SELLING THE FAMILIES BACK TO LIFE Slave life was very hard. But the hardest thing about slavery was that slaves could be sold any time master wanted. Masters sold slaves for money or to punish them. If master needed money, he would pick few slaves and sell them. Many slaves on the plantations were afraid to run away because master would sell them if he caught them. When slaves were sold they would lose their families. Masters sold mothers, children, brothers and sisters. Many times families would never see each other again. Even the little children could be taken away from their mothers and sold. Slaves were often sold at the auctions. They were kept in groups and than, one by one, put on the auction block. The buyers looked at them like at animals. They checked their teeth and ears. They touched them and made comments about them. Than, they offered money for them. Young man and women who could become mothers were expensive. Healthy children were expensive too, because they would grow up to be strong slaves. Old people and those who did not look healthy were cheap. Auctions were humiliating. The slaves were bought and brought to new plantations where they did not know anyone and had no family. They had to start their life over and always be in fear that they will be sold again.