There has been countless tragedies to occur throughout history. Some of these man made, like the Atlantic slave trade, which occured from the 16th to the 19th century, and some nature made, like natural disaster. After reading four separate articles by people of different standings during the Atlantic slave trade, light was shed on who, or what should be held responsible for the tragedies that occured during these 300 years. I have found that not one person or group of people can be held responsible, but instead, the human norms, beliefs, values, and customs that were practiced at that time. This is so important in world history because naturally, humans want to place blame on specific people or a certain person, but more often than not, the reason why tragic events happen is due to the circumstances of the time, and the beliefs, values and customs the people held when the event occured. …show more content…
A document written by Olaudah Equiano, a victim of the slave trade, describes his experience in detail. He writes of his first encounter with slave traders, who ripped him out of his home at eleven and separated him from his sister, then was sold time and time again. He eventually ended up on the west coast of Africa, and was shipped to the Americas. This is only one of man tragic stories of people’s experience during the Atlantic slave trade. After reading this account, it is easy to blame the people who ripped the child from his home, but these people valued their business, and they wanted to make their
The slave trade was a controversial issue for many people and still is even today. However, many of the leaders of European countries at the time of the slave trade were considered Enlightened Despots due to their reforms set in place to actually help the people and the betterment of the country. Also most of the writing at this time was observing treatment of slaves and most of the people in the world had accepted Enlightenment ideals or traditional christian values wherein both, everyone deserved rights. This is why it can be inferred that during the 17th to 19th c. there was not an absence of humanitarian concern for slaves when it came to the slave trade, but instead it was individuals who lacked humanitarianism while the rest of the world
In the documents “Considering the Evidence: Voices from the Slave Trade” it shows how the Atlantic slave trade was an enormous enterprise and enormously significant in modern world history. In document 15.1 - The Journey to Slavery it talks about the voice of an individual victim of the slave trade known as Olaudah Equiano. Equiano was taken from his home and sold into the slave trade. He worked for three different families while in the slave trade but what is different about him is that he learned to read and write while being a slave. He traveled extensively as a seaman aboard one of his masters' ships, and was allowed to buy his freedom in 1766.
It is no secret that many Americans were held ransom by Native Americans, or that many African Americans were taken captive to be sold into the slave trade throughout the early American history. “Captivity narratives” are one of the main ways we learn today about the brave souls who overcame these hardships. A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavas Vassa, the African are two very popular “captivity narratives” in American literature. Even though there are clear differences between the two narratives, surprisingly there are also a lot of similarities. During this essay the similarities and differences of Mrs. Rowlandson’s and Olaudah Equiano’s
These actions truly display how during this time period if you were not in control those that held more power than you would exploit you in any way possible. This excerpt truly displays the evil greed of humans. Although this excerpt does a good job at describing the process it does not give the viewpoint or feelings of the slaves. Olaudah Equiano’s account of the Atlantic crossing gives a good insight into the confusion and horrors faced by the slaves. In his excerpt he describes his complete confusion and fear revolving around what is going to happen to him.
Due to the Atlantic Slave trade, exporting slaves increased across Southern Africa and Europe. The victims in slavery continued subjection to hard labor, abuse and profit exchange. The Portuguese were first responsible for exporting Muslims. These slavery practices disintegrated cultures, and relations. The Europeans bear responsibility for exporting slaves from Africa, while the Portuguese bears responsibility for African slave raiders.
The Atlantic slave trade was the biggest illegal immigration in world history,and is sometimes called the Holocaust of Enslavement because of how many innocent people were unjustly killed. The first step of this trade was the Europeans who would travel to the west coast of Africa. Once they arrived it was common that they would bribe tribes with goods and weapons, commonly guns, that were used into turning against their own and capturing their neighbors. Upon being taken against their will the enslaved were then shipped across the Atlantic ocean. During this 2-4 month period they were beaten, shoved into small barracks, and many died due to lack of sanitation.
