In the face of the deadly demography of Bahian slavery and the limitations imposed by the institution on the life choices and opportunities of those who lived within it, slaves sought to create social and cultural forms that provided solace and support in a hostile world. This chapter will look beyond the demographic structures to examine the cultural boundaries that defined opportunities and then examine the social responses of slaves constantly confronted by the power of the slaveholders. The formation of the family, especially through the sacrament of marriage, and the spiritual birth of the individual through the sacrament of baptism were two moments of extreme importance for anyone living in colonial Brazil, and much of my discussion will center on these acts. We must realize at the outset, however, that the formation of a conjugal unit and ultimately of a family did not depend on church-sponsored marriage for either slaves or free persons.