As an international student, I knew nothing about Jackie Robinson and the history of integration before examining the course materials and watching the film. Therefore, reading “Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete,” written by William C. Roden, was a completely new experience. It was advantageous to become aware of this person’s significance to the United States and the resolution of the racial issue in sports in particular. Also, the presence of numerous sources of different kinds, such as movies and books, allowed for comparing the presented information about Jackie Robinson, which was interesting from the perspective of other people’s attitudes to the matter.
It is clear that there is a similarity between the narrative of Disney’s “42” and the facts, which are generally known to the public concerning this story, as I can see from others’ feedback. However, because this information is new to me, I can only rely on my classmates’ opinions in considering the common elements in these areas. They claim that the resemblance is definite, whereas the differences are insignificant since this piece accurately depicts the actual events. Hence, I tend to agree with them, and the book’s chapters are evidence of this stance.
In turn, the comparison of Rhoden’s writings with the film shows that the former adds more details to the story and, consequently, to the context of the described events. Thus, for example, the problematic integration of black athletes was multi-faceted as it included various aspects, such as the perception of interdependence by African Americans (Rhoden). In the chapter, it was written that this concept was crucial for their achievements in the field, whereas the people who intended to join the white leagues were deprived of this assistance (Rhoden). Thus, Rhoden’s work changes the story by showing the psychological underpinning of this process.
Works Cited
42. Directed by Brian Helgeland, performance by Chadwick Boseman, Legendary Pictures, 2013.
Rhoden, William C. Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete. Crown Publishers, 2006.
Slavery is one of the grossest forms of violation of fundamental human rights. Nevertheless, the stage with slavery takes place in the history of humankind, and the United States is no exception. Enslaved people were treated with things, that is, they could be bought, sold, donated, or forced to do any, even the most inhuman work. Although slavery violated absolutely all human rights, it still brought the United States significant revenues and made the American economy one of the most prosperous in the world.
The primary source of income from slave labor was agriculture, and in particular, plantations where cotton, rice, sugar cane, and tobacco were grown. For the plantations to function well, the planters needed cheap labor, which they could only get from enslaved people (Hammond et al. 2020). At the same time, people were kept in inhumane conditions that further lowered costs and contributed to an increase in the income of planters. Because many enslaved people from Africa created families, the birth rate began to rise, and as a result, whole auctions of enslaved people were made, at which people were examined, sold, and bought like cattle.
Tobacco was recognized as one of the main cultivated crops, leading to this product’s significant export. From 1622 to the end of 1639, tobacco leaf exports changed from 60,000 to 1.5 million (Hammond et al. 2020). Nevertheless, tobacco was not a reliable source of income, as its quantity was influenced by many factors, such as price instability, frequently changing weather conditions, and soil quality. Gradually, slave labor shifted from tobacco cultivation to cotton cultivation. Working with cotton was laborious and complex, as enslaved people worked under the scorching sun, processing cotton with their hands and sometimes were deprived of drink, food, and rest. Enslaved people processed an incredible amount of cotton, and eventually, it became one of the primary commodities for export and brought significant revenues to the US economy.
Slavery played a significant role not only in the economic prosperity of America as a whole but also in the fact that small planters could earn good incomes. Those who did not hire workers did not have such payments and hoped that someday they would be able to hire enslaved people for their plantations. The presence of enslaved people also replenished the state treasury at the expense of tax fees that were paid for each enslaved person by the enslaver (Forest 2020). In addition, enslaved people were used as collateral in all types of transactions. Banks provided loans for the expansion of farms and plantations, as well as for the purchase of newly enslaved people for work. That is, the presence of enslaved people played a significant role in the formation of the entire financial well-being of the country.
In conclusion, the consequences of the enslaved people’s journey to the United States were the economic success of the country and the development of its financial well-being. The acquisition of enslaved people brought significant benefits to the state, but still, it was a violation of human rights and was sincere over time. People were forced to work for a long time, not to have free access to water and food, only to benefit the planter who bought them. Inhumane treatment of living people and the most challenging work were the keys to the success of the wealthy and small farmers, but a terrible life for the enslaved people.
References
Forest, Jeff. Williams’ Gang: A Notorious Slave Trader and his Cargo of Black Convicts. Cambridge University Press.
