African-Americans And Slavery
Can you imagine what the feeling was like belonging to another human being as their property and being forced into working in the scorching, hot sun for hours at a time, without being awarded anything in return? This was the life of African-Americans that lived during the slavery era; belonging to another human being brought about many constrictions, disruptions, frustrations, and of course pain to African-Americans. Fortunately, African-Americans were able to fight through all oppression and make it out of slavery and because of their bravery we as African-Americans today are endowed to a more opportune lifestyle. Allow me to explain how African-Americans progressed through slavery to eventually freeing themselves and becoming the dominant
…show more content…
race that we are today.
African-Americans contributed greatly as far as economic and social development of the South and America.
Contrary to popular belief, there were “slaves” in the America’s far before the African slave trade began. These were indentured servants that were allowed the opportunity to buy their freedom after contracts from their masters ended. Most indentured servants died from overworking or disease before regaining their freedom. Those who were fortunate enough to survive could expect to leave their masters and seek their fortunes as free persons. Although indentured servitude was the most prevalent workforce, slavery soon took reigns due to many social changes. It all started with the Atlantic slave trade. During the European age of exploration, Portugal took the lead of the slave trade during the early 1400s when its ships reached Africa’s western coast. Portuguese voyagers first arrived at Senegambia, Benin, and Kongo where they found a thriving commerce in slaves. Europeans however, settled and exploited North and South America, and the Caribbean islands. They quickly enslaved American Indians as laborers and mines. Unfortunately for them, Native Americans died of European diseases or from overworking. Some also escaped beyond reach of European …show more content…
power.
Therefore, Europeans needed additional laborers, which led to the Atlantic slave trade as well as the enslavement of African-Americans. In West Africa, the slave trade was conducted by Sudanese horseman who, invaded the forest region to capture people who could not effectively resist. The Atlantic slave trade dealt mostly with women and children that served as domestic servants. Portugal and Spain dominated the Atlantic slave trade during the 16th century. They shipped about 2,000 Africans per year to their American colonies. The profits from the Atlantic slave trade helped fund the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century. In turn, Africa became a market for cheap, English manufactured goods. The slaves that were captured by Europeans, were transported in what they called slave ships. Slave ships varied in size but grew larger over the centuries as the demand for slaves increased. Larger ships were able to carry more slaves, as well as, reach the Caribbean in approximately 40 days, but some voyages could take up to 6 months.
Slaves had only about 20 to 25 inches of headroom and in addition to being so tightly packed together, the slave ship captains ordered male slaves to be chained together in pairs and moved away from women and children to help prevent rebellion. However, some Africans refused to accept their fate. They were more willing to face death than to accept bondage. In a rebellious manner, slaves would drown or even starve themselves to death. Slave ship captains used nets and tried to force slaves to eat to prevent suicide. Women were worth half of the price as men and therefore, captives took fewer women on board. Women could move more freely on slave ships which made them more vulnerable to sexual assault. The English had dominated the Atlantic slave trade since 1713 and eventually England’s economy became less dependent on the slave trade and the entire plantation system than it had been previously and was abolished by Britain in 1807. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 and the continuously growing need for cotton drastically increased the need for slavery in the United States. Though it was very unfortunate for African-Americans, Eli Whitney's cotton gin contributed greatly to industrialization, as well as, revolutionized the cotton industry in the South. Slavery became a little more intense because of the addition of different jobs. Enslaved black labor cleared forests and drained swamps to make these lands fit for cultivation. The enslaved men and women who worked in the cotton fields rose before dawn when the master or over-seer sounded the plantation bell or horn. They ate breakfast and then assembled in work gangs of 20 or 25 under the control of black slave drivers. Regardless of the season, the work was hard, and white overseers whipped those who seemed to be slacking. The slaves plowed and planted in the spring. They weeded with heavy hoes in the summer and harvested in the late fall.
The expansion of cotton led to the removal of the American Indians.
African Americans experienced suffering and oppression, but also developed means of coping with that oppression, resisting it, and escaping. Slaves would resist whenever possible, but the odds against slaves succeeding at a rebellion or escaping were so overwhelming that most slaves decided to resist through individual actions. The rebellious slaves broke tools used to perform certain jobs on the plantation as well as set building on fire. In addition, at times both the men and women slaves would fake being sick to gain relief from their harsh working conditions. Slaves also resisted the institution of slavery through the formation of their own culture and through their religious beliefs which kept hope alive in the face of persecution. Eventually, a northern black elite emerged in the early nineteenth century. You became a member of this elite through many aspects such as, talent, wealth, occupation, family connections, complexion, and education. The Black elite is what led into the development of many black institutions and culture in the struggle for racial justice. The elite gave rise to a black professional class including, physicians, lawyers, ministers, and entrepreneurs who served an entirely black clientele. African Americans who were well-off included skilled tradesmen, such as carpenters, barbers, waiters, and coachmen, who usually would find their employment among white people. As a result of
growing black populations and the emergence of the African-American elite, that had appeared during the revolutionary era in urban areas increased in strength, numbers, and variety. These institutions included mostly schools, mutual aid organizations, fraternities, insurance companies, banks, and churches. Around the same time this was going on, the Civil War had begun. The Emancipation Proclamation gave African-Americans the right to fight for their freedom which shifted the focus of the war from merely preserving the Union to also providing African-Americans with their freedom. The North won the war and with the ratification of the 13th amendment, slavery was finally abolished.
