Why Were African Americans Enslaved
“Why Were Africans Enslaved”
After reading both articles, I feel these two writers are arguing which side of the same coin is the, “right side”. Eric Williams argues that while the Irish European slaves, the native American Indian, and the Chinese laborer could be used in certain jobs a slave would have, that their bodies were unable to keep up with the needed labor of a cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantation. He states that it was the African slaves superior endurance, strength, and economic cost which led to Africans becoming the face of slavery in the new world and ultimately led to the prejudice against African Americans as a whole before and after slavery was abolished. Mr. Winthrop Jordan states that it was because of European distain
for the heathen Africans that they were chosen to become their slaves. Both Williams and Jordan have valid arguments. It’s plausible that both of them are right in certain instances. While some European and Muslim slave traders might see the financial benefits from importing slaves from Africa, another might see these Africans as deviants who needed to have their souls saved from eternal damnation and must be punished for their abnormal way of life. I believe both men to be right. Jordan’s argument disturbs me more meaning; I don’t understand the mindset of a European or Muslim who both have different color skin from one another, seeing an African and comparing his blackness to being wicked or like the devil. I do accept the idea that this could be the case. I believe Mr. Williams side of the argument to be more plausible. While people were skeptical of people who were and are different, there were also European slaves such as the Irish as well who were white Christians and were discriminated against well into the 19th century. I believe the financial aspect to be the main cause of African slavery and the eventual discrimination towards the black community.
After reading both articles, I feel these two writers are arguing which side of the same coin is the, “right side”. Eric Williams argues that while the Irish European slaves, the native American Indian, and the Chinese laborer could be used in certain jobs a slave would have, that their bodies were unable to keep up with the needed labor of a cotton, tobacco, and sugar plantation. He states that it was the African slaves superior endurance, strength, and economic cost which led to Africans becoming the face of slavery in the new world and ultimately led to the prejudice against African Americans as a whole before and after slavery was abolished. Mr. Winthrop Jordan states that it was because of European distain
for the heathen Africans that they were chosen to become their slaves. Both Williams and Jordan have valid arguments. It’s plausible that both of them are right in certain instances. While some European and Muslim slave traders might see the financial benefits from importing slaves from Africa, another might see these Africans as deviants who needed to have their souls saved from eternal damnation and must be punished for their abnormal way of life. I believe both men to be right. Jordan’s argument disturbs me more meaning; I don’t understand the mindset of a European or Muslim who both have different color skin from one another, seeing an African and comparing his blackness to being wicked or like the devil. I do accept the idea that this could be the case. I believe Mr. Williams side of the argument to be more plausible. While people were skeptical of people who were and are different, there were also European slaves such as the Irish as well who were white Christians and were discriminated against well into the 19th century. I believe the financial aspect to be the main cause of African slavery and the eventual discrimination towards the black community.