History of the United States I / Unit 12 USH1 1673 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Threat of Sale
Captions available
The idea
Slaveholders used psychological coercion and physical violence to maintain control, and the threat of sale was often the most effective disciplinary tool.
In practice
People living in constant terror of both physical violence and separation from family and friends.
Where people slip
The most powerful instrument was not the whip but the auction, which is why entry 1668 matters beyond its cruelty.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for History of the United States I