Another significant group of slaves, both on the plantation and
in the city, developed their talents and became skilled
craftsmen: barbers, blacksmiths, carpenters, and a wide variety
of other trades. Masters who could not fully utilize the skills
of such a craftsman rented their property to their neighbors. In
some cases, master permitted the slave to be responsible for
hiring himself out and allowed him to keep some of the profits.
The variety of experiences permitted within slavery allowed
significant variations in the types of slaves who emerged.
Even apparently submissive slaves developed techniques of passive
resistance. The laziness, stealing, lying, and faked illnesses,
which were usually attributed to the slave's childlike behavior,
may have been deliberate ways of opposing the system. Masters
complained that many of their slaves were chronic shirkers. When
slaves dragged their feet while working, it was seen as evidence
of their inferiority. When white union workers behave
similarly, it is labeled a slowdown.
Other slaves appear to have indulged in deliberate mischief,
trampling down crops, breaking tools, and abusing livestock.
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