AIA105 Assignment Two
AIA105 Assignment Two, Major Essay.
Hannah Browning-Briese
Q3. Was the experience of convicts transported to Australia one of slavery?
If we attempt to define slaves or slavery we would conjure up notions of force, control, physical and psychological punishments brought on by a person or persons of higher authority. They are looked at and labelled as humans that are not worthy to be at the level of which their “masters” contain, thus the capability to provide physical force, poor nutrition and physical health and to justify it. Associating this stereotype of slavery to that of the convicts transported to Australia between 1788 and 1850, we could find many similarities. The past lives each individual lead, whether it be as a slave or a convict, can initially be perceived as degrading and a slow progress of deterioration of the mind and body. Once researching and finding more on each of the topics I was able to gain a clearer understand of both, enabling great comparison and debate.
Upon reading “Freedom in the making: the slaves of hacienda La Esperanza, Manatı´, Puerto Rico, on the eve of abolition, 1868–76” I was given a better insight into what the slaves here endured. “In 1869 slaves comprised a minority of over 41,000 persons in Puerto Rico, or 7 per cent of the total population.” This specific set of events provided mental images and a more truthful look at the way they were forced to live their lives. These slaves were in the sugar cane fields of La Esperanza and were trying to fight for their freedom. Although they endured physical harm on a regular basis, they were able to report any cases of punishment they thought of as severe or clear cases of deprivation going unnoticed by authorities. “Some of these complaints revealed a harshness of punishment beyond the limits admitted by the law. Slaves complained of excessive punishment, too many working hours and night shifts, insufficient food or even clothes. The law forbade all types of punishment except
Hannah Browning-Briese
Q3. Was the experience of convicts transported to Australia one of slavery?
If we attempt to define slaves or slavery we would conjure up notions of force, control, physical and psychological punishments brought on by a person or persons of higher authority. They are looked at and labelled as humans that are not worthy to be at the level of which their “masters” contain, thus the capability to provide physical force, poor nutrition and physical health and to justify it. Associating this stereotype of slavery to that of the convicts transported to Australia between 1788 and 1850, we could find many similarities. The past lives each individual lead, whether it be as a slave or a convict, can initially be perceived as degrading and a slow progress of deterioration of the mind and body. Once researching and finding more on each of the topics I was able to gain a clearer understand of both, enabling great comparison and debate.
Upon reading “Freedom in the making: the slaves of hacienda La Esperanza, Manatı´, Puerto Rico, on the eve of abolition, 1868–76” I was given a better insight into what the slaves here endured. “In 1869 slaves comprised a minority of over 41,000 persons in Puerto Rico, or 7 per cent of the total population.” This specific set of events provided mental images and a more truthful look at the way they were forced to live their lives. These slaves were in the sugar cane fields of La Esperanza and were trying to fight for their freedom. Although they endured physical harm on a regular basis, they were able to report any cases of punishment they thought of as severe or clear cases of deprivation going unnoticed by authorities. “Some of these complaints revealed a harshness of punishment beyond the limits admitted by the law. Slaves complained of excessive punishment, too many working hours and night shifts, insufficient food or even clothes. The law forbade all types of punishment except