Final answer:
The disruption of slave families was more severe in the 2. Southern states due to physical and sexual violence, the practice of hiring out enslaved individuals, and the domestic slave trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The disruption of slave families was more severe in the 2. Southern states. Enslaved Black families in the South were regularly disrupted through physical and sexual violence, as well as through the practice of hiring out enslaved individuals without regard for their family structures.
The domestic slave trade also played a significant role in separating enslaved families, as more than 1 million African American slaves were transported from the Upper South to the Lower South due to increased demand for enslaved labor.