Yeoman+Farmers+and+Slaves

Yeoman Farmers
Most of North Carolina's residents were yeoman farmers. Meaning they farmed the land they or some other family member owned. They were mainly subsistence farmers and molded their lives around their families, their neighborhoods, and the seasons. After a man was married he started his own farm and family. It was normal to have a large family, many couples often had up to six children. This made sense then, considering the amount of work a farm took. All farmer needed supplies, those they did not have they'd borrow from their neighbors. The neighborhoods the farmers lived in were scattered with houses usually half a mile apart. These neighborhoods were close-knit and most people never left them.

Slaves
Slaves were shipped from Africa and forced to work on plantations. They had no basic rights and were considered property of the plantation owner. Slaves were not allowed to learn to read or write, or be in more than a group of five without supervision. This was to prevent conspiracy. The slaves were often sold and separated from their families in the process. They could not buy their freedom and did not earn money for their work on the plantations. They received little rations of food and water and many worked from sunset to sundown in the fields. Slaves nearly worked themselves to death and led a tiring, grueling life.

North Carolina Population 1830-1860
 * Year || White || Slave || Total ||
 * 1830 || 492,386 || 245,601 || 737,987 ||
 * 1840 || 507,602 || 245,817 || 753,419 ||
 * 1850 || 580,491 || 288,548 || 869,039 ||
 * 1860 || 661,563 || 331,059 || 992,622 ||

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 * Slavery @ Discovery Education: Understanding Slavery**