Therefore, the triple threats of physical violence, sexual violence, and disruption of the family were probably the most serious daily complaint of 19th century slaves.

Many of the complaints that slaves had were based on the limitations that they faced in their daily lives. In the early days of slavery, slaves had much more practical freedom than they had after the growth of plantations and the related dependence on slave labor. Although there were exceptions, almost all slave owning territories became more limited during the 19th century. As a result, slaves were forbidden from doing many of the things that seemingly separate man from lower animals, in an attempt to justify treating them like chattel. For example, slaves were prohibited from pursuing their own religious ideology or practicing traditional religions, and the religion taught to slaves preached that it was God's plan that they be enslaved. Slaves were prohibited from...
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