Compare And Contrast The Treatment Of African American Slaves
Slaves of Same Race but Different Treatments
Harsh treatment towards slaves was a common practice in Africa and the New World. The treatment of slaves on ships was not as good as some ship owners’ including William Snelgrave described; In fact, primarily, African slaves faced harsh humiliation and fear of death on their journey to the New World. This essay will demonstrate the causes and forms of treatment experienced by the black slaves on and off ship during the colonial period. Although slave traders and owners thought slavery was acceptable, New World slavery was cruel.
In 17th century Africa, being the property of slave owners for debt and committed crimes was not a new concept. However, the trading of slaves overseas was new after Europeans including British and Portuguese introduced themselves to the Africa. Before stepping on the slave ship to the New World, African slaves though of white men as cruel people who were buying them to eat. Even though white men were cruel toward slaves, which will be discussed while talking about the experience of Olaudab Equiano on slave ship, they were …show more content…
A closer look at personal narrative of Olaudab Equiano reveals that the fear of being property of white men was more intense than serving for black slavers. Many African slaves thought that they were destined to eaten by white men. In fact, before sailing to the new World, Equiano asks his slaver whether he was not going to be eaten by those white men . Simply put, they thought of white men as brutal animal with horrible looks, red faces, and long hair. Holding such opinion about the white men does not mean that the black slaves were racist, but they were ignorant about white men and life in the New World. They were afraid of white men not just because of their savagely treatment towards other humans but also because of ignorance among black slaves about white men and their New
Harsh treatment towards slaves was a common practice in Africa and the New World. The treatment of slaves on ships was not as good as some ship owners’ including William Snelgrave described; In fact, primarily, African slaves faced harsh humiliation and fear of death on their journey to the New World. This essay will demonstrate the causes and forms of treatment experienced by the black slaves on and off ship during the colonial period. Although slave traders and owners thought slavery was acceptable, New World slavery was cruel.
In 17th century Africa, being the property of slave owners for debt and committed crimes was not a new concept. However, the trading of slaves overseas was new after Europeans including British and Portuguese introduced themselves to the Africa. Before stepping on the slave ship to the New World, African slaves though of white men as cruel people who were buying them to eat. Even though white men were cruel toward slaves, which will be discussed while talking about the experience of Olaudab Equiano on slave ship, they were …show more content…
A closer look at personal narrative of Olaudab Equiano reveals that the fear of being property of white men was more intense than serving for black slavers. Many African slaves thought that they were destined to eaten by white men. In fact, before sailing to the new World, Equiano asks his slaver whether he was not going to be eaten by those white men . Simply put, they thought of white men as brutal animal with horrible looks, red faces, and long hair. Holding such opinion about the white men does not mean that the black slaves were racist, but they were ignorant about white men and life in the New World. They were afraid of white men not just because of their savagely treatment towards other humans but also because of ignorance among black slaves about white men and their New