Slaves and Servants: Primary Source Analysis

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

A person, owned by another person, as a rule, does not have freedom of speech. In this document, planter and servant describe the life of slaves and servants in America in the eighteenth century. However, their descriptions do not match because the planter claims that servants rights are taken into account, while the other assures the opposite. Thus, the document ensures that the life of servants and slaves through the eyes of planters, as Robert Beverley was, is much better. At the same time, William Moraley was in America as a servant and saw the real life of servants. This paper analyzes the document about slavery on plantations and claims that the treatment of black people was worse than others, the rights of servants were not valued, and they differ from slaves.

Discussion

Robert Beverley wrote the first article of the document; he was a planter in America. The second article was written by William Moraley, who journeyed from England to America as an indentured servant. Both pieces were dedicated to all their readers, especially historians. These authors wanted their truth to be established in the history of humanity. The first author claims about the humaneness of planters, but William Moraley, as a servant, asserts another version. However, the whole documents purpose is accurately to let its readers analyze which version is actual. In turn, Robert Beverley avoids telling the absolute truth to the audience since he is a planter. The tone of the messages from both authors is narrative, as both narrate what they saw.

In the stories of the planter and the employee, it is equally stated that the life of the blacks was worse than whites. While whites served for a temporary, blacks served their masters all their lives. Moreover, their children at birth also became slaves for life since they were considered descendants of slaves. Moreover, if someone killed an enslaved Black person, there was no punishment for the murderers because the law did not prescribe anything concerning the protection of blacks. In the first document, several laws confirmed that servants could complain to judges. However, this document does not specify anything about protecting enslaved peoples rights. In other words, the employee and the planter cannot deny that black people worked in worse conditions than other servants.

Further, even though the planter indicated some existing laws to protect workers rights, in real life, these laws did not apply, and the opinion of servants was not taken into account anywhere. The planter claims that if the owners mistreat their servants, they can file a complaint with the judges, and, if confirmed, the servants will be given to other kinder owners. However, these statutes were checked by William Moraley in real life, where he said that The Condition of bought Servants is very hard. Undoubtedly, unlike dark-skinned ones, ordinary servants are less subjected to pressure from their masters. However, this does not mean their opinions and rights were valued and respected.

Last, two articles in the document equally claim that slaves differ from servants. Robert Beverley states, Slaves for Life, and Servants for a time. It means that enslaved people remained enslaved people for their entire lives and servants only for a while. Servants entered a contract during which they served their masters, while enslaved people did not have such privileges. In addition, the first article says that Slaves are the Negroes, which confirms that only people were slaves who served their masters working on plantations all their lives. As for the second document, William Moraley, who lived in America as a servant, confirms in his letter the difference between enslaved people and servants. For example, he says English servants and Negro Slaves, making it clear that Robert Beverleys words are valid about the difference between enslaved people and servants. Unlike slaves, servants served only for that period until the concluded contract ended.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this document compares the lives of servants and enslaved people from the point of view of the planter and the employee. According to the planter, the lives of employees and their rights matter; therefore, there are points in the law where their rights are protected. However, according to the employee, these laws are usually not observed. Moreover, black people who serve all their lives and are called enslaved people are the most subjected to infringement. In turn, white-skinned people are called servants and work only for a while.

Bibliography

Slaves for Life, and Servants for a Time. National Humanities Center, 2009.

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Slaves and Servants: Primary Source Analysis

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