From: Amber Coleman
Date: 4/24/00
Time: 2:31:25 PM
Remote Name: 155.247.156.188
Amber Coleman April 25, 2000 Week 14/ primary
The Black Man of the South and the Rebels When slaves found out that they were free, they all left their plantation, even if they were treated properly. The idea of leaving their plantation and not being chased by dogs or their owners was so appealing to many of them. When they were free, former slaves refused not to work, because they thought that being free did not consist of work. This results in many former slaves dying from starvation, as so told by the whites. The blacks said that so many of them died because white people murdered them. White masters did not respond well to slaves being free. Many of them would not even tell their slaves that they were able to leave. Some masters even said that the slaves could not be free without their consent. When the slaves refused to stay after being offered a home or job, their masters abused them. They would also tell their former slaves that if they went to the north, the Yankees would make them drag sand all day. Stearns says that former slave's thought that the idea of being free meant that they could do what they pleased. For instance, many former slaves had to do harder work since they were getting paid, and did not understand why. When they were asked if they wanted to become slaves again, they denied. He says that he was very impressed by his workers who were former slaves. They were taught moral and religious teachings. The former slaves also liked to work there, because they felt more like men, providing for their family. Some other primary sources that could be consulted to draw a valid picture of the freedmen's condition after the Civil War are newspapers and other books written by men of the time.