Slavery: A Topic of the Past, Present, and Future
Slavery has been a part of society since the beginning of human history. Civilization after civilization has conquered and enslaved the people of the native lands in which they then ruled. Slavery has been deeply ingrained within almost every culture, so it seems uncanny that no other instances of slavery have been studied more thoroughly and imparted to the rest of the world more fervently than that of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. This phenomenon, as mentioned, seems astonishing at first glance; however, after delving into the underlying issues, causes, and subsequent heinous acts committed during this period of time, its significance does not seem uncanny at all. The barbaric nature
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in which African slaves were treated during this time period is an extremely resounding reality throughout the rest of the world. The knowledge of this four hundred year span is crucial to modern society because there are several underlying causes to the workings of the world today that can be traced back to the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. Harnessing this knowledge can become difficult, however, because a large portion of the happenings during these years have been lost forever due to poor record keeping as well as destroyed records. Since the history of this event is incredibly vital to society today, anything that can be used as a source of educating the masses is to be admonished. While there are limited amounts of history available, two sources that are feasible are a primary source, Equiano’s Travels, an autobiography by Olaudah Equiano, and a secondary account, The Amistad, a movie that was made in 1997. While these two sources seem unlikely allies, they work together to present the reader/observer with factual material as well as the in depth emotions and hardships of the people involved in this horrid act. One main reason Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad can be considered credible sources of the history of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade is because of the factual information presented.
Olaudah Equiano, the author of Equiano’s Travels, was born to the Igbo people in what is now modern day Nigeria. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery at the age of eleven. He starts off his autobiography by describing the ways in which his people lived. For example, he mentions generalizations of his community, “We are almost a nation of dancers, musicians, and poets.” and he also gives specific details, “Thus every great event such as a triumphant return from battle or other cause of public rejoicing is celebrated in public dances, which are accompanied with songs and music suited to the occasion” (Equiano, My Early Life in Eboe). The book goes on to describe how Equiano was kidnapped from his home, “when all our people were gone … two men and a woman got over our walls … seized us both, … stopped our mouths and ran off with us”, taken to the coast, “… after I had been kidnapped I arrived at the sea coast,” and sold into slavery (Equiano, Kidnapped). There are very few Africans who were able to give a first hand account of their experience that then was published for the world to read. This is harrowing to think because only one voice was heard amongst the millions who suffered the same treatment in silence. While this primary source is fantastic for first-hand factual information …show more content…
about the African slave trade, a secondary source, the movie The Amistad presents historical events that can be verified through outside sources. The Amistad presents multiple facts that can be historically verified with evidence of the history of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. The Amistad was an actual slave ship that illegally transported slaves from Sierra Leone in 1839. The movie showed the poor treatment of the slaves and the fraudulent misconduct of the slave traders who were involved. The Amistad shed light on the history of this event and showed the influential role the abolitionists of America played in winning the multiple cases these Africans were a part of. This movie shows the historical facts of the case, such as how John Quincy Adams, former president at the time, spoke on behalf of the Africans before the Supreme Court of America. The movie is also directly connected with solid documentation of said Supreme Court case. The case is archived in the U.S. National Archives and is known as “The Amistad Case” (The Amistad Case). The Amistad matches many historical events and can assuredly be counted as a credible source of history of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. The detailed facts supporting the evidence behind both of these stories make them almost irrefutable. Both sources are supported by Joseph E. Inikori, “as the Portuguese demand grew, … bandits began to seize people within the kingdom” (Inikori). Inikori was referring to the Kongo kingdom in this instance; however, the message is still the same: Africans were forcibly taken from their homes to supply Europe, North America, and South America with the slave labor their economies demanded. The Amistad shows how Africans were given no justice in the United States, though they had done nothing wrong. Their trial was appealed several times after they were found innocent until finally the Supreme Court ruled that they were to be returned to their homeland of Africa. Even though this was a step in the right direction, the Africans were brutally treated while in America. So much so, that only 35 of the original Africans on La Tecadora at the beginning of the journey were still alive and able to return home (The Amistad Case). With these instances in mind, it is also important to remember that the Africans taken into slavery were not the only victims of the slave trade. According to Inikori, “because the slaves were procured largely through violence … the demographic effects went far beyond the numbers actually exported” (Inikori). The large numbers of slaves exported between the 1440s and 1860s dramatically decreased the indigenous populations, thus affecting labor and crop production. Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad shed light on many obscured facts of the history of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. They are crucial components to fully understand the extent to which the trans-Atlantic slave trade carried. While the facts are a huge component to fully understand the topic, the emotions and hardships sustained by the people involved are extremely important as well. Both Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad provide an in-depth look into the emotions and hardships endured by the victims of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade. These sources are useful in bringing the qualitative side of the story forward as well as the quantitative. No account of history is complete with simply the facts; the peoples’ story must be told as well, which is what Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad are able to provide. Equiano’s Travels, for instance, shows the emotion felt by people as they were ripped from their homelands and families.
