Inherited Slaves At Age 11
In his youth, George Washington accepted slavery. His family taught him that slaves were necessary in the management of the plantation and the household. He was only 11 when he inherited his first slaves. Across his lifetime, more than 300 people were enslaved at the Washington estate in Mount Vernon. In his will, he wrote his request to free the slaves after his wife’s death. In the end, less than half the slaves received freedom after Martha’s passing since many owned by the Custis estate stayed enslaved.
Inherited Slaves At Age 11
Frugal About Feeding Slaves
Here was what George Washington had to say about feeding his slaves who looked after the home and plantation: “As much as they can eat without waste and no more.” Sadly, the slaves normally went a day or two without any food and begged for more. At Mount Vernon, they only gave enslaved adults a quart of cornmeal and then 5 to 8 ounces of salted fish. They tended to hunt and fish in order to supplement the food they were given.
Frugal About Feeding Slaves
