Slave Hire System | Eye on the Past

History of slavery in urban settings and the tags worn by slaves who were hired to work for the city or for other slave owners in cities like Charleston, Savannah, Mobile, and Norfolk. Laws required that badges be renewed by the owners each year, and the badges had a number, date and the occupation of each individual. Video contains footage of some of these tags from Charleston, S.C.

Standards

• 3-4 The student will demonstrate an understanding of life in the antebellum period, the causes and effects of the Civil War, and the impact of Reconstruction in South Carolina.
  • South Carolina played a key role in events that occurred before, during, and after the Civil War; and those events, in turn, greatly affected the state. To understand South Carolina’s experiences during this tumultuous time, the student will uti...
    • 3-4.1 Compare the economic conditions for various classes of people in South Carolina, including the elite, the middle class, the lower class, the independent farmers, and the enslaved and free African Americans.
• This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the continuities and changes experienced by Americans of various genders, positions, races, and social status during the Civil War.
  • 4.4.E Analyze the economic, political, and social divisions during the Civil War.