Equiano recounted himself, “The next day proved a day of greater sorrow than I had yet experienced, for my sister and I were then separated while we lay clasped in each other’s arms…. She was torn from me and immediately carried away … I cried and grieved continually and for several days did not eat anything” (Equiano, Kidnapped). This shows a true account of the despair Equiano felt when he was torn from his sister. Most people get caught up in the numerical values of the trans-Atlantic African slave trade, such as money or the number of people involved. While still important, the real issue that should be expounded upon is the cruel treatment and horrid situations that the Africans who were involved were forced to take part in. This book delves into the deepest part of the human psyche and shows the true cruelty of humanity. Another example of these cruelties is the slave ships that took part in the African slave trade. These ships are brushed aside and nearly forgotten when thinking of the many horrific things associated with this topic. It was revolutionary to the world when Equiano gave his first hand experience aboard one of the infamous slave ships. He recounted the odious conditions in which the slaves were kept, “I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life…. I
became so sick and low that I was not able to eat… I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me.” He also touched on the inhumane treatment of the people on board as well, “I had never seen among my people such instances of brutal cruelty… now the white man in particular… flogged so unmercifully with a large rope near the foremast that he died in consequence of it; and they tossed him over the side as they would have done a brute” (Equiano, The Slave Ship). Another example of human cruelty displayed in this book was one account of the treatment of a slave, “I have seen a Negro beaten till some of his bones were broken for even letting a pot boil over” (Equiano, Masters and Slaves). As history shows, the treatment of slaves did not improve with the advancement of time. This occurrence happened in the late 1700s and the treatment of slaves, as shown in The Amistad, was no better in the 1840s. The Amistad also shows the atrocious treatment of Africans aboard slave ships as well. For example, the curators of The Amistad misjudged the amount of food needed to supply all people on board. Not having enough stock, they simply chained several people together and threw them overboard. This barbaric treatment actually occurred, with documentation to prove it. Not only from an economic standpoint, but from a psychological standpoint as well, the slave trade affected people greatly due to the fact that families were torn, never to be reunited. Kinship is such an imperative feature within African society, to have members of the kinship clan torn from the fabric of their existence had more impact than any other part of the slave trade ten fold. Both Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad show the deep-seated emotional distress caused to everyone involved in the trans-Atlantic African slave trade, as well as the struggles endured by the people involved. The trans-Atlantic African slave trade is an event in human history that cannot be ignored. It is paramount to know and utilize the factual information presented, such as the number of people involved in this trade, and to understand the drive behind the cruel treatment of innocent people. Both Equiano’s Travels and The Amistad give insight to the quantitative and qualitative factors that affected this horrendous practice. These two sources document real events that have been verified by accurate, outside sources. Knowing the impacts that this trade had on people in the past and realizing how it affected them as time continued is crucial to accurately predicting how it will affect society in the future. Preserving an accurate account of history is to ensure it will be passed on to the next generation. The knowledge of the atrocities that occurred throughout the trans-Atlantic African slave trade have been and will continue to be a focal point of study throughout the world for numerous generations to come.
