It would probably mean death for the slave owners and a massive loss of profit.
They lived in fear because rights were taken away from black people in Virginia. The slave owners would get scared of them causing a revolt......
Slave owners instilled fear into slaves. They would use harsh punishment and death as an example to prevent slaves from trying to escape the plantations.
Slave rebellions.
Many were - and the worst ones tended to be downriver in Mississippi. (Hence the fear of being 'sold down the river') Others who were highly respectable, like Robert E.Lee, treated slaves harshly because they thought blacks would abuse lenient treatment. Curiously, the Confederate President was a Mississippi landowner who treated his slaves so well that they didn't want their freedom.
Many American black slaves sought freedom by joining the troops fighting the Revolutionary War. Initially they joined by the Patriot and British causes. However, the Patriot Army stopped enlisting them in 1775 out of fear of armed revolt.
They lived in fear because rights were taken away from black people in Virginia. The slave owners would get scared of them causing a revolt......
Slave owners instilled fear into slaves. They would use harsh punishment and death as an example to prevent slaves from trying to escape the plantations.
because they would run away or not do all their work.
Slave rebellions.
Plantation owners demonstrated trust in slaves by assigning them supervisory roles over other slaves, allowing them to handle money or valuable items, and permitting them to work outside the plantation unsupervised. These actions were usually based on the belief that the slaves would not betray their owners due to the fear of punishment or societal conditioning.
Slave owners treated their slaves as property rather than as human beings, subjecting them to harsh living conditions, physical abuse, and forced labor. They had complete control over all aspects of their slaves' lives and often used violence and fear to maintain power and control. Slave owners sought to dehumanize their slaves in order to justify their exploitation and mistreatment.
Slave owners would often beat slaves with whips, fists, clubs, or other objects to assert control, instill fear, and enforce discipline. These beatings were a common form of punishment and coercion used to maintain the system of slavery.
Nat Turner, 1831 - see related link
It means that escaped slaves have lived in constant fear of being returned to their owners.
Slave owners maintained control of their slaves through physical and psychological means, such as punishment, surveillance, and manipulation. They used violence, threats, and fear to assert authority over the slaves and ensure compliance with their demands. Additionally, strict laws and restrictions were put in place to limit the slaves' ability to resist or escape.
Slave owners used physical punishment, such as whipping, to instill fear and force obedience among slaves. They also used psychological tactics, such as threats of separation from family members or promises of reward, to control their behavior and compliance.
Generally speaking the question would be more pertinent if the question was "Why did slaves live in fear of their Roman masters". However, most slaves were loyal to their masters and in return, a wise slave owner would treat his slaves with decency. Punishment for a slave for killing or injuring his master meant death. Good behavior might mean freedom at some point. Romans had great faith in their slaves ( general statement) and in some cases Greek slaves were assigned to tutor a Roman's children.