Most of the great political changes during the eighteenth century took place within the gentry class, but it is also possible to learn about a society through studying the ways in which they treated their margins of society. The insane, slaves, and prisoners constituted the lowest classes of colonial society and therefore were neither held in high regard nor looked upon with respect. This is not to say that some people were not shown compassion or kindness, but rather that they were not treated as human beings. The real tragedy regarding these people was not that they were not treated well, but rather that they were not allowed the self-respect that all people deserve.

It is common to hear that many slave masters were not in fact abusive to their slaves and sometimes demonstrated kindness toward them. As described in the article "Slavery at Carter's Grove in the Early Eighteenth Century," by Lorena S. Wash, Hill Carter, for example, allowed his slaves to plant their own gardens and make profit from doing so, thus raising their morale and allowing them to work harder. He also provided them with better lodging than average slaves had, keeping them drier and warmer in the winter than was customarily done. In fact, Carter felt paternalism toward his slaves, justifying the fact that they were not free with the idea that they were like children and would not fare well without a master to instruct them and care for them. Lydia Broadnax was an enslaved cook owned by Mr. Wythe, member of a prominent Virginia family. She described that because of his kindness, he allowed her to visit her family when she requested. However, despite the kindness, she was still in bondage and was not considered as fully human because of her position as a slave.

As opposed to the ideas of the nineteenth century, when slaves were completely barred from attaining any education at all, during the eighteenth century, there was a school in Williamsburg solely for the education of black children. The Bray School, which was funded by philanthropists from England, taught black children, usually slaves, how to read, write, and perform rudimentary mathematics known as ciphering. Some elite slave owners sent their slave children to this school not so that they could learn so much as increase in monetary value. A slave who was more skilled was more valuable and having such valuable possession was a reflection upon the owner, who wished to rise in status. Despite Carter's good intentions toward his slaves, however, the fact remains that they were his slaves and were therefore not allowed the self-respect that can come only from knowing freedom.

Another group of marginalized people of society was the mentally ill, who would reside during the eighteenth century in a place such as the Public Hospital. Believed to be willingly vicious during the Age of Restraint, these mentally disturbed patients were commonly subjected to barbarous methods of cures, including the Tranquilizer Chair and the Plunge Bath. In trying to cure these people and restore them to be ready to reenter society, the physicians did not show kindness or understanding. This lack of compassion, however, was not due to personal cruelty on the part of the care-givers, but rather the way society had shaped them to react toward the mentally ill.

The people on the margins of society were not necessarily mistreated by the rest of the population, although this was very common. What is important to realize is that despite certain kindnesses that may have been shown to these people, their human dignity was never allowed to them because they were never treated as equals by the rest of society. Equality would come only through understanding all people are human beings, despite the color of skin, gender, or physical and mental problems. Although so much has changed from the eighteenth century to the present day, true equality and understanding has not yet been achieved.