By the mid-1800 's, slavery in the northern states was gaining ground on freedom. The south on the other hand was growing rapidly in many ways due to agricultural trading and settlers moving into territories of the southwest. The new markets and trading added to the existing …show more content…
Celia was a fourteen-year-old girl when she was purchased by Robert Newson during the summer of 1850. Robert was a 60-year-old man who bought Celia to employ her as a cook, but then on the day she arrived, she was raped by Robert Newson, It is assumed by the author that Cecilia is perhaps purchased as a substitute wife, his wife had died years prior. " on his return to Calloway County, Newson raped Celia and by that act at once established and defined the nature of the relationship between the master and his newly acquired slave" (McLaurin 24) while slaves had no rights, woman slaves had even fewer rights because were not able to make money like the men, were control as female slaves by the owners and controlled by the male slaves. Celia lived her strange existence as a slave for five years in her private cabin; while other slaves lived with no privacy sharing a cabin amongst many. This arrangement was done so Newson could have her by herself in the evenings. During her stay, she gave birth to two children it was not determined who the father was. Celia had a boyfriend by the name of George, who also was also Robert Newson 's slave. George was extremely upset about Newson’s sexual relationship with Celia, he told her to put an end to it. After Celia had had enough on June 23, 1855, Celia committed a heinous crime. After telling Newson to stay away from her and her or she …show more content…
The jurors were misled on how they could reach their verdict. They could not use self-defense as a reason to come up with a not guilty verdict because the Jurors made it very restrictive in the critters and reasons for self-defense. Celia was seen equally for first degree murder later She was hanged for the murder of Newson.
In conclusion Celia’s shows the sad truth behind slavery and what some had to endure during their time as a slave proving the disadvantages of being a woman slaves who was violated. the slaves were powerless and in a way hopeless. white men were superior to all. their was no chance for Celia during that time because slaves had few rights and woman slaves had even fewer rights because they were