Slavery was a course in history where it was opportune for the colonists to use slavery as a labor force for the benefit of the economy. African-Americans were able to fight through all oppression and make it out of slavery because of their bravery, determination, and hope for a better life. What they went through for us to live the lives we do today will never be forgotten. So now I propose the question to you again, can you imagine what the feeling was like belonging to another human being as their property and being forced into working in the scorching, hot sun for hours at a time, without being awarded anything in return?
race that we are today.
African-Americans contributed greatly as far as economic and social development of the South and America.
Contrary to popular belief, there were “slaves” in the America’s far before the African slave trade began. These were indentured servants that were allowed the opportunity to buy their freedom after contracts from their masters ended. Most indentured servants died from overworking or disease before regaining their freedom. Those who were fortunate enough to survive could expect to leave their masters and seek their fortunes as free persons. Although indentured servitude was the most prevalent workforce, slavery soon took reigns due to many social changes. It all started with the Atlantic slave trade. During the European age of exploration, Portugal took the lead of the slave trade during the early 1400s when its ships reached Africa’s western coast. Portuguese voyagers first arrived at Senegambia, Benin, and Kongo where they found a thriving commerce in slaves. Europeans however, settled and exploited North and South America, and the Caribbean islands. They quickly enslaved American Indians as laborers and mines. Unfortunately for them, Native Americans died of European diseases or from overworking. Some also escaped beyond reach of European …show more content…
power.
Therefore, Europeans needed additional laborers, which led to the Atlantic slave trade as well as the enslavement of African-Americans. In West Africa, the slave trade was conducted by Sudanese horseman who, invaded the forest region to capture people who could not effectively resist. The Atlantic slave trade dealt mostly with women and children that served as domestic servants. Portugal and Spain dominated the Atlantic slave trade during the 16th century. They shipped about 2,000 Africans per year to their American colonies. The profits from the Atlantic slave trade helped fund the Industrial Revolution during the 18th century. In turn, Africa became a market for cheap, English manufactured goods. The slaves that were captured by Europeans, were transported in what they called slave ships. Slave ships varied in size but grew larger over the centuries as the demand for slaves increased. Larger ships were able to carry more slaves, as well as, reach the Caribbean in approximately 40 days, but some voyages could take up to 6 months.
Slaves had only about 20 to 25 inches of headroom and in addition to being so tightly packed together, the slave ship captains ordered male slaves to be chained together in pairs and moved away from women and children to help prevent rebellion. However, some Africans refused to accept their fate. They were more willing to face death than to accept bondage. In a rebellious manner, slaves would drown or even starve themselves to death. Slave ship captains used nets and tried to force slaves to eat to prevent suicide. Women were worth half of the price as men and therefore, captives took fewer women on board. Women could move more freely on slave ships which made them more vulnerable to sexual assault. The English had dominated the Atlantic slave trade since 1713 and eventually England’s economy became less dependent on the slave trade and the entire plantation system than it had been previously and was abolished by Britain in 1807. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 and the continuously growing need for cotton drastically increased the need for slavery in the United States. Though it was very unfortunate for African-Americans, Eli Whitney's cotton gin contributed greatly to industrialization, as well as, revolutionized the cotton industry in the South. Slavery became a little more intense because of the addition of different jobs. Enslaved black labor cleared forests and drained swamps to make these lands fit for cultivation. The enslaved men and women who worked in the cotton fields rose before dawn when the master or over-seer sounded the plantation bell or horn. They ate breakfast and then assembled in work gangs of 20 or 25 under the control of black slave drivers. Regardless of the season, the work was hard, and white overseers whipped those who seemed to be slacking. The slaves plowed and planted in the spring. They weeded with heavy hoes in the summer and harvested in the late fall.
The expansion of cotton led to the removal of the American Indians.
African Americans experienced suffering and oppression, but also developed means of coping with that oppression, resisting it, and escaping. Slaves would resist whenever possible, but the odds against slaves succeeding at a rebellion or escaping were so overwhelming that most slaves decided to resist through individual actions. The rebellious slaves broke tools used to perform certain jobs on the plantation as well as set building on fire. In addition, at times both the men and women slaves would fake being sick to gain relief from their harsh working conditions. Slaves also resisted the institution of slavery through the formation of their own culture and through their religious beliefs which kept hope alive in the face of persecution. Eventually, a northern black elite emerged in the early nineteenth century. You became a member of this elite through many aspects such as, talent, wealth, occupation, family connections, complexion, and education. The Black elite is what led into the development of many black institutions and culture in the struggle for racial justice. The elite gave rise to a black professional class including, physicians, lawyers, ministers, and entrepreneurs who served an entirely black clientele. African Americans who were well-off included skilled tradesmen, such as carpenters, barbers, waiters, and coachmen, who usually would find their employment among white people. As a result of
growing black populations and the emergence of the African-American elite, that had appeared during the revolutionary era in urban areas increased in strength, numbers, and variety. These institutions included mostly schools, mutual aid organizations, fraternities, insurance companies, banks, and churches. Around the same time this was going on, the Civil War had begun. The Emancipation Proclamation gave African-Americans the right to fight for their freedom which shifted the focus of the war from merely preserving the Union to also providing African-Americans with their freedom. The North won the war and with the ratification of the 13th amendment, slavery was finally abolished.
Slavery was a course in history where it was opportune for the colonists to use slavery as a labor force for the benefit of the economy. African-Americans were able to fight through all oppression and make it out of slavery because of their bravery, determination, and hope for a better life. What they went through for us to live the lives we do today will never be forgotten. So now I propose the question to you again, can you imagine what the feeling was like belonging to another human being as their property and being forced into working in the scorching, hot sun for hours at a time, without being awarded anything in return?