American history i

American History I The vitality and the distinct worship pattern of the slave religion underscore the struggle of slaves’, resiliency of the slave’s inheritance, and the levels to which the slaves managed to withstand the treatment from their masters (Stanley, 2000). The Africans rejected the teaching of religions from their masters that was on obedience, humility, and release from suffering in the afterlife and not in this world. The slaves nevertheless likened themselves from a number of biblical people. They saw that they would escape death just like Daniel did in the lion’s den, and also the slaying of Goliath by David (Stanley, 2000). It is through religion that the blacks found a tool of enduring enslavement with their dignity still intact. Religion strengthened their belief that they will get their freedom. Other worshippers, however, felt that the whites became sent by God, to deliver them from their bondage. Through this, they became more loyal to the slave masters.
Family was significant to the enslaved people. Family allowed the male slaves is more than a working beast. It gave him the opportunity of being a father, and also a husband. Women became allowed to be mothers and wives, and to take on responsibilities different from their slave duties (Stanley, 2000). Even though, on one hand the masters wanted these families since they wanted slaves to reproduce, they allowed for a whole new generation, to develop. Families weakened slavery because it is out of families that communities’ grew these turned out to be a world that the slave master never knew about, leading to easy riots and ganging up against slavery (Stanley, 2000).
While region did both weaken and strengthened the institution of slavery, family weakened the institution completely. Families became able to plot on how to gang up against the masters without their knowledge. Slave leaders found it easier to pass information through families rather than holding public gatherings (Stanley, 2000).
Reference
Stanley, E. (2000). Slavery. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.