Overview
1.Historical narratives and popular culture normally depicts slave owners as white southern men. Discuss how the two assigned articles complicate our understanding of slave owners with respect to gender and even skin color. Proved examples and explanations from the readings.
2. Jessica Parker Moore argues, "Many plantation mistresses clearly saw slavery as a joint project of both men and women, not just the instrument of patriarchal male society." How does the author support this argument? What types of sources does she use? How does this challenge the perceived gender roles of that time?
3. Moore also discusses the role of paternalism on the plantation. What are some examples does she use to show the paradox of slaves being both family and property? In particular how does the female slave owner take on the role of parent and how are the slaves put in the role of children regardless of their age?
4. Anne Ulentin argues, "the economic system of slavery was a fundamental part of the southern economy and thus holding slaves was one of the primary markers of economic success." How does she show that this statement is true even when applied to slave owners who were free women of color? What evidence does she use and how does she prove her argument? Do you feel that free women of color treated their slaves any differently than white men?