Slave Society

In a unique approach author David Galenson examines the transition of servants to slaves during the 17th and 18th century of British America. He successfully covers the importance of slavery and the reason for its high demand. Galenson takes into consideration the demographic conditions and its differences throughout the West Indies,

In today’s society, many have come to believe what they have been instructed over the years, whether it is fiction of facts. Living in a world, where only certain race can be seen as superior to others. Schomburg was a pioneer beyond his times. In the article “The Negro Digs up His Past”. The beginning of this essay revealed a powerful statement, “The American Negro must remake his past in order to make his future” (Arthur Schomburg). It is very clear, Schomburg realized the importance of being knowledgeable on your true history. “History must restore what slavery took away, for it is the social damage of slavery that the present generations must repair and offset”. Therefore, I acquiesce with such statement, it is up to the present generation to fight, and to aspire on restoring what was taken away. As we acquired more intelligence, today’s generation must continue on indoctrinating one another on our true history. However, let’s not forget, slavery was not the onset of the Negro history; when in fact, slavery interrupted the Negro history. Meanwhile, long ago, before slavery, Africans ruled the world, built nations, mastering in architectural ideas, philosophies, etc. Nonetheless, it is crucial for the Negro to dig up his past, for from it; today’s Africans shall conceive their true potential, and their ancestor’s greatest achievements. Just as Schomburg found his motivation after being told “Negroes has no history. On the other hand, he then stated “The Negro thinking

Randy Sparks highlights a rare aspect of the history of slavery: the relentless effort of the enslaved to use their privilege to free themselves. Although it is not clear when the European and Africans first encountered each other in Old Calabar, it is evident that the constant trading between both parties built a concrete means of communication. As many individuals who have

Slave resistance began for many enslaved Africans before they reach the Americas. Karenga explained the many arrangements in which Africans resisted to enslavement, while in Africa, during the middle passage, and in the Americas. Employing the Karenga text one can evaluate the different resistances that transpired in Antigua as Cultural, Resistance, Day-to-Day Resistance, Abolitionism, Armed Resistance, Revolts, Ship Mutinies, and Afro-Native Alliance. One can conclude that enslaved Africans had an unrelenting resistance to enslavement (Karenga).

"Slavery is founded on the selfishness of man's nature--opposition to it on his love of justice. These principles are in eternal antagonism; and when brought into collision so fiercely as slavery extension brings them, shocks and throes and convulsions must ceaselessly follow." (Abraham Lincoln)[1]

The struggle of slavery was a never ending battle which could not have been won by standing idly by, watching it’s mass destruction take place. Frederick Douglass, born a slave in 1818 stated “Without a struggle, there can be no progress”. This quote does an excellent job of capturing the essence of his memoir, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” Through recounting his brutal experiences as a slave, Frederick Douglass utilizes rhetorical strategies in the form of rhetorical imagery, anecdote, and simile to expose the horrors of slavery to the uninformed population of the United States.

The United States of America has historical events that underlie the primary example of a country which overcomes every adversity with courage and commitment. Several pieces of history can obviously emphasize the strength of those who inhabited this nation and shaped it into what it is today; one of which is the era of slavery. Slavery is a topic that is often rejected during the mentioning of historical events in America primarily due to the fact that it contradicts what American culture advocates. When attempting to reprimand their previous discriminatory actions towards African Americans, many Americans often fail to realize the impact that African Americans truly had on this country. Without slavery, as inauspicious as the idea may sound, the framework of America would have not been established, its populational growth would not have been as rapid, and the amount of labor that induced economic and military success would be nearly impossible, thus leading to the conclusion that America would not have excelled without slavery.

In the western hemisphere, the Haitian revolution had been the most victorious labor rebellion of all times. The French had controlled the colonies, which resulted in slavery but the rebellion in 1791 to 1803 had demolish slavery for good. These revolutions were impacted by the French revolution because it showed humanity and justice for all. During the 18th century, the richest territory was named Saint Domingue because they produced crops such as sugar, coffee, cotton, etc. The farmers were Caucasian and they had possession over slaves and the large farms. The France refused to allow the farmers to trade with any other colony which put down the farmers who grew crops. In addition, the Caucasians of Saint Dominic had no say in France, and did not get to speak freely and be heard which was useless to them. So, the farmers were fine with their own independence and agreed with slavery.

Even though freedom has been our nation’s identity for its entire existence, our nation has suffered “dark ages” when the freedoms of African Americans were repressed. During the period of slavery, African Americans were forced to labor under often cruel and gruesome conditions, for their white masters. Solomon Northup, a free man forcefully made a slave, describes his thoughts on slavery in his 12 Years a Slave:

Just when people thought slavery was coming to an end, the discovery of new cash crops and the development of advanced innovations spurred the growth of the implacable and unforgiving system of slavery. The eradication of humanity and reduction of slaves to the status of worthless beast continued. Copious individuals, unwilling to accept their faith and to be classified as a thing, contested their situation using different types of opposition that ranged from day to day resistance to large scaled and organized rebellion. In Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life, the author demonstrated the truth of being a human being who disinclined to be classified as an inferior subhuman as he used an assortment of methods to oppose the system he was born into. Slaves, helpless of being born or sold into the system, used various forms of resistance to combat their inhumane and unjust enslavement while holding on to the tiny seed of hope for an escape.

When hearing the word slavery, we immediately think of black people, who were sold wearing nothing but chains to forcibly work on farms; who were treated cruelly, whipped and beaten by their masters and anyone else who viewed them as property. We imagine groups of filthy slaves living in a tiny shack with barely any food or water. We picture people who will never see or taste what freedom is. However, not all slaves lived like this.

American’s who live in the 21st century know that slavery is terrible and also a touchy subject. But Americans used to rely heavily on slavery, how we perceive slavery in today’s society can either be the same or different from how others thought of slavery living within mid 1800s. People who resided in the northern region of American found slavery wrong as we do today. Americans who lived farther south however liked, and relied on slavery. In today’s world, we Americans almost all agree that slavery had been a negative factor of our country. But within the 1840s and 1870s, Americans had been divided by slavery. People that were against slavery created the union as the pro slavery citizens created the confederates. Today, we can see why people of the mid 19th century either supported slavery or rebelled against it by reviewing sources.

For many years our country struggled to abolish slavery, but finally succeeded. Many years have passed since the abolition, but now our country once again faces the threat of slavery.

The journal article, ‘The Revolt On The Slave Ship Creole: Popular resistance to slavery in post-emancipation Nassau’ was written by Edward Eden. Dr. Edward Eden is a professor of English at Hanover College, Indiana, U.S.A. This article was taken from the ‘Journal of the Bahamas Historical Society, October 2000,’ pages 13 through 20.’ As penned by the author the main purpose of this article is to familiarize its Bahamian readers with the revolt on the slave ship Creole in an effort to solicit sources of information that may have been missed or lost to get a better understanding “about cooperation among American and Bahamian blacks in resistance to slavery.”

This revolution as it is was a major element of change to the Caribbean economically and socially as well. With the introduction of sugar plantations there was chattel slavery and all its implications on Caribbean heritage and history. John F. Campbell (2010) in his study posited that Caribbean enslavement and its West African labour force was purely the result of economic necessity.