Hammond, Janice, Massey, Kamau, and Garza, Mayra. 2020. African American Inequality in the United States. Harvard Business School.
It is a common knowledge that the end to the slavery was put only at the end of the nineteenth century. Before this some people were forced to put up with the fact that somebody was more powerful and thus had a right to be not only in charge of them but to do with them everything possible. Of course, there existed certain law of slavery but it protected the slaves very rarely and did not give them a clear right to stand up against their masters. The relations between the slaves and their masters could never be harmonious and a lot of resentments could be easily noticed on the part of slaves who thought that even their least existing rights were neglected. Some of the slaveholders were more favorable whereas the others were cruel and severe. Certain complexity of relations between slaves and their masters could be observed and there were several reasons for that.
Main body
What should be mentioned above all is that some friction between slaves and slaveholders emerged mostly due to the asymmetry of interaction between them. There is no secret that the goal of most of the slaveholders was to use their slaves to the maximum degree possible in order to have more work done and, as a result, more money gained. This is typical for people who possess certain powers as together with the ability to exercise control and to rule somebody or something the person gets the desire to show to the others how much use of this power he can make. So, while the slaveholders were concerned with exploiting their slaves as much as possible, the slaves were interested in how not to get too much exploited and to minimize their burden which was difficult as it was. No one wanted to be exploited and no one wanted to do the work which he or she considered too difficult but the word of the master was the law and the violation of this law led to the punishment. The one who made orders had an absolute right to punish the one who refused to obey. From this it follows that slaves and their masters had different purposes in their lives. Moreover, they had different destinations, and when each of them tried to fulfill the destined function and to make the fulfillment of it easier, this inevitably led to a conflict and to a certain struggle between those who ruled and those who had to obey: “What masters and slaves do is struggle: sometimes noisily, more often quietly; sometimes violently, more often surreptitiously; infrequently with arms, always with the weapons of the mind and soul” (Orlando Paterson, 207). Sometimes there could be no evident reasons for this struggle but the only idea that slaves and their masters were uneven would cause the struggle between them. The asymmetry in their society functions and striving for better could not help but complicated the relations between slaves and their masters.
What’s more, the fact that slaveholders and their slaves were interdependent added even more complexity to their relations. It is well-known that the slaveholders were dependent on their slaves, especially on the male slaves who were used for hard work which could not be done without them. Strange as it may seem but dependence of the slaveholders on their slaves did not make the former treat their slaves better at least because they were in need of them. On the contrary, namely the idea of this dependency complicated their relations. Slaves, on their part, depended on their masters mostly due to the fact that there was nothing else they could do in their lives but serving and executing somebody else’s orders. They got used to it and most of them considered their masters the people who provided them with all the necessary things they might not have if they were not their masters’ slaves. This can be seen from the relations of Frederick Douglass and his master. Frederick Douglass was a slave who resented being a subordinate as once being a slave he experienced violence on the part of his master: “My home at my old master’s was charmless to me; it was not home, but a prison to me…” (Frederick Douglass, p. 135). Nevertheless, he stated that most of the slaves knowing that they were greatly dependent on their masters loved and respected them as most of them thought that their life with this or that slaveholder was not the most terrible one: “However, slaves are like other people and imbibe similar prejudices. They are apt to think their condition better than that of others. Many, under the influence of this prejudice, think their own masters are better than the masters of other slaves; and this, too, in some cases, when the very reverse is true” (Frederick Douglass, p. 118). Some of people preferred staying where they were as they did not know what would happen with them if they become free. Therefore, this interdependency between slaves and their masters contributed to the complication of relations between them mostly because the slaveholders could not appease with the idea that they could depend on their slaves.
