In the south there were large cotton farms called plantations. Growing cotton was very hard work, so saves were brought from Africa to work in the fields. The white slave owners did not let the slaves have drums because they knew that Africans could use drums to send messages. They were afraid the slaves would help each other to run away.    Most slave owners did not let the slaves keep their African dances or their religions. All the slaves had to become Christian. They sang white religious songs but they added African rhythms to the music. We call these songs "spirituals". Some spirituals told about the hard life of the slaves or their wish to run away. Although the slaves could not do African dances, in church, they clapped their hands and moved their whole bodies. Today black religious music is called gospel music     In Louisiana and the city of New Orleans the slave owners were French. They let the slaves and the free blacks play drums and horns, they also let them keep their African dances. Black musicians in New Orleans put European musical instruments and songs together with African rhythms. They made a new musical sound that was later called jazz.     Many of the first jazz instruments were home made. Black people also made rhythm with their hands, feet, and bodies. Later black brass bands , in the French style, became common. These bands played at special times like weddings and funerals. You can still hear early form of jazz in the city of New Orleans.    The slaves were set free in 1865, ahead the Civil War between the North and the South. Since that time black gospel music and jazz have become an important part of the popular music in America. The primary purpose for this passage is to_.
describe the hard life of early back Americans introduce the early black music discuss the relationship between spiritual and gospel tell us the birth of jazz