Colonial Slavery Dbq

The two documents describe Colonial slavery in two diverse ways, the "Reasons Why We Are Against the Traffic of Men-Body" gives way to moral issues. Giving rise to the opinion on a small German Quaker meeting. Versus one individual ideals of, Benjamin Franklin in the "Observation on Increase of Mankind" is effect on the economy and the integrity of the country. The anti-slavery movement evolved into riots from the African-Americans which was due to unfair treatment of the condition. Including the Caribbean and Indians rebellion. They had indentured servitude of the white men who then became unwilling services of Caribbean, Indians, and African-Americans.

The document in question is one of two. The first being Germantown Quaker Meeting, "Reasons

Why We Are Against the Traffic of Men-Body" (1688). The Quakers saw the difference between working indentured servitude and the forced work of the slaves. They agree that it was not a Christian and not decent because of the way they were forced without consent. Additionally, the fact the slave owners were splitting up families for the only reason of profit. They are against the selling and robbing against the people will either African-American or white people. The Quakers blame the lawlessness of the plantation heads committing adultery with the slaves. The issue of splitting up husband and wife of slaves, which is unchristian as well as wrong. If the slaves band up and battle the masters. The slaves would they rise against the masters. Buying and selling of a person was unlawful and ill-mannered d to do a decent Christian person, "The Lawfulness and Unlawfulness of Buying & Keeping of Negroes" was presented to the meeting which they decide it was too heavy to decide at the time. The Quakers were afraid they would be sold into slavery, but they defined their ideas, "But to bring men to hither, or to rob and sell them against their will, we stand against" (Ch 3 S3-8).. The group was afraid to deal with the issues that would arise. Thus, leading them to "…it being a thing of too great weight for this meeting to determine" (S3-9).. This gives the impression that the Germans were against slavery because they did not have it in Germany and were unaccustomed to it. They saw the immoral issue which is more emotional than the second document.
Excerpts from "Observations on the Increase of Mankind" (1751) by Benjamin Franklin, the second document in question.

Franklin thought that slavery was not cost effective for the economy of the America which was the first matter of business. The master would lose money if the slave died or was killed or became sick. The cost of just purchasing a slave was steep, "Slaves one with another cost £30 Sterling per Head" (S5-6). The cost of slaves has been just too costly for the state of the country. The cheaper option was to work for the money given, "...compare the whole Amount with the Wages of a Manufacturer of Iron or Wool in England, you will see that Labour is much Cheaper there than it ever can be by Negroes here" (S5-6). Financially, it was easier to just work for the companies that get a slave which had added the cost of life insurance and his clothing, food, and sickness pay as well as compensation for loss or neglect of time or business. Slavery undermines the integrity of the Colonies. "…the Slaves being work'd too hard, and ill fed, their Constitutions are broken, and the Death among them are most than the Births: so that a continual Supply needed for Africa" (S5-7). Franklin explained that the slave would take the place of their master which in turn made the master lazy. The master would if the slave was indentured would have him take his place for him instead of his son or himself. Or the indentured servant would leave the master in the middle of business to go tend to his

own.
Differences between the two documents, in the sense that "Observation of Increase of Mankind" is a perception of one individual and his ideas. Which he based in realistic facts and finances as well as the matter of fact state of the colonies and how they were flourishing and diminishing. While the "Reasons Why We Are Against the Traffic of Men-Body" document, the Quakers at an earlier time give an emotional account before the idea of independence for slaves was an inkling. The fact that the group decided that slavery was immoral as the group seems to give way to the antislavery movement because without the collective agreeing on this fact. While the Germans had an idea of where they stood. The English never seem to form any rationalization of the right and wrong of having enslavement which they would later develop a conscious in the American revolution. Not thinking about how slavery would affect the African population the women were brought where then built their own families. The impact on the families of slaves would be split up families as well as start rebellions to stop slavery.
Anti-slavery movement was its considerations being immoral and unchristian like as well as the finical unsound. The Colonies had started to think of the slaves as people not lesser. The rebellions started because the slaves had enough ill-treatment by the slave owners and the relocation and stolen lives of the slaves. The German Quaker group was afraid to confront the issue of slavery. Given way to why slavery was stopped immediately if they had. No one wanted to deal with the issue. They also thought their salves as lesser people. While Benjamin Franklin had an analytical view, which was based on facts and the economy, but he was a hypocrite being a slave owner himself.