Madison and Slavery

Slavery: an embarrassment in America’s pasttime. Thousands of citizens throughout our country had slaves and treated them in unspeakable ways. Yet, as much as we learn about these slave owners, the thought that our founding fathers owned slaves does not seem to be something talked about at all. However, all four of our founding fathers owned slaves and for the most part, treated them just as any other American at the time treated their slaves, with the exception of James Madison. Throughout this blog, we will look at slavery in the United States, how Madison treated the slaves at Montpelier, and what has happened in recent years to save Madison’s slave quarters at his home in Virginia.

The first slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. A total of 20 Africans were brought to American in order to aid with the production of crops such as tobacco. These men were considered “cheaper” and “more plentiful” sources of labor than indentured servants.  Throughout the following three centuries, it is estimated that between six and seven million slaves, were brought into America (Boston, Nicholas). These men and women were stripped of their rights as human beings and endured unfathomable living conditions.

Slaves were considered to be a piece of property and when they arrived would be sold off at auctions. They depended on their “masters” for things such as food, water, clothing, and basic shelter ("Slavery in America.").  These basic needs were often held from the slaves and given only in the small amounts, which were needed to keep them alive (Boston, Nicholas).  Each master owned up to 50 slaves although often the numbers would be smaller and the amount of work for each slave, greater. They were prohibited from actions such as learning to read and write, and their day-to-day behavior was greatly monitored ("27b. Slave Life and Slave Codes.").

As far as work in the fields, they often were required to work sunup to sundown with little to no time to get food or water. Larger plantations would also have slaves that were to work inside the home. These slaves could be considered “privileged” because they were often given far better living conditions ("27b. Slave Life and Slave Codes."). More urban slaves found themselves in jobs such as tailors, saddle makers, butchers, etc. Although this work may not have been considered as physically demanding, they still did not have any rights and were treated poorly by their masters ("Slavery in America.").

Slaves who acted out were beaten and whipped as a way to keep others “in line”. These brutal beatings and torturous activities were a daily occurrence for slaves to either personally experience or experience through other slaves that surrounded them (Boston, Nicholas). A majority of slave owners treated their slaves in the ways described previously, however, James Madison, our fourth president, felt differently about slavery and how these men and women should be treated. 

Madison’s thoughts on slavery can first be seen in a letter that he wrote to a friend, Edmond Randolph. In this letter, Madison writes, “ My wish is, if possible, to provide a decent and independent subsistence without encountering the difficulties which I forsee in that line. Another of my wishes is to depend as little as possible upon the labor of slaves.” (Mellon 125). Although he felt that the lives of slaves had improved since the revolution, Madison still felt as though their degraded status was intolerable under a supposedly “free government”.  As strong as his position against slavery was, Madison realized that it was a problem deeply imbedded in our country’s culture and economy.  In response, he felt as though gradual steps needed to be taken to correct the problem of slavery.

Individually, Madison took steps to treat his own slaves differently than many other slaves were being treated in the country. At Montpelier, Madison’s home, he created a “slave village”, less than 50 yards away from the main residence. Andrea Wulf suggests that the placement of the slave quarters was to aid in changing the views on slavery in Virginia. This “village” consisted of six small buildings, a kitchen, two smokehouses, and three double cottages. These buildings, unlike many other slave quarters, were made up of sturdy frames with raised wooden floors, brick chimneys, and glass windows (Wulf 197).

            

The Madison family was accustomed to visitors and made sure that they too treated his slaves “properly”. Friends and family of the Madison’s would often pack “luxurious” breakfasts and meals to take out to the slaves. In return, the slaves would often give the children potatoes or some fresh eggs to take back to the mansion (Wulf 198). Madison also provided the slaves with the “cast off” dinnerware. This would include items such as decorated or chipped plates, much nicer that what many slaves of this era ate off of (Wulf 197).

         

As much as Madison cared about changing slavery in America, it was never something that he was able to accomplish before his death in 1836. After the Madison family was gone, many of their slaves were sold off and ended up on plantations where they were subject to miseries and unfathomable living conditions; much different than the lives they lived while at Montpelier (Ketcham 46). However, when looking back at the treatment of Madison’s slaves, many believe that he was moved more by the fact that slavery was not economically and politically sound, rather than solely a moral motive addressing the better living condition of slaves (Mellon158).

            

Today, the slave quarters of Montpelier are no longer available to the public. Currently, this area of Montpelier is under a grand excavation project, with the hope of discovering more about how these slaves actually lived.  This is a three-year project, funded by The National Endowment for Humanities ("Slave Quarters Excavation at James Madison's Montpelier"). So far, during the excavation, three different enslaved communities at Montpelier have been identified. These are, The South Yard, an area for slaves who resided in the formal gardens of the mansion, The Stable Quarter, which housed slaves responsible for garden and stable work, and finally, The Field Quarter, which housed slaves who were working in the heart of the home ("Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin - Unearthing a Slave Community").  It is believed that eight to fifteen families lived in the quarters.  Two families lived in the slave quarters located close to the household. However, this number is assumed to be much smaller in the stable and field quarters, which were located farther away from the mansion on a different piece of the property ("Slave Quarters Excavation at James Madison's Montpelier").

            

So far in the excavation, archeologists have been able to find ceramics, wine bottles, and animal bones all within the approximate area of the slave quarters however; they are far from done. The hope of this excavation project is to have a better idea of the position and materials of the homes. Currently, timber “ghost” structures stand in the approximate areas where it is believed that the buildings once stood. Through this project stable replicas will be built and open to the public. This could serve as an excellent educational tool for both everyday tourists and local students. One set back to the project, is the overwhelming cost. It is estimated that in order to fully restore each of the buildings, it will cost three to five million dollars ("Montpelier Slave Quarters Excavation Bringing the Past to Light”). Although the details of this excavation are very vague, each artifact that is found brings archeologist one-step closer to realizing the truth behind the slave quarters at Montpelier. For those interested in following the progress of this excavation, more information can be found at http://www.montpelier.org/research-and-collections/archaeology.

Bibliography

"27b. Slave Life and Slave Codes." Slave Life and Slave Codes [ushistory.org]. U.S History Online Textbook, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/27b.asp>.

"Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin - Unearthing a Slave Community." Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities Bulletin - Unearthing a Slave Community. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.archaeological.org/fieldwork/afob/3308>.

Boston, Nicholas. "The Slave Experience: Living Conditions." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/living/history.html>.

Ketcham, Ralph Louis. The Madisons at Montpelier: Reflections on the Founding Couple. Charlottesville: University of Virginia, 2009. Print.

Mellon, Matthew T., Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. Early American Views on Negro Slavery: From the Letters and Papers of the Founders of the Republic. New York, NY: Bergman, 1969. Print.

 "Montpelier Slave Quarters Excavation Bringing the Past to Light - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather." Montpelier Slave Quarters Excavation Bringing the Past to Light - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather. NBC News, 7 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nbc29.com/story/23783181/montpelier-slave-quarters-excavation-bringing-the-past-to-light>.

"Slavery in America." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.history.com/topics/slavery>.

"Slave Quarters Excavation at James Madison's Montpelier." National Endowment for the Humanities. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.neh.gov/films/slave-quarters-excavation-james-madisons-montpelier>.

Wulf, Andrea. Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. Print.