The Nature of Slavery

Northern Slavery #’s were not that significant Why? 1.Religion 2.Industry 3.Poor farming region 4.Higher education

Southern Slavery Conditions were much harsher Much more common in South More African slaves than Whites Lived in close proximity and created families

Religion on the Plantation Slaves could not form their own congregations Slaves were not permitted to read so only heard sermons that whites preached Slaves often met secretly at night Christian beliefs mixed in with African beliefs such as Animism and Islam to create unique religions (i.e. Voodoo)

Religion … slaves sang and incorporated their rhythmic style of music “call and answer” style of song was created by the African slaves Alternation between an individual and the congregation

Importance of spirituals Spirituals often expressed a double meaning -one was the idea of religious salvation -one was the idea of physical salvation and freedom -spirituals united the slaves because they talked about many of the Old Testament deliverances

Evolution of Spirituals Over time, the purpose of spirituals changed Slaves used spirituals to organize Spirituals were used to camouflage intentions because masters did not care if they sang Christian related songs Spirituals would incorporate secret codes Used to rally and motivate people

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. I looked over Jordan, and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home? A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. If you get there before I do, Coming for to carry me home, Tell all my friends I'm coming too, Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home.

Harriet Tubman When dat ar ole chariot comes, I'm gwine to lebe you, I'm boun' for de promised land, Frien's, I'm gwine to lebe you. I'm sorry, frien's, to lebe you, Farewell ! oh, farewell! But I'll meet you in de mornin', Farewell! oh, farewell! I'll meet you in de mornin', When you reach de promised land; On de oder side of Jordan, For I'm boun' for de promised land.

Harriet Tubman Oh go down, Moses, Way down into Egypt's land, Tell old Pharaoh, Let my people go. Oh Pharaoh said he would go cross, Let my people go, And don't get lost in de wilderness, Let my people go. Oh go down, Moses, Way down into Egypt's land, Tell old Pharaoh, Let my people go. You may hinder me here, but you can't up dere, Let my people go, He sits in de Hebben and answers prayer, Let my people go! Oh go down, Moses, Way down into Egypt's land, Tell old Pharaoh, Let my people go.

Martin Luther King Jr. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that -- let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi -- from every mountainside! When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"