Paddles & Other Impliments 5

As the scars left by the whip tended to drive down the price of a now more valuable slave, it was not wise whipping them as before. Slave owners took advantage of the fact that they could beat a slave into unconsciousness without leaving any scars by using a large paddle instead of the bullwhip, and its use became much more common. Nowadays the paddle as an instrument for punishing children is related mainly to the USA, where it is the traditional spanking implement. In the area of domestic punishments, the paddle itself was less common than other paddle-like objects, because unless the man of the house (or a gentle uncle, or other generous relative) had the woodworking ability for doing one (not very much required, anyway), they had to be bought, and that expenditure was not necessary, having at hand other common implements.