The thing that most people don't realize regarding slavery is that slaves were basically treated like livestock.  In most cases they were treated "well" by their owners and taken care of.  Families and breeding was actually encouraged, though the result of breeding wasn't always "humane".  Young children were often sold off much like calves from a cattle herd.

It doesn't make it right, but slaves were not treated in the way that has been portrayed in many Hollywood films with the whipping and beating.  In many cases certain slaves were "beloved family members".  Many of the women served as "nannies" and many of the men served as "foreman" on homesteads and basically ran the operation.

Again, I'm not by any means saying that slavery was right.  All that I'm saying is that history has not exactly been taught correctly.  Slaves were never abused.

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