The Atlantic Slave Trade is remembered as a dark and cruel point in history, in which African Americans were treated as animals by inhuman and cruel men. During this time period the ideal shared by many white men was that of white supremacy, meaning that people with white skin are naturally better than those with dark skin. They also believed that it was their worldly duty to care for people with black skin. However, the majority of these men did not care for those they viewed as their subordinates. These cruel men viewed the black race as inhuman, however, it was those who had white skin that were the real inhumans, they were beasts.
Following the period of Exploration, explorers discovered new lands rich with resources such as gold, silver, and other precious materials that needed to be mined, and crops that needed to be farmed. However, workers who could perform these tasks were scarce. The Native American population had been killed by disease and war, and the colonists weren’t often willing to do this labor. Fortunately for the European colonists, they had access for a convenient and inexpensive labor market via the means of African Slave Trade.
Such stories were regularly utilized as promulgation or propaganda: accordingly, Europeans frequently stereotyped Native Americans as merciless and whites started to see subjugation of African-Americans as detestable. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast the two narratives which are A Narrative of the Captivity and The interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equianoa. A Narrative of Captivity by Mary Rowlandson and The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano are two generally read imprisonment accounts , which, individually, relate the encounters of a grown-up white lady caught by Indians and an eleven-year-old Black male caught for the American slave market. Looking at these two accounts uncovers fascinating similitudes and contrasts and in addition in the encounters and responses of these two prisoners.
Although, back then was a completely different story. The Interesting Story of the life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano shows not only the struggles of being a newcomer in America, but also the difficulties he had to persevere coming over. Slaves were considered property, and not humans, so they often received harsh treatment which sometimes even were serious injuries or death. “While we forgot our misfortunes in the joy of being together, but even that small comfort was soon to have an end”, Olaudah says and he is one of the many slave siblings that were torn apart by the selling and buying of slaves (Jefferson 57). This had to be devastating for him and his sister because not only are they thousands of miles away from home and family, but they were also torn from the little family they had left.
The African Slave Trade is the harsh movement from Africa to the New World. This began after the fall of Songhai 1590 CE. There were several reasons why the slave trade began. Death of Native Americans led to more demand for slaves. Production of wood, fur, coffee, tobacco, and sugar became reasons European countries rose power.
In the early united states, each set of colonies had their own rules for slavery. Some were alike in ways. Others stood out from the crowd. In the North, Middle, and the South, slaves were still being sold. Even in the 1800s.
Today’s society understands the evil entangled with slavery, but America once routinely practiced it. Olaudah Equiano, an enslaved African who lived through the tragic and corrupt acts of the slave trade writes about his struggles in an autobiography. Equiano exposes the turpitude behind the bondage of blacks by employing the power of literary elements. He tells the appalling story of his life with rhetorical devices and persuasive techniques in order to promote a policy of equality and advance a movement of emancipation from slavery. Olaudah Equiano uses imagery, emotional appeal, and persuasive language in “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano” to show the reader the theme that society has no place for slavery and the
The detailed descriptions included in primary sources, along with the descriptive and emotional illustrations included in graphic history are crucial elements in studying and understanding the process and history of the transatlantic slave trade. Rafe Blaufarb and Liz Clarke tie both of these together to help readers truly understand this historic tragedy in the book, Inhuman Traffick: The International Struggle Against the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Although different than the standard book that may be used, that simply spews information out in an uncreative and somewhat boring way, this book is a tool that can be chosen in classrooms to teach different aspects of the slave trade. Working together, the primary sources and graphic history
Slave Trade of the Atlantic World Throughout the 16th and 19th centuries, slave trade had become one of the most crucial parts for changing the world. Everything during this period was reliant on the slave trade. Consequently, it ended being beneficial for Europeans and disastrous for Africans. Slavery had existed in Africa for centuries, and was generally not thought of as anything major.