Punishments+and+Living+Conditions+of+Slaves

 Punishments and Living Conditions of Slaves Living Conditions: In the city, there were usually two slaves per household. These slaves would sleep in the cellar or attic of the home. Sometimes the masters would not provide them with anything other than the house they work in and the little food they would eat. Some masters would not even provide them with clothes or blankets; the slaves would have to find these things on their own. Certain slaves might be chosen to serve only the master of the house. If the master takes a liking to the slave he might give them clothes or other necessities. Many slaves fought as soldiers, and many were taken prisoner. The conditions in a war prisoner were awful. Many soldiers died while in prison due to the lack of care for the prisoners. Slaves and soldiers were stuffed dozens to the cell left there to die. They would not give them anything to stay warm or to eat. In most prisons they were giving raw meat, moldy leftover food and dirty water for food and drink. The cells were not heated and none were giving blankets. They did not have a toilet and had to use a bucket in the corner of their cell. The death rates in the prisons could have been much higher if citizens were not allowed to bring more food and blankets to the cells. Many diseases arose in the prisons and killed many men. Horrible things have killed men in the prisons of war.

Punishments: Branding was used to punish slaves. A branding would be on a shoulder or cheek or forehead. These brandings were usually only one letter that stood for something, such as an 'I' for insolence or an "L" for laziness. The slave would have to life their whole life with the branding and the masters thought it would be a constant reminder to the slave that they are worse than they are. Stocks were another common form of punishment for slaves. The slave would have to place their head and arms through holes in a piece of wood and they would be put in the middle of a town square. They would do this because this would be public humiliation for the slave.