ct then the white man’s honor would cease to exist. The slaves were punished heavily by the Slave codes for the smallest infractions. Slaves believed guilty of malicious crimes such as rape, murder, poising, sedition, and insurrection were commonly burned alive or castrated without the benefit of a trail. Since blacks knew how they were to be treated, they mostly stayed out of trouble, and the white generally trusted them.The white Southern family was raised with a sense of loyalty and respect for their parents. A son was taught to live up to other family heroes and to be just as great. The father needed to decide when he should transfer his power and property to his son so he would have a sense of honor and confidence, but not all sons were ready to accept the level of maturity and threw the house into chaos.Honor was important to the white Southern man, so important that it had to be kept at all times, even if gained by violence. Honor made you a respectable white man; honor was how your slaves were treated or the respect that you received from your family and friends. Slaves were looked down upon and mistreated as if they were born for bondage. The white Southern male was a complicated individual, which valued honor and the respect of his family and slaves over his life. ...
