Essay about African American Notes

Essay about African American Notes Essay about African American Notes Africans & African Americans The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Origins Slavery as a Racially-Based Economic System (Labor Force) -Native Americans Indentured Servants: DOESNT WORK unable to be racially identified West Africans TRANSATLANTIC Slave Trade West African to Americas (slaves labor force) Americas to Europe (raw materials) Europe to West Africa (finished goods guns & weapons) West Africa *Ghana, Mali, Songhay Empires, *Trans-Saharan Trade *Diversity: ethnicity & Religion Transatlantic slave trade *FORCED MIGRATION *5 MAJOR STEPS 12.5 MILLION PEOPLE March to the Coast Europeans set up forts on West African coasts Krumen: AFRICANS WHO AIDED IN THE CAPTURE AND TRANSPORT *Conditions- shackles, resistance, 25% dont make it Slave Fort *Wait for ships *Weeks to months *2 types of holding pens- Barracoon: conditions where exposure to sun, dehydration, food distribution Dungeon- conditions where no air, no sunlight, sanitation #3. Middle Passage 2 weeks to a month depending on the season The journey from the West African coast to the Caribbean Used canoes to get from coast to boat Packing- tight or loose - (give them room and not starve but less will perish only lose 10%) ALL ECONOMICS Conditions: disease (Dysentery- bad water, dehydration, loss of fluids), starvation (fed once a day and skips some people because there is not enough food), death (1 of 4), sharks, Atrophy (lose muscle mass from lack of use) *dances to prevent atrophy one hour/day Slave Auction Caribbean- prepare for sale: Man: greased up in pig fat to make muscles look strong, coal or ashes in hair to cover up grays, checked from head to toe Woman: make sure they have child bearing abilities. if not, sold at lower price and work in fields #5. Seasoning taken to a new home and meet three people *Master: the one who bought you *Overseer: supervise *Slave driver: usually black who has already lived on the plantation; middle man between new slaves -breaking-will *punishment: whippings, hot box, -new identity *given an english name *taught language Slavery in The United States Cotton Gin *1794 *Eli Whitney Louisiana Purchase *1803 3. Transatlantic Slave Trade ends†¨ *Illegal 1808 Interstate Slave trade *tobacco upper south: -maryland, tennessee, virginia lower south: -alabama, mississippi, louisiana, florida The Plantation - Statistics (by 1860) 5% of the white population owned slaves 3.95 million slaves = 12% of the population 86% of slaves lived and worked on a farm or plantation 11% were mulatto (mixed) *One Drop Rule: one drop of african blood= slave The plantation Gang LABOR V. TASK LABOR Gang Labor: cotton plantations in Deep South from sun-up to sun-down (most familiar) Task Labor: rice plantations in Low-Country (GA and SC) â€Å"Free Time† may leave after task is completed The plantation: Daily life -Work *field *domestic -Leisure *food *Worship *family -Brutality *slave codes *floggings (whippings) *rape Resistance Active v. Passive Active: running away, revolt, theft, poison, arson, breaking tools, suicide Passive: Slow down, fake illness, play dumb, â€Å"The SECtional CRISIS† *abolitionism: 2% of the North *Fugitive Slave Act of 1850- they would find slaves and turn them in for money *Kansas-Nebraska Act: Kansas would be slave and Nebraska would be free *Charles Sumner Incident: Mass. senator anti slavery talking about how slavery should be illegal. Preston Brooks was pissed about that and beat him with a cane *John Brown’s Raid -Harper’s Ferry Virginia: *Election of 1860- Abraham Lincoln; south secedes from USA; 11 states became Confederate States of America Abolitionism Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 Bleeding Kansas Charles Sumner Incident ohn Brown’s Raid Election of 1860 Secession Secession Crisis 1861 Civil War