tart families and raise children. When they were separated from family members, as was often the case, they experienced grave emotional anguish. The slaves were forced to work in the fields all day under the watchful eyes of the overseer. They served a menial existence, being given the bare necessities of food, water, and some clothing. In their small dwellings, a slave family adopted gender roles similar to those of free persons. After fieldwork, some masters permitted their slaves to work other jobs to earn wages to support their families. They commanded some respect in their households, being seen as the caretaker of the family. The women usually tended to the children and the household chores. The slaves were the lowest class of society, treated with horrendous and terrible cruelty and punishment. Yet through their suffering, slaves developed a culture that was distinctive to their racial identity.African culture followed the Africans as they made the voyage to America. Though forced into slavery, the culture persisted and modified through the generations, creating a unique mixture of cultural heritage. Some slaves adopted various forms of African tradition in their physical appearance such as hair and body piercings. One form of art that remained strong and helped the slaves persevere through the troublesome times was music. Tribal dances were often held to the beat of homemade African-style drums and other instruments. Songs known as spirituals detailed the slaves suffering, joy, and hope in their day-to-day life. Slaves obtained most of their support from their family, binding together to face the suffering together. Slaves were furthered hampered by their lack of education. Masters did not want their oppressed people to gain any type of knowledge about their situation, closing them off to the basics of reading and arithmetic. The only knowledge they were allowed to have was that of Christianity. Being forced to...
