7. Constant Surveillance and Control
Plantation life was dominated by unceasing surveillance. Overseers patrolled the fields and quarters, watching for any sign of disobedience or escape attempts. Nighttime patrols and slave catchers added another layer of restriction, while informants—sometimes coerced from among the enslaved—reported on others. This climate of constant monitoring created an atmosphere of mistrust and fear, making it nearly impossible for enslaved people to organize or find moments of privacy.
