Slaves had to live through many tough conditions from the day they were born till they died. They got their first task at age 10. In Georgia, most slaves either worked in either cotton or rice plantations or as house servants. House servants were usually treated better than the plantation slaves because house slaves went out in public, and owners did not want their slaves to look bad. Slaves also couldn't get legally married, so when they did, they could be separated from their spouse at auctions. Some owners preferred to keep slave couples together so they could have children which meant more slaves without a cost for owners. Slaves also had many rules to live by. They weren't allowed to learn how to read or write, they couldn't be employed, and if they ever wanted to go anywhere they needed to have a pass signed by their owner, kind of like at school. The consequences were inhumane, including death and public whipping. Some slaves became so angry that they went to the extreme measure. One lady even cut off her own fingers so she wouldn't have to work. Slaves longed for freedom and equality so many started escaping using the underground railroad. The underground railroad consisted of many "stations" which were homes where slaves could hide, rest, eat, and stay before leaving to go further north to the next station. Along the railroad were conductors who were people that helped the slaves get to freedom. One of the most famous conductors was Harriet Tubman who after freeing herself, returned nineteen times to free over 200 people including her whole family.
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