The Passage Of Manufactured Pilgrims Rhetorical Analysis

Benjamin Garcia

Professor Moore

HIST 1301.

13 February 2018

Primary Document Analysis

Gottlieb Mittelberger, The Passage of Indentured Servants (1750)

Colonial life in America was very difficult for the hopeful settlers who came to escape poverty, persecution, and to gain religious freedom. Later came the adventurous explorers and those sent by European Nations to begin business ventures in this uncharted new land.

They eventually settled into the original 13 colonies now known at the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Georgia. This passage by Mittelberger “The Passage of Indentured Servants (1750)” describes

the life in the voyage hardships heading to Philadelphia.
When the ships landed in Philadelphia after the long voyage, no one was permitted to leave them except for those who paid for their passage or could give good security; the others, who couldn’t pay, had to remain on board the ships till they were purchased and were released from the ships by their purchasers.

Children from ages 1 to 7 rarely survived the voyage. Mittelberger witnessed misery in no less than 32 children in his ship, all of whom were thrown into the sea. The parents grieved all the more since their children found no resting-place in the earth, but were devoured by the monsters of the sea. Most of the people got sick, which was not surprising, because, in addition to to all other trials and hardships, warm food was only served three times a week, the rations being very poor and very little. The meals were difficult to eat, and often unclean. The water was served in such a horrific manner: was very black, thick, and full of worms, which meant one could not drink it without loathing, even if they were incredibly

thirsty.
The sale of human beings in the market on board the ship was carried out thus: Everyday Englishmen, Dutchmen, and High-German people came from the city of Philadelphia and other places.

The features of indentured servitude in Pennsylvania, like other colonies, underwent a series of transformations. For example, indentured servitude initially possessed a patriarchal character. Under the "head right" system, prospective proprietors could receive 50 acres (20 ha) for each "head" (servant/laborer) they brought over, with 50 acres (20 ha) being given to the servant once his/her indenture had expired. Most of the indentured servants that migrated to Pennsylvania at this time had some form of acquaintanceship with their masters. In turn, many of the contracts established between the masters and servants were oral and based upon certain "customs" of the home country. In addition, "immigrants in bondage" were "criminals" in England. This could mean a great many things. Many were non-conformists, had problems with the church, or had committed an offense as small as stealing a loaf of bread. In colonial and early-republican Pennsylvania, statutes governing the institution established both protections for and restrictions upon indentured servants. While masters could not wield unlimited authority over their servants, the latter was nevertheless subject to various constraints upon their freedom. In fact, indentured servants essentially bore the status of property. However, while these

details help in generally understanding indentured servitude, the various forms of the system need to be mentioned as well.
Oladuah Equiano, The Middle Passage
1. . The narrative then describes his journeys in North America and Europe. While he describes the abuse which he and the other slaves experienced, he writes about his journeys in a more sentimental tone. For instance, he observes that he became very fond of the English culture and prided himself about his ability to write and speak the language. By adopting some of the elements of travel narrative, Equiano portrays his curiosity about the world. The adoption also suggests that he was blessed with many opportunities, despite his position. Equiano describes his captors as men with horrible looks, red faces, and loose hair.
2. In the West Indies, he saw how women were raped, and how pregnant women were treated callously. Slaves were beaten for nonexistent reasons, never knowing when their overseer might take offense to their behavior. They were forced to build their huts on unhealthy land, and contracted diseases. Their property was taken from them. They could be sold at a moment's notice and thus be deprived of friends and family. They were kept in ignorance, and only exposed to vice and depravity; thus, their own minds and consciences were adversely molded by the slave system. What defines his work as much as anything is the detail he uses in depicting slavery.
3. Similarities between slaves and indentured slaves

-Obligated to serve a superior
-Both could be bought and sold
-Lacked proper food and clothing
-Poor housing
-Hard work
-Often died from servitude
-Punished for transgressions
-Could be hunted and punished for running away, whipped, or branded
-Could be separated from family
-The master determines the treatment of the servants
-Transported some distance from their homeland
J. Hector St. John Crèvecouer, “What is an American?” (1782)
1. The author imagines himself an Englishman who has come to settle in America (in 1783). Through the eyes of this English settler, the author describes what he would see upon coming to America and how different it would be from Europe. Unlike in Europe, America has a far smaller gap between rich and poor and titles, based on class and honor, (such as prince, duke or lord) are non-existent. For the most part the people living in America are farmers and live in comfortable but modest houses. It is clear from the author’s words that he thinks America is great place to live.
2. As immigrants from England, Scotland, France, Holland, Germany and Sweden pour into America, the country has become a melting pot of many different cultures. Struggling to make ends meet, people have come to America from their respective countries in Europe in search of a better opportunity and a new life where they might be able to be treated fairly and regarded as citizens under the law (unlike in their old countries).
3. America is the only place in the world where a person may have parents and grandparents all from different cultural backgrounds.