Nancy Bonilla

History 7A
July 13, 2016
Document interpretation 4
The Blessings of Slavery

In George Fitzurgh The Blessings of Slavery, Fitzurgh compares slavery of his day to
that of ancient Rome and Greece by saying that he, being unfitted for the mechanic
arts, for trade, and all skillful pursuits.(Fitzurgh, 297) He is being referred to the
slaves. While the author is basically saying that people who were African American
were only essential for labor work and were unable to master any other skills. For the
two different periods of time slavery was very similar, people of low social status would
serve as these positions and they were usually the people of color. Although the only
social status difference was rarely some slaves in ancient Rome and Greece took on
more important roles like an artist, mechanic and sometimes even a merchant. He then
states how although it was slightly different there was always inferiority when it came to
slaves and others of higher positions.
Fitzurghs view on slavery was that he definitely saw race as an important factor to it.
He states white slavery be morally wrong, it would be a violation of our natural rights...
(Fitzurgh 295) This shows how he believes there is a difference in the races and anyone
of a more lighter complexion should be viewed as someone of higher position rather
than, someone of darker complexion. As for the idea of a slave owner and their master
to be the same race is seen through his eyes as indespicable. A master and a slave
should be of different national descent (Fitzurgh 295) He strongly believes that both
should be of different nationality because their would be relationship between the two
and the owner would be able to have more power against the other.
According the the excerpt, Southern slavery is persecuting free white laborers. It is said
our negroes are confessedly better off than any free laboring population in the world
(Fitzurgh 297). He supports his claim by saying that free white laborers are entitled to
follow every command of the capitalist and they can exploit them without the worry of

any consequences. For slaves at least they are slightly protected by laws unlike free
white laborers who work from their own will.