Both, “The Interesting Narrative Life of Olaudah Equiano” and “Amistad” are important stories about slavery in pre-civil war america because they both address the issues of slavery. These gentlemen in the story made a difference in the slave trade. In “The life of Olaudah Equiano”, Olaudah was sold on a slave ship that came to the Barbados. Olaudah worked for his freedom, and in the end became efficient in American language. He worked his way to the free life and in the end it worked out for him, although it leaves scars on his soul. In “Amistad”, Cinque is a slave that leads a revolt on a slave ship after escaping. When they get to america, Baldwin, a lawyer that is representing the slave and the former president Adams helps free the slaves.
The origin tale of the African American population in the American soil reveals a narrative of a diasporic faction that endeavored brutal sufferings to attain fundamental human rights. Captured and forcefully transported in unbearable conditions over the Atlantic Ocean to the New World, a staggering number of Africans were destined to barbaric slavery as a result of the increasing demand of labor in Brazil and the Caribbean. African slaves endured abominable conditions, merged various cultures to construct a blended society that pillared them through the physical and psychological hardships, and hungered for their freedom and recognition.
Equiano was the youngest of his brothers who enjoyed playing outside throwing javelins enjoying the normal life of a small child. At the beginning of the day, the elders would leave their children at home while they went out into the fields to work. While they were gone, some of the children would get together to play but always took precautions of potential kidnappers. Even with all these precautions, people were still seized from their homes and taken away. Equiano was home one day with his little sister tending to the everyday household needs when out of nowhere they were captured by a couple men who had gotten over the walls. They had no time to resist or scream for help before they found themselves bound, gagged, and being taken away. Equiano had no idea where these people were taking him and they didn’t stop once until nightfall where they stayed until dawn. He tells us about how they traveled for many days and nights not having any clue where they were going or when they would get there. Slaves traveled by land and by sea, but Equiano’s journey was by sea. He tells us how he was carried aboard and immediately chained to other African Americans that were already on the ship. Once the ship halted on land, Equiano along with many other slaves were sent to the merchant’s yard where they would be herded together and bought by the
One of the major questions asked about the slave trade is ‘how could so Europeans enslave so many millions of Africans?” Many documents exist and show historians what the slave trade was like. We use these stories to piece together what it must have been to be a slave or a slaver. John Barbot told the story of the slave trade from the perspective of a slaver in his “A Description of the Coasts of North and South Guinea.” Barbot describes the life of African slaves before they entered the slave trade.
The novel The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano exists as an extremely important work in the abolitionist movement in England. As an 18th century narrative written by a former black slave, the novel provides a glimpse into the lives of the African slaves involved in the slave trade as well as the slave traders themselves. Even with the controversy over the authenticity of Equiano’s claims on his origin in Africa and his subsequent voyage through the Middle Passage, this novel serves as a powerfully instructive piece of literature. Throughout the novel, Equiano strives to impress upon the reader a certain set of moral standards or ideals that he desires to instruct the reader about. One such moral ideal that is prevalent throughout the entirety of the novel is Equiano’s construction of the idea of the value and worth of the African slaves, as opposed to the view of the African slaves as simply commodities or objects to be purchased and traded.
The fight for racial equality is one of the most prominent issues Americans have faced throughout history and even today; as the idea that enslaving individuals is unethical emerged, many great and innovative authors began writing about the issues that enslaved people had to face. Olaudah Equiano was no exception. In his work The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, he attempts to persuade his readers that the American way of slavery is brutal, inhumane, and unscrupulous. Equiano manages to do this by minimizing the apparent differences between himself and his primarily white audience, mentioning the cruelties that he and many other slaves had to face, and the advantages of treating your slaves correctly.
Equiano finally gains his liberty and begins to develop his character as he converts his religion and becomes a faithful man. Equiano immerses himself and is allowed to blend into Western society. Works Cited Equiano, Olaudah. [1789] 1987. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African.
