ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses slaves' lives in American society. The material standards of slave life were modest, sometimes stark, but generally above the standard of bare survival. Much depended on the character of the master and on his circumstances. Masters and slaves lived in an age of low standards in diet, hygiene, public health, and medical skill. The high incidence of "smothering" recorded among infant deaths is now thought to show the frequency of "crib" or "cot" deaths among slave children. The exact cause of this tragic problem is still not established, but modern investigations do show that it occurs more often in low-income families. It is clear that slaves took what they wanted and needed from their Christian faith and worship in its various forms. The emotional and psychological strength which enabled slaves to withstand the dehumanizing aspects of their condition came in large measure from their faith.
