Why Were Slave Children Taught to Call All Adults of a Certain

question 50

Multiple Choice

Why were slave children taught to call all adults of a certain age "aunt" or "uncle" and children of their own age "brother" and "sister"?

• A) Since slave marriages were often broken or slave children separated from their parents, slave communities sought to act like extended families.
• B) Since slave marriage was illegal, children had no idea who their real relatives were.
• C) White masters insisted that their slaves mimic white patterns of addressing each other.
• D) If the slaves on a plantation made it appear they were all blood relatives, they could convince the master not to sell and send any of them away.