Slavery in the South

Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin in 1793 (see my blog for May 15, 2015) further established slavery as a way of life in the South. From the slave ships, traders, sellers, and buyers, slavery became big business.

Slavery actually began in America as early as 1619, when the first group of slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, to work in the profitable tobacco fields. The system spread throughout the country, but more so in the agriculturally based South. Charleston became a hub of slave trading for many of the areas around, even as far away as western North Carolina.

Slave market in Charleston

Slavery soon grew out of vogue in the North, which had more industrial growth than agricultural. Many of the states there began to outlaw the practice. By 1840, most slavery had been abolished in the North. However, slavery became interwoven with the economic system of the South. A few years prior to the Civil War, one-third of the Southern population consisted of slaves.

Although many of us envision large plantations with close to a hundred slaves when we think of Southern slavery, this was not necessarily true. That certainly happened, but the largest percentage of households that owned slaves owned fewer than five.

Slave quarters at Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant, SC

Slave revolts, like those by Gabriel Prosser in Richmond in 1800, Denmark Vessey in Charleston in 1822, and the Nat Turner in Southampton County in 1831, brought fear to slave owners, and laws were enacted to "keep the slaves in their place." These slave codes restricted the slaves' education, movement, and right to assemble. The harsher laws and treatment only served to fuel the abolition movement, and the rift grew wider. Eventually, it would lead to the Civil War. The Constitutional Rights Foundation says that "No issue has more scarred our country nor had more long-term effects than slavery."

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The Washington Memorial

Being noted as the tallest obelisk, the tallest stone structure, and the tallest monument column in the world, the Washington Memorial stands proudly to the east side of the National Mall in Washington, DC to honor George Washington. Construction started in 1848, but it halted several times due to lack of funds, a struggle within the Washington National Monument Society, and the Civil War. The finishing touches didn't come until 1888.

Built of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, it measures 555 feet tall. Architect Robert Mills planned the design, but he simplified his original idea and just went with the obelisk. Although the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885, it didn't officially open until October 9, 1888. At that time it still held the title of the tallest structure in the world, but that changed with the completion of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

If you want to climb to the top, you'll ascend and descend 897 steps. You'll need a ticket to tour the landmark, and to reserve a ticket there's a small cost. During busy times, you may still have to wait in line. Around 800,000 visit the memorial each year.

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Elizabethan Skittles

When the first colonists came to the New World, they brought English customs with them. One of these was a game called skittles (also later known as nine-pins). Although the rules are definitely different, it reminded me of bowling.

To play this game, nine large, wooden  pegs or pins are set up. Then, the player throws a hunk of rounded wood, often called the "cheese," at the pins. However, the cheese must bounce once and only once. It cannot hit, slide, or scoot into the pins without bouncing.

There are different ways of scoring in the game, and, in England, these varied as to the region. The game also has a long history, and is still played today.

Some tourist sites also demonstrate the game. In fact, sometimes visitors are allowed to play at locations, like Roanoke Island Festival Park on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Why not plan a fun day of it?

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Snake on Site

I enjoy visiting historic places, and they offer interesting blog information. At one site I remember, we had a little more excitement than normal. Here's the story:

As we approached the house, the docent warned me that a family of blacksnakes had taken up residence near the house and for me to be on the lookout. This woman was extremely afraid of the creatures and almost trembled as she gave me the warning. I assured her that I was a country girl, and blacksnakes didn't scared me, as long as I could see them ahead of time and didn't run up on one unexpectedly to be startled. We continued though the house.

When we got to the parlor, we had no sooner stepped into the room than she squealed, "Snake!" and ran out into the hall. Sure enough, a young, dark snake had stretched out in the fireplace. I hadn't even noticed it yet, and wondered if she had some kind of built-in snake detector. It was warm that day, and he probably liked the cool bricks, since the house was air-conditioned.

It was so dark in that room that I couldn't see it well, but I assumed it was a non-poisonous blacksnake, since it was certainly a dark color. On a little closer scrutiny, however, he appeared to have some markings on him, and I began to wonder if he were a king snake. It's often hard to tell when they are still babies.

