How was slavery organized in the ancient world?

Transcribed Image Text:Muslims drew their slaves from the lands immediately north and south of the Islamic world and in the early days of Islamic expansion both white and black slaves were common. It was only with the rise of European power in the 1600's that the sources of white slaves began to diminish, and slave status began to be associated with Africans and black skin in the Middle East. (Slaves in the Middle East tended to be domestic or military and with a few exceptions slavery never became as economically important in the Islamic world as it was later to become in the Christian Americas.) In a coffee-table book about this period, The Travels of Marco Polo, (1970), author C.A. Burland praises Polo as a "remarkable man" because during his travels in "strange lands among alien peoples" he made "few judgements on men and their outlandish customs." Burland betrays a poor understanding of Europe at the time. was travelling from an isolated, and by most standards, a backward Europe, to the centres of world civilization in the East. He reacted with Marco Polo amazement and wonder to the scientific, economic and military achievements of the advanced civilizations that greeted him. He was in no position to judge anyone as inferior. Although Polo continued to believe in his own religion as the true one, he had no notion of European superiority. All the material evidence pointed quite to the contrary. By the mid 1400s the Portuguese were attempting to break out of the Muslim encirclement by sailing south along the African coast. Hoping to encourage this activity, in 1455, the Pope authorized the enslavement and seizures of lands and property of "all Saracens and pagans whatsoever, and all other enemies of Christ wheresoever placed." (Fredrickson, 1981, p 8) The infidel peoples that the Portuguese found along the African co happened to be Black. But the Portuguese were far more interested in getting around Africa to India and China than they were in taking captives. At first, the trade in household slaves was not nearly as profitable as that in silks and spices. sts of course, With the Portuguese controlling shipping to the south, an ambitious young mariner with a dubious history managed to convince the Spanish that he could provide them with a direct route to the riches of the East by sailing west. This was not such an outlandish idea at ail since a cursory

Question

How was slavery organized in the ancient world? Muslims drew their slaves from the landsimmediately north and south of the Islamic worldand in the early days of Islamic expansion bothwhite and black slaves were common. It was onlywith the rise of European power in the 1600's thatthe sources of white slaves began to diminish, andslave status began to be associated with Africansand black skin in the Middle East. (Slaves in theMiddle East tended to be domestic or military andwith a few exceptions slavery never became aseconomically important in the Islamic world as it waslater to become in the Christian Americas.)In a coffee-table book about this period, TheTravels of Marco Polo, (1970), author C.A. Burlandpraises Polo as a &#34;remarkable man&#34; because duringhis travels in &#34;strange lands among alien peoples&#34;he made &#34;few judgements on men and theiroutlandish customs.&#34; Burland betrays a poorunderstanding of Europe at the time.was travelling from an isolated, and by moststandards, a backward Europe, to the centres ofworld civilization in the East. He reacted withMarco Poloamazement and wonder to the scientific, economicand military achievements of the advancedcivilizations that greeted him. He was in no positionto judge anyone as inferior. Although Polocontinued to believe in his own religion as the trueone, he had no notion of European superiority. Allthe material evidence pointed quite to the contrary.By the mid 1400s the Portuguese wereattempting to break out of the Muslim encirclementby sailing south along the African coast. Hoping toencourage this activity, in 1455, the Pope authorizedthe enslavement and seizures of lands and propertyof &#34;all Saracens and pagans whatsoever, and allother enemies of Christ wheresoever placed.&#34;(Fredrickson, 1981, p 8) The infidel peoples that thePortuguese found along the African cohappened to be Black. But the Portuguese were farmore interested in getting around Africa to India andChina than they were in taking captives. At first, thetrade in household slaves was not nearly asprofitable as that in silks and spices.sts of course,With the Portuguese controlling shipping tothe south, an ambitious young mariner with adubious history managed to convince the Spanishthat he could provide them with a direct route to theriches of the East by sailing west. This was not suchan outlandish idea at ail since a cursory

Accepted Answer

The abolitionist movement was a movement in the America against slavery, to end the practice of…