8.2 The Domestic Slave Trade

The domestic slave trade was a brutal system that tore families apart and moved enslaved people across state lines. It involved markets, auctions, and traders who bought and sold human beings for profit. The trade grew as cotton production expanded in the Deep South.

Transporting enslaved people involved harsh methods like slave coffles and cramped ships. The Upper South exported enslaved people to the Lower South, causing immense trauma. Family separation was common, with children sold away from parents and spouses torn apart.

Domestic Slave Trade Operations

Slave Trade Mechanisms and Markets

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• Interstate slave trade involved transporting enslaved people across state lines for sale in different regions
• Slave markets operated as centralized locations for buying and selling enslaved individuals
• Slave auctions functioned as public events where enslaved people were sold to the highest bidder
• Slave traders acted as middlemen, purchasing enslaved individuals from one area to sell in another for profit
• Fancy trade targeted young, light-skinned enslaved women and girls for sale as domestic servants or concubines

Economic and Social Dynamics of the Slave Trade

• Slave markets varied in size and organization, ranging from small local operations to large urban centers (New Orleans)
• Auctions often involved humiliating inspections of enslaved people's bodies and skills
• Traders developed specialized knowledge of market conditions and pricing strategies
• Interstate trade intensified as cotton production expanded in the Deep South
• Fancy trade commanded higher prices, reflecting the intersection of racism and sexism in the slave economy

Transporting Enslaved People

Methods and Routes of Slave Transportation

• Slave coffles consisted of groups of enslaved people chained together for overland transport
• Upper South states (Virginia, Maryland) primarily exported enslaved people to other regions
• Lower South states (Georgia, Alabama) primarily imported enslaved people for expanding plantations
• Coastal shipping routes transported enslaved people from the Upper South to the Lower South
• Overland routes followed established roads and trails, often covering hundreds of miles

Conditions and Experiences During Transport

• Enslaved people in coffles typically walked long distances, facing harsh weather and physical exhaustion
• Coastal transport involved cramped and unsanitary conditions on ships
• Psychological trauma resulted from separation from family and uncertainty about their destination
• Resistance efforts included escape attempts and deliberate slowdowns during marches
• Traders employed various methods to maintain control, including physical punishment and psychological manipulation

Impact on Enslaved Families

Family Separation and Its Consequences

• Family separation occurred frequently as a result of the domestic slave trade
• Children were often sold away from parents, causing long-lasting emotional trauma
• Spouses were separated, disrupting family units and support systems
• Extended family networks were broken apart, weakening cultural ties and traditions
• Separation anxiety and uncertainty became constant features of enslaved family life

Reproductive Exploitation and Family Formation

• Breeding involved forced reproduction to increase the enslaved population for profit
• Enslaved women faced sexual exploitation and lack of control over their own bodies
• Some slaveholders incentivized childbearing through reduced workloads or small rewards
• Family formation among enslaved people became precarious due to the constant threat of sale
• Enslaved individuals developed strategies to maintain family connections despite separation (coded letters, oral histories)