Olaudah Equiano in his Interesting Narrative is taken from his African home and thrown into a Western world completely foreign to him. Equiano is a slave for a total of ten years and endeavors to take on certain traits and customs of Western thinking. He takes great pains to improve himself, learn religion, and adopt Western mercantilism. However, Equiano holds on to a great deal of his African heritage. Throughout the narrative, the author keeps his African innocence and purity of intent; two qualities he finds sorely lacking in the Europeans. This compromise leaves him in a volatile middle ground between his adapted West and his native Africa. Olaudah Equiano takes on Western ideals while keeping several of his African values; this makes him a man associated with two cultures but a member of neither.
In comparison to other slaves that are discussed over time, Olaudah Equiano truly does lead an ‘interesting’ life. While his time as a slave was very poor, there are certainly other slaves that he mentions that received far more damaging treatment than he did. In turn, this inspires him to fight for the abolishment of slavery. By pointing out both negative and positive events that occurred, the treatment he received from all of his masters, the impact that religion had on his life and how abolishing slavery could benefit the future of everyone as a whole, Equiano develops a compelling argument that does help aid the battle against slavery. For Olaudah Equiano’s life journey, he expressed an array of cruelties that came with living the life of an African slave; which demonstrates all of the suffering that he endured, then proving how much it can change one’s point of view in life.
Slavery was a practice throughout the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, and through slavery, African-American slaves helped build the economic foundation of which America stands upon today, but this development only occurred with the sacrifice of the blood, sweat, and tears from the slaves that had been pushed into exhaustion by the slave masters. A narrative noting a lifetime of this history was the book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African written by Olaudah Equiano. Equiano was a prominent African involved in the British movement for the abolition of the slave trade. He was captured and enslaved as a child in his home town of Essaka in what is now known as south eastern Nigeria, later he was shipped to the West Indies, he then moved to England, and eventually purchased his freedom (Equiano). Olaudah Equiano, with many other millions of slaves, faced many hardships and was treated with inconceivable injustices by white slave masters and because of the severity of these cruel and barbarous occurrences, history will never forget these events.
When one thinks of slavery, they may consider chains holding captives, beaten into submission, and forced to work indefinitely for no money. The other thing that often comes to mind? Stereotypical African slaves, shipped to America in the seventeenth century. The kind of slavery that was outlawed by the 18th amendment, nearly a century and a half ago. As author of Modern Slavery: The Secret World of 27 Million People, Kevin Bales, states, the stereotypes surrounding slavery often confuse and blur the reality of slavery. Although slavery surely consists of physical chains, beatings, and forced labor, there is much more depth to the issue, making slavery much more complex today than ever before.
Rediker, Marcus. The Slave Ship A Human History. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print.
Olaudah Equiano was not an American born slave. He was born and raised well into his childhood in Africa with his family. His slave narrative, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustav Vassa, the African, published in New York in 1791 however, had a lasting impact on America as it described the inhumane treatment of Africans being sold into slavery (Baym 1: 687). Equiano’s initial concept of freedom stemmed from his childhood of which he speaks very fondly, describing his homeland as a “nation of dancers, musicians and poets,” a...
In, conclusion the experiences of Equiano’s servitude in Africa differed from his experience in England. The African slave trade primarily was based upon providing jobs to families or punishment to real criminals. Many times the cruel example of being kidnapped from your village and forced into this way of life was also prevalent. This narrative contains the terrifying events of a young a child being held captive. The sources we have of the truth from this period of time are limited and hard to obtain. Servitude still exists to today in many parts of Africa and will remain a common part of their
"The Life of Olaudah Equiano” is a captivating story in which Equiano, the author, reflects on his life from becoming a slave to a freeman during the 19th century. Through his experiences and writing, Equiano paints a vivid picture of the atrocities and cruelties of European slavery. Ultimately through his narrative, Equiano intends to persuade his audience, the British government, to abolish the Atlantic slave trade as well as alert them of the harsh treatment of slaves. He successfully accomplishes his goal by subtly making arguments through the use of character, action, and setting.