Question

Why could family relationships be a source of grief for the enslaved? Select three.

marriages were arranged and forced upon the enslaved
famlies were torn apart in the slave trade
legal marriage wasn’t allowed
families were forbidden from living together on plantations
mothers had to take care of their enslaver’s children instead of their own

Answer 1

- families were torn apart in the slave trade — people were bought and sold separately, breaking parent‑child and spousal bonds
- legal marriage wasn’t allowed — marriages of enslaved people had no legal protection or recognition, making them insecure
- mothers had to take care of their enslaver’s children instead of their own — enslaved women were often forced to nurse and care for the owner’s children, limiting care for their own families