B) They were human. To justify the enslavement you must break their will any small infraction must be punished if not they would have revolted.

But you did answer your own question when you said that slaves were an expensive property item.

Property here is the key word.

One thing about mankind we are a brutal and for the most part an unforgiving race.

Just because they were viewed as property does not mean they they were viewed as human beings.

They were just that property to be used and treated as the owners saw fit.

We have to remember that at that time blacks were not even considered as a people, but as animals in many cases which were to be looked down upon.

It is easier for men to treat others harshly and brutally when others are viewed as less.

Plantation owners treated their slaves with true disregard , as something to bring in monies and wealth.

To the owners the worth of a slave was decided by their ability to perform.

But in order to maintain the hold over slaves owners had to literally beat and kill them into submission.

Fear is a powerful weapon and it was used to it’s upmost at that time.

I grew up in the south as a child in the 50’s and 60’s.

Many many days and nights I would sit out and drink with the older black men who had come from Mississippi or one of the other slave states “most of these men were in the late 70’s or more. I lived in Memphis Tenn.

.

Those stories would curl your hair, of course that was over 40 years ago and things have changed ” a little”

I wish their was mor time and space to go on but I will not bore everyone.

Not many people in todays society even want to hear the horror stories.

PS.

If you have stories you might want to share please email me through the yahoo 360.

I truely want to hear and share . This is only one way that we are able to make changes in lives. ours and others

They were driven to produce the absolute most product that could be produced for sale.