2. What were the significant differences between indentured servitude and slavery in the American colonies? What were the significant differences between the treatment of slaves and the treatment of immigrant laborers in the colonies? How were these differences reflective of race relations in the American colonies?
3. Slave owners in the Americas justified the practice of slavery by claiming that they were Christianizing and civilizing the African slaves. Was this a valid argument or a significant misrepresentation of African culture? explain.
4. What role did the Middle Passage play in breaking the spirits of African slaves shipped to colonies in the Americas? How were slaves dehumanized in the transportation and selling process?
5. How did a unified African American culture develop so early in American history, even as slaves came from many different parts of Africa, spoke many different languages, and had a variety of beliefs and practices?
Have fun :)
The Middle Passage played a massive role in breaking the spirits of African slaves shipped to colonies in the Americas. They were treated as objects and they were sold to work at the sugar plantations. They were also sent up to Rhode Island to make rum from molasses. Along the Atlantic coast they were being exchanged for goods and cash in South Carolina and Massachusetts. What was cold-blooded about the whole thing was that African Americans had no idea what was in stored for them.
ReplyDeleteAfricans were actually the ones to create the Middle Passage. The Africans were told by the white men that they were to work in the fields. It was pretty hard for them to believe that because they already knew that tending crops wasn't considered to be hard labor for them. They didn't know whether it was true or if they were just being lied to. They probably thought it meant they were getting killed when they get off the ship.
I was shocked to read that some thought that the Europeans were cannibals! The Africans were also branded with hot irons and restrained with shackles. When they were on the ship, they usually had less than five feet of headroom. There would be at least 300 to 400 people smashed into a ship. Disease was pretty much guaranteed for everyone on a slave ship.
They had been suffocating because there was barely any room to move. And if that isn't bad enough, the climate was hot! Air was a value on that boat. Some people preferred to die because of the horrible conditions. People were throwing up on each other, probably causing nauseating stenches among boat. I can't even imagine the heart one must have to survive such a trip!
Even suicide wasn't a choice for the Africans! From the captain's point of view, the Africans had to be kept alive and uninjured. A slave or tried to starve themselves were tortured, which is pretty much going against their own rules. And if the torturing didn't work, the slave was force fed. The mortality rates were pretty high, so I'm guessing that the captain wasn't doing too good of a job. So i guess you could say that the Middle Passage played a pretty major role in breaking the spirits of African slaves shipped to colonies in the Americas.
The portugeues was accoutable for the slave trade because they were the ones with the ships, the portugeues benefited the most because they were making money from the ships.
ReplyDeletehttp://kcastaneda061091.blogspot.com/2009/10/middle-passage.html
ReplyDeleteRESPONGING TO BLAYNE'S POST:
ReplyDeleteShamar Whitaker
Block-4
I really agree that the middle passage broke many spirits of the African slaves, because of the fact they were treated horrible. Also they where put in slave decks which were about "4" feet in height. Slave were cramped in the deck for months and they were sometimes thrown over board or they would die from sickness and diseases or even suffocate to death in the dark. I think it was harsh voyage for the Africans that was uncalled for. Even suicide wasn't a choice for the Africans. A slave or tried to starve themselves were tortured, which is pretty much going against their own rules. And if the torturing didn't work, the slave was force fed. They were treated as objects and they were sold to work at the sugar plantations. I think its just sad what the Africans were put through on the Middle Passage voyage, how would whites feel if they would treated how they treated the slaves.
Respnse to Blayne's Post
ReplyDeleteKeisha S. Block 4
I agree that the Middle Passage played a major role in breaking the spirits of the Africans. The way that they were treated was a way that broke them down and hurt these people and there souls the most. All of the conditions were harsh for them. People everywhere youi turn. It was not like they were on some type of luxury boat or something were they could walk and do what they wanted. These people were all together. People getting sick, starving and partically in hell on these boats.
"The Middle Passage refers to the forcible passage of African people from Africa to the New World, as part of the Atlantic slave trade. Ships departed Europe for African markets with commercial goods, which were in turn traded for kidnapped Africans who were transported across the Atlantic as slaves; the enslaved Africans were then sold or traded as commodities for raw materials,
ReplyDelete[1] which would be transported back to Europe to complete the "triangular trade". The term "Middle Passage" refers to that middle leg of the transatlantic trade triangle in which millions[2] of Africans were imprisoned, enslaved, and removed from their homelands."
Theirs no doubt that the middle Passage played a major role in breaking the spirits of the Africans. Package and shipped like animals was So degrading, diminish, and belittle thing ever! Slaves weren't human, animals they were treated lower than that. Being treated next to nothing; The Middle Passage made sure to break the spirits of the African. Putting my self in that same situation i would feel like I never even exist or want to live a day longer.
"Living condition?" Words couldn't describe the horrors of the boat. To name a few...
1.) There weren't any space
2.) 0% Hygiene control
3.) Lack-to-No nutrients
4.) no bathrooms
5.) Sickness and diseases
and many more.
As a African I think they over feeling is not feeling like their humans or animals, but only dirt.
Keisha smith said "People getting sick, starving and partically in hell on these boats.".
I agree with that phase because it;s very true.
The middle passage were created by and for Africans and were carried out by White Men. Africans suffer the Middle Passage so we can vauble things for us today.
Wow! I am really surprised to be informed that the Africans were not only treated badly, but were captured so they could be eaten as food. The slaves spirits were crushed from their mistreatment. Suicidal Africans must were very depressed that they could not die, and stressed they were forced to stay alive; and any attempt to harm themselves they were punished. I do not think no one would understand how they had felt. I agree that they were mentally, phsicallly, and emotionally crushed of their dignity.
ReplyDelete