Slavery in America prevailed from 1619 when first African slaves were brought to American colonies to aid in labor works. The system of enslaving continued till late 1800s and it was at its peak during the early nineteenth century. ‘The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass’ is a biography written by a former slave, Fredrick Douglass, during the early 1800s, where he portrays the story of his life from the time of his birth to the time he got freedom. His path to freedom was full of challenges and oppositions but he survived them all and guided the nation towards a slavery free nation. This narrative is all about the incidents and struggles he and other slaves faced, which helps us picturize the scenario of slavery in former America, including the harsh working conditions, lack of literacy and guidance and prevalence of injustice to slaves by law.
The economy of America was growing rapidly during the nineteenth century due to the increment of plantation crops such as tobacco, rice and cotton. The requirement for the labor for the plantation fields and household purposes was fulfilled by slaves. During this, Douglass was born, a son of an enslaved …show more content…
Slavery was followed not only because slaves were a comfort to the masters, but also because the American law permitted it. There were no legal rights for black people, the masters could treat their slaves according to their wish. They were exploited physically, socially and politically. The only law passed by the slaving states made education of slaves’ illegal. The punishment for breaking such law was 20 lashes with a whip. The slave codes placed harsh restrictions on slaves’ and gave slave owners absolute powers. Some codes prohibited slaves from leaving their master’s plantation without permission, and lifting a hand against a white