North an egalitarian culture and society?
Jacobs states that she felt more comfortable in the North. In the North they would smile at her and had more welcoming and curious faces towards her. Furthermore, she was surprised that she was not needed to help with a fire “I was quite surprised that it was not necessary for us to go and help fill the engine. I was an ignorant child, just beginning to learn how things went on in great cities.” Page 246’. Showing that she had less responsibility with that fire as she would have with the South. However, the antebellum north was not an egalitarian culture and society. Jacobs did experience more comfort with New York and its offerings with the Anti-Slavery Society, however still was subjected to racism with the “first class cars”. As quoted “They don't allow colored people to go in the first-class cars." ‘Page 247’. Therefore, the North was not egalitarian in culture and society for they did not believe colored people are equal in rights and opportunities to white people.
6. If white Americans, North and South, believed the nation was a white man’s republic and if they accepted that African Americans were inferior, what was the Civil War really about?
The Civil war was based on a divide between cultural and political views between the North and the South. The South needed slaves labor for their way of life with farming, therefore they were pro-slavery for their lifestyle depended on it. Whilst the North did not need slaves and were anti-slavery leading them to refuse to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which would send slaves to the South.
Furthermore, with Abraham Lincoln being elected with his political views on anti-slavery the South decided to attempt to separate from the United States because of the difference in culture and politics, which started the Civil War because the North decided to send troops to stop the separation.
Therefore, the Civil War was caused by a difference in culture and politics. The North were anti-slavery for they believed slavery was evil and wrong however, they still only believed in a white man’s republic and could not imagine living and functioning with African-Americans in their society.