And finally, unfair treatment with the slaves is what made the relations between them and their masters even more intolerable. No matter how hard the masters tried to make their slaves respect them, most of the latter bore nothing but hatred and contempt in their hearts which could not but result in numerous conflicts. The one who is subdued, humiliated and made to obey will never be able to love and respect the one who made him suffer and who restricts his liberty. Love and respect can never be bought or ordered to have; they are supposed to be earned. Solomon Northup is a vivid example of such an unfair treatment with the slaves. He was born free but later turned into a slave. He openly hated and despised his master: “He was my master entitled by law to my flesh and blood, and to exercise over me such tyrannical control as his mean nature prompted; but there was no law that could prevent my looking upon him with intense contempt” (Solomon Northup, David Wilson, p.109). Solomon Northup, as compared to what the slaves were allowed to do, could be a hero for other slaves of those times. He stood up against his master and even attacked him for he, being convinced that he is right, refused to be punished for what he did not do: “I felt, moreover, that I had been faithful – that I was guilty of no wrong, and deserved commendation rather then punishment” (Solomon Northup, David Wilson, p. 110). The complexity of relation namely between Solomon Northup and his master lied in the fact that Solomon was born free whereas people who were born slaves were able to resent very rarely as consent and faithfulness to their masters were in their blood. Disobedience of a slave is what none of the slaveholders would stand this is why no matter how much Solomon regretted his attack on the master he was seriously punished for that and hatred and contempt to his master became only stronger in his heart. Thus, it can be noted that mutual disrespect and injustice on the part of the slaveholders is what contributed greatly to already complicated relations between slaves and their masters.
All in all, the complicated relations between slaveholders and their slaves have a lot of explanations. People who experience inequality are unlikely to put up with this fact but they would never rebel if being unequal with their masters they are treated right. Namely the behavior of the masters and their desire to show their power is what made their relations with the slaves so unfriendly and what caused numerous rebels at the end of the nineteenth century. Thus it can be concluded that inequality and interdependence between slaveholders and their slaves as well as injustice on the part of slaveholders was what made the relationship between them complicated. The fact that not all the masters, as well as slaves, were the same also cannot be denied though no matter how good the relations between some of the slaveholders and their slaves might have been, slavery is nothing but restriction of the rights of people who did not deserve it.
Works Cited
Frederick Douglass. My Bondage and My Freedom… Miller, Orton & co., 1857.
Solomon Northup, David Wilson. Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, a Citizen of New-York, Kidnapped in Washington City in 1841, and Rescued in 1853, from a Cotton Plantation Near the Red River, in Louisiana. Miller, Orton & Mulligan, 1855.
Orlando Patterson. Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study. Harvard University Press, 1982.
The institution of slavery that existed in the United States during the 18th and 19th centuries brought great changes to the American culture. The colonialists imported slaves from Africa and used them in their agricultural plantations. Since slavery was a political, social, and economic issue, it gained significant attention among the writers.
Many great writers tried to present the issue of slavery in literature by creating different fictional stories. The fictional stories portray experiences that slaves underwent in their struggle to overcome slavery and become heroic fugitives. Since slavery was common in both the South and North, slaves struggled to escape to Canada using different routes.
While some travelled on foot, others navigated their way using a ship. Great literary writers in the 18th and 19th centuries dwelled on the issue of slavery as they tried to depict the experiences of slaves in a comprehensive manner. In this view, the essay examines literary portraits of escaping slaves depicted as heroic fugitives by comparing the portraits of Harriet Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs.
The Experiences of Slaves
The slaves went through traumatic experiences when they were under the control of their masters. The experiences compelled slaves to seek ways of escaping and attaining freedom. Since many slaves tried to escape, most of them did not manage to survive because their masters were ready to torture or kill them whenever they caught them. In this view, escaping was a heroic act, as many fugitives who dared to escape did not survive.
In her fictional book, Harriet Stowe portrays the experiences that slaves went through and refers to them as the lowest, vilest, and filthiest form of human nature. According to Stowe, slavery shows us “human nature in its lowest debasement, the slave degraded, and his owner degrading himself” (2). In her depiction, Harriet Stowe illustrates how slave masters degrade humanity in the manner they treat slaves who are under their care. Hence, slaves experienced a great ordeal, which made them to become heroic fugitives.
Like Harriet Stowe, Fredrick Douglass is another literary writer who depicts the experiences that slaves underwent during the period of slavery in the United States. Fredrick Douglass concurs with Harriet Stowe that the institution of slavery degrades humanity. Douglass asserts that slaves lived an aimless and worthless life in that their deaths during escape were better than their lives in slavery (6). This implies that the nature of suffering that slaves endured was appalling and dreadful to humanity.
