>I understand that as Quakers, they may have gone into the trades as a result of their anti-slavery beliefs. How could they compete against slaves trained as carpenters? Was there a different skill set? 
>
>I’ve tried a Google search but mostly came up with information on colonial era carpenters.
>
>Thank you for your help.
>
>Vanessa Crews


-Without getting into views on slavery, I believe that skills of any trade improve as they are passed down through generations of a family that specializes in them.  While some slaves were accomplished craftsmen and some bought their freedom by it, on the whole the majority had at the best some rudimentary skills and were more useful as laborers for heavy duty work such as moving logs, raising the walls and roof (usually built on the ground and lifted into position).  The more techincal aspects of knowing how to design a building so it doesn't fall down takes a much higher degree of expertise.  It normally takes at least 5 years of training to get to the lowest skilled tradesman position.  

John Garrett

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