Summary Of William Byrd

William Byrd was a wealthy planter, a man of great learning, and a slave owner from Virginia in the early eighteen century, who kept a diary of his daily activities written in a secret code. Through his diary excerpts, we are able to see day-to-day aspects of Byrd 's life. It seems to be one of routine and repetition. They are grouped in three periods: early morning, dinners, and what followed in the afternoon and evening then finished with the hope of getting good health, good thoughts, good humors, and his thanks to God. For instance, he wrote about what time he had gotten up in the morning, what he had read, what he had prayed, what he had eaten and who he had punished in that one day, like: "[February 8, 1709] I rose at 5 'oclock this

In one part of his diary, he said that he had considered his slaves as a part of his " large family", however, he never viewed them in this manner. But, in my opinion, if asked, Byrd might have described his pretty good relationship with his slaves who were all "his family members" and he just do what he supposed to do to his "family". By his repeated use of cruelty and violence, Byrd was not a good master. He beat his slaves often: "[September 3, 1709] .. I beat Jenny for throwing water on the couch...", "[ November 30, 1709] Eugene was whipped for pissing in bed and Jenny for concealing it…", " [February 8, 1709] Jenny and Eugene were whipped…", etc. Sometimes he gave them even more cruel punishments. Through his diaries, Byrd mentioned a slave named Eugene ( I think this was a child), who wet the bed then Byrd forced Eugene to drink a pint of urine: " [December 3, 1709] Eugene pissed abed again for which I made him drink a pint of piss." On another day, this slave holder described how he had Eugene put a bit ( a mental thing using to control horses by attaching to reins) on after Eugene has tried to run away:" [ June 10,1709] Eugene was whipped for running a way and had the [bit] put on him." For me, these punishments are so inhumane, but Byrd might not think so because he was the master who considered his slaves as unchristian- like and animalistic anyway. Byrd 's actions of how he treated his slaves

This means his wife was not importance to him as his health, prayers, and religion. He married Lucy with the purpose of increasing his wealthy, not just a companionship. In fact, Lucy was an example of planation mistresses who were like slaves that their husbands considered them as subordinates. They were like their husbands ' property that always being controlled. They were unhappy with their lack of freedom but always need to be pleasant, and cheerful while their husbands had affairs with other female. Plantation mistresses ' life often lonely, moody, and depressed. This reflects the regardless of gender, and how men treated their wives at that time in the