Masters and Slaves

North Carolina was a slaves state, but compared to other places in the South, slavery did not seem as dominant.

Slavery in North Carolina
Slaves were found in every North Carolina county.

Life and Labor on a plantation
Usually a white family with more than twenty slaves operated a plantation.

Prominent Plantations
Plantations stood out in what was often described as a dull North Carolina landscape of log cabins and zigzag fences.

The Condition of African Americans
In the colonial era, there was a period when Native Americans were enslaved.

The Slave Code
The slave code defined the social, economic, and physical place of slaves in North Carolina.

Life in the Slave Quarters
A slave's material condition varied considerably, depending upon the attitude of the master.