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HST 101 final paper

Decent Essays

Ana Mendoza
Due: 11/25/14
HST 101H
Prof. Calabrese Final Paper Slavery has existed since the beginning of time. Slavery was a system put in place that allowed people to be treated property. In most cases, slaves could be bought and sold. People would acquire slaves through capture, purchase, or birth. All slaves were denied the right to leave, refuse work, or any type of payment for their labor. Slavery was a horrible institution, whose purpose was to serve as an economic system and display status throughout Western history. The ancient Greek Civilization is famously known for their architecture, philosophical thinkers, mythology, and their knowledge of astronomy. Even with all of this Greece had slaves among their civilization. …show more content…

These people lost sight of the fact that they were buying people not too different from themselves [African Slave Trade].
As these slaves were treated as property they began to lose a lot of their individualism. In Platus’ play, written during the Roman Republic, there is a soliloquy of a slave talking about his chores. He will do the chores perfectly and if his master is not there he will administer them with even more care. The slave speaks with eager and willingness to execute the chores. He explains that he rather be diligent and do as he is told and maybe one day he will receive a reward. But, for now his reward is not getting a flogging, which is a whipping. “My obedience, I think, is such as is most for the profit of my back. And it surely does pay!” This slave knows that working laboriously is beneficial to him only to avoid getting punished. Working hard does not earn him anything, but at least this way he will not need to feel the pain of lashings. This fear of consequences keeps this slave from fighting for his rights. In fact, he does not understand that he deserves rights [Slavery in the Roman Republic].
A slave had no rights, there for, had no belongings. Elizabeth Keckley was born a slave, in Virginia, around 1818. She was given as a wedding present to her master’s eldest son. In today’s society, wedding presents are usually extravagant. Meaning, Elizabeth Keckley was an extravagant item to give. Later, she was

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