| Word | Definition | Example Sentence | |-------|-------------|------------------| | 1. Enslaved person | A person forced into slavery (preferred over “slave”) | Millions of enslaved people were taken from Africa. | | 2. Justification | A reason used to defend a wrong action | Slave owners created false justifications for brutality. | | 3. Myth | A widely held but false belief | The myth of “happy slaves” was propaganda. | | 4. Paternalism | Treating enslaved adults like children to excuse control | Paternalism claimed masters “knew what was best.” | | 5. Dehumanization | Treating people as less than human | Dehumanization allowed owners to ignore suffering. | | 6. Resistance | Acts of defiance against oppression | Entertainment often hid subtle resistance. | | 7. Spirituals | Religious songs created by enslaved people | Spirituals expressed hope for freedom. | | 8. Coercion | Forcing someone to act against their will | Even “kind” treatment was built on coercion. | | 9. Propaganda | Information used to promote a political cause | Pro-slavery propaganda painted plantations as peaceful. | | 10. Agency | The ability to act independently | Through music, enslaved people preserved their agency. | The Myth of a “Good” Life in Bondage Throughout history, slaveholders and their defenders have argued that enslaved people received “better food, housing, and care” than free laborers. In the American South, Caribbean colonies, and other slave societies, this paternalistic argument claimed that enslavement was actually a blessing — providing civilization, Christianity, and stability.