What were the religious practices for the slaves in America?

Answer 1

they prayed to god religiously for relief of the slavemasters; there's a lot of irony there seein as though there is no god and if there were why would he make them suffer. of course , slavery is in the bible.

Answer 2

Most of the slaves became Christians after they came here, and their faith in Jesus helped them realize that slavery was wrong and in time they would be free. It was also Christianity that led the whites to realize how wrong slavery is and once enough white Christians joined the fight against slavery justice was done and the slaves were freed. This does not mean everything was perfect following the Civil War, but faith in Jesus still helps us strive for better relations between all people of all races because Jesus died for us all, every person of every race.

Answer 3

Before the Second Great Awakening, they were mostly practitioners of West African Traditional Religions. These religions varied, but did have many similarities.

After the "Second Great Awakening" most of the slaves became converted to Christianity, mostly Baptist and Methodist.

I have made a short webpage on this subject here:
http://www.pathsofdevotion.com/westafrica.html

Answer 4

African slaves brought with them their traditional African religions, but were either converted or forced to convert to Catholicism. Much of the mix of Catholicism and African religion can be found in Haiti, South and Central America. Slaves did this to disguise the fact that they were still adhering to their own tradition. Other slaves fully converted to Christianity and found comfort in the Biblical stories of Jesus, Moses, Esther and Joseph who were sold as slaves and identified with them as an oppressed people. The biblical account did not encourage the oppression of other people or man made laws forcing people of any color to be slaves.

Gospel music heard in the churches of the decendants of slaves can still be heard with the hope of true freedom and brotherly love in worship services.

Answer 5

Many practiced Voodoo in some form. Some did practice Christianity, but (as a Christian and an AVID opponent of any form of oppression, including slavery) most of those were actually introduced to Christianity by their "owners". Study it...Christianity was practiced VERY LITTLE or NONE AT ALL in Africa during the time of slavery.

Answer 6

Originally they probably had what ever tribal faith from Africa. Most tribal people have totems (heirarchy), taboos (things you can't do) gods, prayers, rituals, dances, singing and music. All of it is spritually or religiously connected to their lives.

Later on they were converted to Christians, but were segregated and usually had to sit in the balcony.

Some Christian sects heeded the words of the Old Testiment and released their slaves from bondage after 6 or 7 years.

Not everyone followed that pratise.

Answer 7

it depends on what colony,
In latin america/mexico it was shamanism, and then a mix of it and catholicism. In the caribbean, as most of the indians were killed and slaves bought from africa. The africans from the different tribes carried their customes and rites with them (many have a type of reverence for the ancestors and for africa,, their mother land). Then their rites mixed with catholicism and became Vodou, and Santeria (using pictures of saint from catholicism).
In Brasil about the same a mix of african rites and catholicism.
In the US, the practices reverence to Africa with dances, the music, then they became baptist christian. See how great gospel music, and soul music... it came from the suffering as slaves, this is why it's so heartfelt.

Hope my answer help a bit

Answer 8

Most had the"owners" religion forced on them so they practiced that - but in a bit different form - it started the way you see mostly Black churches today practicing - lots of singing the gospels and such - much more than predominantly white churches.

Then a combination of some Christian practices and African religions produced Vodun - the Voodoo religion.

Answer 9

I have no idea. Probably started out the same as the ones they left in Africa. After a few generations, they probably picked up Christianity. The bible says that it is fine to own slaves. Did God inspire that?

Answer 10

Mostly what they brought with them from Africa (animism and the like) at first....then they were taught Christianity...and the ones that were lucky (blessed) enough, had people to read Scripture to them and eventually, learn to read.

Not all slave-masters were cruel....some were loving and taught their slaves much...and helped them when they freed them...

No - I'm not endorsing slavery....just repeating history

Answer 11

Publicly, they were Christians. But like any group of people, they had just about an belief you could imagine. There as never been any racial or social group that all held a common religious belief.