About that time, a man came in, took the fireplace tongs, and picked the snake up to take him outside. When he passed in front of the window, I could see the markings and realized this was a copperhead. The young ones are often a gray or colored differently than the adults. The man took him outside where we could easily tell by the nose and eyes that this snake was poisonous. Another man had retrieved a hoe and chopped the viper's head off.

No, I had never gotten close enough to be in any danger. I used my zoom lens on the camera, and the men took care of the situation efficiently and quickly. That experience certainly reinforced what I already knew. Treat all snakes as if they are poisonous until you are absolutely sure otherwise.

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Native American Clans

Most of the Native American groups in the United States had subdivisions we call clans. Often a clan contained members who were related in some way. The clans normally took their names from nature in that region, such as bear, wolf, raven, etc.

Usually clans were matriarchal, meaning a child was born into the mother's clan. There were a few exceptions to this. Groups, like the Omaha, Fox, Ojibwa, and Yumans were patriarchal. Normally, a couple from the same clan couldn't marry, and that might include both parents' clans in a few tribes.

Some groups had as many as fifty clans, and others had only a few. The ones who mainly farmed, for whatever reason, were apt to have more. Hunters and gatherers tended to have fewer. For example, the Cherokee had seven, and theirs was a matriarchal system. 

Although the details varied from clan to clan, they were important structures that had far-reaching effects. Clans might own property, hold ceremonies, establish traditions, control the political makeup, dictate societal roles, and mold the culture. They also provided an important sense of belonging and identity.

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Rushing Ahead

We live in a hurry-up society, where the race becomes faster-paced all the time. We try to pack more and more into each day, until sometimes it even gets hard to catch a breath. With this mentality, we can run ahead of God, almost without realizing it. There are illustrations of this in the Bible.

Joshua did this in Joshua 6 & 7. The Israelites had just experienced a great victory when the walls of Jericho fell, and Joshua sent out spies to see about the next city in their path. The confident reports came back saying Ai could be taken with only a couple thousand men. But they had become over-confident and forgotten that the victory at Jericho wasn't theirs but God's. Without waiting for God's direction, they attacked Ai, and it was a disaster. The enemy soldiers came rushing out of the city in great numbers, and there was nothing left to do but turn and run. Thirty-six of Joshua's men were killed. Like we often do, Joshua asked God why He had allowed such a defeat to happen.

We need to be careful to look to God for all things, in every choice or decision. It should become a habit, so that it's part of our nature. We should know to wait on Him. How much better life would be if we'd just remember and apply this!

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Encouraging Words 

As I've told many people, it's hard for me to judge how good my books are, because I'm too close to them to have any perspective. I can rate other people's writings, and I've written many reviews, but I rely on the reviews of others or what people tell me to know about my writing.

Therefore, I've been blown away by how positively people have responded to Cleared for Planting.  It is so encouraging! I've seen amazon reviewers rip books apart, especially those of beginning authors, like me, but I've had nothing but positive comments. One lady even compared me to Francine Rivers, and Redeeming Love is one of my all time favorites. I was stunned by that comparison. Every time I read it, I think "Wow!" She wrote:

I love everything by Francine Rivers and I just finished her book Bridge to Haven...awesome!! I see so many similar qualities in your writing. Real life stories, true to life characters, and most importantly redemption woven into the fabric of the plot from cover to cover!!

Some other written comments:

I started reading the 1st book last night and it is soooooo good!! I literally gasped at one point.

So, is your next book out yet??? I'm hooked!!! Man its gonna be hard to wait!!

...just finished reading your great book, Cleared for Planting. Ready for the next one. It was really great! I enjoyed it and could not put the book down.

... This was one of the best books I have read in a very long time. The writing in this book was so smooth... I actually felt that I was there when I was reading the story. I can hardly wait for book 2.

Flawless descriptions and an engaging setting. This inspiring story makes you feel good about humanity by the time you finish and leaves you wishing for a sequel!

Wow, what a great book this is! ... CLEARED FOR PLANTING is written so well that you can feel the bone-chilling mountain air in the winter....

I loved  this book, The characters, setting, and events in the novel made it impossible to put down. Ready for the next one.

These comments were taken from amazon and facebook. Verbal responses have been just as positive. This both humbles and elates me. All I can say is, "God is good, and I feel richly blessed."

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