They built southern roads and railroads, and they cultivated rice, cut cane and tobacco, and picked cotton. Slaveholders usually chose their male slaves to assist in the transportation of crops to market and the transport of supplies and other materials to the farm or plantation. More male than female slaves were artisans and craftsmen, so when slaveholders had a chance to hire skilled slaves from other plantations, they usually hired males. Fewer bondwomen, therefore, had a chance to vary their work experience. The black man was sent to work in the field all day with little food for energy but expected to work until the sun went down without stopping. If these men were to stop, collapse from weakness, dehydration or hurt themselves they were taken and whipped with cowhides until they bled profusely, then expected to return to work. This treatment by the slave owners was said to be a form of dominance, to show the slaves who their masters were. The severities of the punishments were equal amongst Black men and women. However, when a male slave was beaten he would often return to his quarters and take it out on the women. When a black woman became pregnant, she was still required to perform her daily chores. Slave masters used Black women for their sexual pleasure as well.
Slaveholders, both men and women, manipulated black women into having children early and frequently. First they used verbal prodding, then subtle practices such as giving pregnant women more food and less work. Some slaveholders used an outright system of rewards such as a new dress, a silver dollar, or Saturday afternoons off. For women who resisted these "positive" incentives coercion always existed "the threat of a whipping, sale, or both. Thus, black women became breeding stock. Aside from all other things the black woman had to do, she had to also be a teacher to her children. Slaves were not given an education, other than the negative education that justified slavery.