THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE

Ideology of Slavery As we saw earlier in class, there was a

feeling of inferiority of Africans by the Europeans The English had a negative meaning with

“blackness” and Africa Dark skin was a mark of inferiority English viewed Africans as heathans b/c they

weren’t Christians “Savagery” England was unsure of African

origins and if Africans were even human Human history has shown that people tend

to fear/hate things and people that they do not understand

The Triangular Trade

A system of trade was set up between Europe, Africa and the Americas in colonial times.

Crops and other resources from the Americas were sent to Europe and Africa

Finished goods in Europe were sent to the Americas

Labor/slaves came from Africa to Europe and the Americas

Let’s draw a map to illustrate this…

Collecting Slaves

The process of getting slaves from Africa to the Americas was called the Middle Passage

1. Capture: a business venture of selling people at first, but as demand for slaves increased, slaves were beginning to be kidnapped

2. The Long March: from interior of Africa to the west coast where they could board ships

Up to a 200 mile journey where most died on the way and a slave might have several owners on the journey

3. Arrival on the Coast: Here they were sold after they were inspected and examined.

Subject to branding once purchased to show who your owner was

Waited on ship until it was full If they didn’t get sold they would wait in a

barracoon. These were castles where slaves were stored in

dungeons or holding pens on the Western coast of Africa until ready to go to Americas. Horrible treatment, disease, and starvation

Most famous of Factories was at El Mina Castle, a Dutch slave factory that translates to “The Mine”

4. Journey to the Americas: 3-6 month journey by ship across the Atlantic.

Many Africans thought the whites were cannibals and might eat them. Suicide was very prevalent, so much so that the sailors were trained to stop them.

Conditions were unimaginable on board Torture and abuse were common Little to no food, disease and hygiene very bad Mortality very high (25-50% died on the journey) Packed very tight: trying to make the most $$$

Sick slaves sometimes thrown overboard, and an insurance policy was taken on slaves

Tight Packing

African Responses to slavery Depression was severe- imagine what it

must have been like to be captured for no reason and be shipped somewhere by strangers. 2/3 of deaths came from “melancholy”

Suicide was a way out of the unknown Revolts common, but rarely successful

Slaves were often separated from their families and ethnic tribes before they got on the ships.

Arrival in Americas

“The Scramble” Slaves are run off the ships and grabbed by traders negotiating for prices

Slaves also put on the Auction block to be sold to the highest bidder. Strong looking slaves usually went for more

money

The “Seasoning” Process

This was the way for masters to make sure slaves were well behaved.

It involved: Giving slaves a Christian name Having them learn European Languages Assigning them to a work gang

Some blacks were made to be drivers of work gangs 1st Gang: Best/strongest workers 2nd Gang: Women and older men that did lighter field

work 3rd Gang: mostly children carried food and water to 1st

& 2nd Domestic Workers Gangs Used because they worked long and harder in

groups

Slavery in the Early Colonies

Only law in British colonies was not to enslave Christians

1641- Massachusetts legalizes slavery Other states follow. Northern states making

money off it 1663- Virginia passes a law making slavery

matrilineal If the mother of a child was a slave, that child

was a slave Many slaves had children from their owners,

giving owners more slaves Slavery is being decided by and linked to

race…especially after Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon’s Rebellion 1676

Nathanial Bacon recruits people to help him defeat Native Americans that have land the Virginia settlers want. (Poor vs. Rich in Virginia)

Revolt against the colonial governor Rebellion was interracial as Africans also

fought Led to two major things:

Caused fear of interracial groups that were class-based

Led to idea of keeping blacks un-free without land so they didn’t have a common ground with poor white settlers

Laws in South set up to distinguish slavery and servitude

New Laws After Bacon’s

Status based on Race Sanctioned slavery for life Slave Status Matrilineal *Slaves become chattel- legal property

of owner These laws were reinforced by the Negro

Acts Laws denying these rights to previously

free blacks: Voting, testifying in court, owning property,

moving freely States outlawed free blacks in their territories These were enforced through extreme violence

Differences between Colonies The Northern and the Southern Colonies

both had slaves, but they differed by:1. Type of labor:

South had large scale plantations with labor-intensive agriculture.

North had more urban slavery (like working in a home or at a port)

2. Population: More in the South to use for the massive

plantations

Use of slaves and Crops

Northern Colonies: Ship building, slaves in cities working for families

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania: Agricultural, but not nearly as large as in South

Chesapeake: Tobacco Carolinas and Georgia: Rice

Rice was good to grow here in marshes, but it was Extremely hard work

African Culture during Slavery

Keeping their native cultures was a form of resistance

Sense of Community Community highly valued back in Africa, and

although they came from different African cultures, they used their similarities to form bonds

Spirituality- African beliefs stay for 50 years before Christianity became popular with slaves Believed that death was just a part of the circle of life Transmigration: Your soul would return to Africa if you

died This is one of the reasons suicide was so common Some would collect trinkets to prepare for the after life

More on Spirituality

Slaves that committed suicide were called “Flying Africans” because their souls were flying back to Africa away from the cruelty of their master

Funerals and burials were kept to African traditions Most funerals were at night, and some

feared that slaves might revolt, so they were later banned.

Cosmogram: “Circle of life”

Olaudah Equiano Questions

Give at least two examples of the conditions Olaudah encountered on his ship.

What was an option that Olaudah often thought about that would have been better than slavery?