Owing to such experiences, slaves decided to devise ways of escaping. To attain freedom, slaves helped one another. In some instances, they fought their masters, hid in bushes, escaped in the darkness, battled with hunting dogs, sustained gunshots, died during the escape, and eventually managed to escape as heroic slaves. While most died during the escape, those who managed to escape became heroic fugitives because they were able to overcome their powerful masters.
Unlike Harriet Stowe and Frederick Douglass who wrote fictional stories about the slavery experiences, Harriet Jacobs presents her own experiences as she worked for twenty-seven years in slavery conditions. Harriet Jacobs refers to slavery as dark, deep, and foul form of persecution and the abomination that slaves endured. In explanation of her life as a slave girl, Harriet Jacobs highlights traumatic experiences that she experienced under the hands of her master.
According to Jacobs, her life was an ordeal one because she saw her parents die in slavery when she was barely six years old, experienced sexual abuse, got married in slavery, became disabled, and ran away (150). Harriet Jacobs endured the horrendous acts because she was a young girl who was unable to defend herself. Eventually, Harriet Jacobs portrays the life of a heroic girl who managed to survive the awful experiences of slavery.
Portraits of Escaping Slaves and Heroic Fugitives
Harriet Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs portray heroic slaves in their literary works who manage to escape from slavery to safe places in search of freedom. Harriet Stowe uses Uncle Tom as character to portray the struggles underwent by slaves. Uncle Tom is a black man who lives in slavery conditions with his family.
His master dictates what to do with his children and wife, and thus he has no authority over his family (Ammons 11). When he overhears that the master is planning to sell his children to other masters, Uncle Tom decides to escape with his family. On the day of the escape, Uncle Tom makes his wife escape with his son and they manage to survive cold night, avoid hunting dogs, and eventually reach Canada, a safe haven.
On the other hand, Simon Legree, a slave owner, buys Uncle Tom and uses him in his plantation as other slaves. However, when Simon Legree commands Uncle Tom to whip his colleagues in the plantation, he refuses. As he loves fellows more than himself, Uncle Tom plans the escape of Cassy and Emmline, and agrees to die for their sake (Stowe 354). Therefore, the escape of Cassy and Emmline makes Uncle Tom a heroic slave who gives his life for the sake of freedom of fellow slaves.
Comparatively, Frederick Douglas portrays a fictional character, Madison Washington, a cook, who rescues fellow slaves. In the book, Frederick Douglass portrays how Madison Washington manages to rescue 19 slaves and make them attain freedom.
Madison Washington endures slavery to the point where he decides to escape to Canada in search of freedom. Since his friendly master enables him to escape alone from slavery, leaving his family behind, Madison Washington starts missing his family when he arrives in Canada. As he comes home to sneak his family, the master notes them escaping, and thus kills his wife. The master then sells Madison Washington to traders who took him to the South.
On the ship, Madison Washington meets other nineteen slaves and plans their escape. Madison Washington leads a rebellion on the ship, takes control of the ship, and thus sets nineteen slaves who are on board free. In this view, Washington becomes a heroic slave as he manages to rescue nineteen slaves.
As Harriet Stow and Frederick Douglass portrays the heroic acts of their fictional characters, Harriet Jacobs portrays her own experiences, which depict her as a heroine and fugitive slave who manages to escape slavery and attain freedom despite all odds. Linda (Harriet Jacobs) is born and grows in a slavery conditions and experiences many hardships, which range from child abuse to human sufferings in adulthood (Lyons 5).
Since her parents die when she is six, she relies on mistress as her mother. In the hands of her mistress, Linda grows while enduring slavery experiences in her life and in the lives of other slaves. Given that the master (Dr. Flint) compels her to engage in sex, Linda decides to date a neighbor (Mr. Sands), who eventually impregnates her and makes her give birth to two children (Jacobs 207). Hence, by outwitting her master, Linda becomes a heroine for she has the power to determine the father of her children and secures their posterity.
When Linda falls out with his master, she plans to escape with her children to prevent his master from avenging on them. Fortunately, a slave trader who happens to be a friend to Mr. Sands arrives and requests Dr. Flint to sell him the two children, which he consents (Jacobs 24).
