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Slavery in the New World (Slavery at Mount Vernon (Slaves were given…
Slavery in the New World
Slavery at Mount Vernon
Slaves were given Sundays off and throughout the year, they were also given a few holidays off including Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. During these days off, slaves involved in long-distance marriages would be able to see their spouses.
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There were 5 separate farms on the Mount Vernon estate which were managed by an overseer who was managed by a farm manager who reported back to Washington every week.
It is noted that George Washington was against using whips on slaves but other letters that were found prove otherwise.
If work needed to be finished and the slaves didn't get to take their promised days off, they were often reimbursed either through cash or another day off.
These slaves worked from sun rise to sunset with a total of about 2 hours off for meals. Winters would be more around 8 hour days but summer would be as long as 14 hours.
As punishment for house servant or skilled laborer, they would be threatened to be demoted to a field worker.
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If whipping and threats of demotion did not change the slaves behavior, they would result to selling the individual to a different plantation.
Over 61% of these slaves who labored in the field were women who ploughed, hoed,build fences, and harvested.
Cash rewards and better blankets and clothing would be given out to the hardest working slaves in means of encouragement.
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