Folk Secular Music was cultivated for the purpose of creating a bridge between the roots of African Americans’ history of when they were free in Africa to when they became enslaved. Before slavery, individuals used folk music as a means of passing time or rhythmic exercises. A variety of instruments were used like the banjo, ‘bones’, and xylophone to play music for times such as those. Hand clapping, stomping their feet, and using trees as drums were used to accompany those instruments. As time progressed and circumstances began to change, those who were enslaved began to combine the traditions used in their homelands to change the music that was present at their host lands. As this new way of music was being produced, a variety of dances were made to go along with certain songs which changed the attitude amongst those performing the music. As the music was originally made to discuss and express the pain that was caused.