However, Mr. Sands takes the children and brings them up under slavery conditions, and thus annoys Linda. To rescue her children, Linda plans to escape into New York City where she finds a caring family, which accepts her kids. Ultimately, Linda becomes a heroine because she manages not only to secure her freedom, but also the freedom of her children.
Family and Christianity
Harriet Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs also portray escaping slaves as people who have great responsibilities in serving their masters and their families. Harriet Stowe portrays Uncle Tom as a man with a wife and children, which means he has a great responsibility of providing their needs.
When his master wants to sell his son, Uncle Tom decides to escape with his family. Although his wife manages to escape, Uncle Tom dies after rescuing his colleagues from slavery. Comparatively, Frederick Douglas portrays Madison Washington as a man who loves his family very much. Although he manages to escape into Canada, the love for his family prompts him to come back home and rescue his wife and children from slavery.
Likewise, Linda is a girl who fights slavery throughout her life. At the tender age, Linda is wise enough to choose the father of her kids, as she prefers Mr. Sands to his master, Dr. Flint. When the children grew up, Dr. Flint decides to sell them to another owner, but Linda is smart enough because she asks a friend to their father to buy them. Eventually, Linda manages to save her children from the bondage of slavery, which portrays her as a loving and caring mother.
Harriet Stowe portrays Uncle Tom as a Christian who believes in God. In his Christian belief, Uncle Tom is determined that God is there to see him through the tribulations that he undergoes during slavery. As Uncle Tom struggles to attain freedom, he hopes that God is guiding him safely (Stowe 382).
Hence, his faith in God sustains him to overcome numerous challenges. Frederick Douglass portrays Madison Washington as a man who also believes in God because he encourages his fellow slaves to trust in God. Madison Washington attributes his successful escape with friends to the plan of God. Similarly, Harriet Jacobs portrays Linda as a woman who fears God in all what she does and believes.
Conclusion
Slavery was a social, political, and economic issue that the Americans grappled with during the 18th and 19th centuries. Literary writers such as Harriet Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs wrote books, which portray escaping slaves as heroic fugitives who looked for freedom using all means.
The writers present experiences of slaves, describes their heroic activities, and their convictions. Overall, the literary works portray slaves as heroic fugitives who did not only battle for their own freedom, but also freedom of their families and fellows.
Works Cited
Ammons, Elizabeth. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin: A Casebook. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
Douglass, Frederick. The Heroic Slave: A Thrilling Narrative of the Adventures of Madison Washington, in Pursuit of Liberty. New York: Wildside Press, 2012. Print.
Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Harvard University, 1861. Print.
Lyons, Mary. Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs. New York: Simon Pulse, 2007. Print.
Stowe, Harriet. Uncle Tom’s Cabin. London: John Cassel, 1852. Print.
Spartacus was a Thracian warrior who lived between 109-71 BC. It is believed that Spartacus was born in Thrace. However, the exact date and place is not known. In addition, there is little information with regards to his childhood and early life. A lot of literature has been presented taking into account this issue.
However, this information normally contains a lot of contradicting facts. Due to this, there is no specific source that can be relied upon to present the early life of the hero. However, it is believed that Spartacus joined the Roman army. It is there that he received his early training in combat. Despite the service that he gave to the Roman army, Spartacus was condemned into slavery.
He was bought and trained as a Gladiator in Capua where he planned an escape that eventually led to an uprising against the Roman government. This is because he instigated the most famous rebellion of slaves in history. It is speculated that this rebellion comprised of over 100,000 slaves who were fighting for their freedom and recognition in the society. Most of them fought to death since they did not have much to live for.
This uprising was known as the Third Sevile War that lasted for several years. It is in the course of fighting these wars that it is believed that Spartacus lost his life[1]. The main aim of this essay is to have an insight of the life of Spartacus and the impacts that he had on history. Therefore, it will focus on his origin, history, his impacts on history and analyze how he managed to change or shape history. Therefore, this essay will account for the life of this hero and his achievements.
Origin and History of Spartacus
Most of the information that is written about Spartacus state that he was a Thracian. It was one of the ancient tribes of Rome during the early civilization. However, as it has been stated earlier, the exact place and date of birth of Spartacus are not identified. Plutarch states that Spartacus was a Thracian nomad. His main occupation was vending his domestic animals. To ensure that his animal had enough to feed on, Spartacus and his other tribesmen moved from one place to another in search of food and pasture[2].
