This document provides an overview of the lesson about life as a slave in the 1700-1800s. It discusses the living conditions slaves faced, such as poor quality housing and meager diets. It also describes the various types of difficult jobs slaves were forced to perform on plantations and in homes. The document notes slaves had no control over their lives and were subject to cruel treatment by owners who saw them as property rather than people. The lesson involves note taking and answering a National 5 level question about the usefulness of a source describing the lack of rights and protections for slaves.

1. Life as a slave

2. Today’s lesson
We are developing our knowledge of the experience of what
life was like as a Slave in the 1700-1800’s.
Today will be able to:
1) Describe the living conditions slaves had.
2) Describe the different types of jobs that slaves did.
Today’s lesson will involve:
1) Note taking
2) National 5 level Question.

3. Overview
Discuss – ‘What do you think life
as a slave was like?’
Write down some key words
that we will discuss.

4. Task 1
Take a new mind-map in your jotter titled:
What was life like as a
slave?

5. After Auction
When slaves were bought either at a slave
auction or scramble they were in complete
control of the slave owners.
New slaves were often forced to change their
name, speak English and become Christians –
giving up their previous religion.
Slaves were also given the surname of their
new owner.

6. Living conditions
• Slaves usually life in poor quality huts and
shacks which were overcrowded
• Furniture (if any) was of poor quality with
beds often being made of rags or straw.
• However, some house slaves did live in
slightly better conditions. They were
treated better due to the close relationship
between the slave and the family.
• House slaves completed jobs such as
cooking and cleaning – some were even
freed when the owner died.

7. Diet
Slave diets were also very poor –
they were usually given basic food
to last a certain period such as a
week.
The diet consisted of cornmeal and
cheap meats.
The poor quality of food often led
to disease.

8. Slave work
Slaves worked in a variety of places
including the owner’s home,
factories, mines and plantations
(farms). Most slaves did work on
plantations.
Working on the plantation was very
hard work and slaves had to complete
a variety of roles. These roles
included: planting/harvesting crops,
looking after animals and boiling
crops such as sugar.

9. Treatment of Slaves
The treatment of slaves depended on
their owner, some were cruel, some
were not.
Some slaves were given more
responsibility for example as a reward
some got the chance to go into town for
the first time.
The harsh treatment of slaves led to the
introduction of the slave codes – laws on
how slaves were treated. However many
ignored these rules.
One rule was that mothers should not be
separated from their children, but many
were.

10. National 5 Question
Source F is from ‘Black peoples of the Americas’, a book written by a
historian in 1995.
Evaluate the usefulness of Source F as evidence of the treatment of
slaves on the plantations.
The planters in the Caribbean were afraid of a rebellion and they followed
a policy of control through fear. Slaves had no rights. They were seen as
possessions rather than human beings. Owners could deal with slaves
exactly as they pleased and there was no punishment for owners who
worked their slaves to death. Until the 19th century, no-one questioned
owners burning or torturing their slaves.