On the other hand, Appian has a different account with regards to the early life of Spartacus. Appian states that Spartacus was a Thracian by birth. However, he joined the Roman army where he received a rigorous training in combat. However, as a result of unknown circumstances, he became a prisoner of the Roman government.
This led to his subsequent sale as a gladiator. He, therefore, had to fight for his life as a form of entertainment in front of huge crowds in Rome. Gladiator fights became one of the greatest sports in Rome during that period. People were fascinated with the great skills that these gladiators presented. In addition, they loved the degree of roughness and bloodshed that came as a result.
After being sold as a gladiator, Spartacus joined the School of Gladiators that was situated at Capua. This school belonged to Lentulus Batiatus[3]. Batiatus also owned all the slaves that were in his ludus (school). Through training, these slaves represented him in the gladiator wars that occurred frequently in the area. The gladiators fought as if making a career. This implies that they were paid for their services.
However, from the literature that was written about Spartacus, it is believed that Batiatus had promised his gladiators that if they saved a certain amount of their money, he would guarantee them their freedom. It is due to this fact, most of these gladiators made this kindof sport their business of life. However, this was just a hoax since Batiatus did not have any intension to set free any of his slaves.
Once the gladiators discovered that they would be never set free, a group of them plotted an escape from the ludus. Spartacus was among this group of men who wanted to gain their freedom back. There were, however, those slaves whodid not support that idea. It is also said that some of them were loyal to their master, Batiatus, and thus they would not escape regardless of the situation.
Once the plan was in place, Spartacus and other slaves seized kitchen implements and tools which they used to fight against the guards at the ludus. Due to their might and power, they were able to defeat the guards. It was a coincidence that during their escape, they managed to intercept a wagon that was transporting military tools and equipment.
These weapons made them stronger and more dangerous to their opponents which they faced during their flight. On getting the news of their escape, the Roman government sent a group of soldiers to stop them. All these groups were defeated by this group of slaves. The slaves managed to take over small towns and regions that surrounded Capua. Here, they freed other slaves who joined their army. After someperiod, they moved and settled down in a strategic region on Vesuvius.
By this time, they were a lot of them. To ensure that they had an effective and efficient organization, these slaves adopted a form of military organization. They were led by Spartacus and two other Gaul gladiators, Crixus and Oenomus[4]. However, there are authors who believe that this group of slaves comprised of a homogenous group of slaves with Spartacus being their ultimate leaders.
Importance of Spartacus and the Historical Impacts That He Had
The revolt of the slaves that was led by Spartacus was not considered as an issue of imminent threat by the Roman authority. As a result, they did not see the matter as a great problem. There are some scholars who say that the Roman government looked at the revolt as at the matter of policy[5].
They did not view the issue as a war or a threat to the peace and security of the empire. As a result, the Romans sent trained militia to control this uprising. They decided to use the militia because they thought the slaves did not pose much threat to the empire. In addition, the legions were engaged in other wars that Rome had. These wars were aimed at improving their external territory and influence over other states.
During that time, one group of the legions was engaged in fighting against a revolt that was taking place in Spain. Another group of the legions was taking part in the Third Mithridatic War. This, therefore, left the nation vulnerable for legions to fight the slave uprising in Capua. In addition, the legions were used only to fight in external wars not internal revolts.
Thus,a militia group led by praetor Gaius Claudius Glaber[6].was sent to suppress the rebellion This group comprised of men who had received minimal combat training. They also did not have enough experience in using weapons and tools of war. Their main strategy was to seal the only road at the base of Vesuvius that led to its peak.
The main aim of this strategy was to protect the inner circles of Capua and its environs from Spartacus and his followers. With the militia protecting this entry, it was believed that the slaves would die from starvation. The slaves would also have no access to military supplies. Those who would not want to endure the pain, suffering of hunger and lack of basic amenities would beoffered to surrender to authority. From a theoretical approach, this strategy seemed to be brilliant.
On realising this, Spartacus ordered his crew to cut the vines that were growing at the apex of the mountain. With the experience that they had on using crude weapons and crafting, the slaves were able to make ladders and ropes with the help of these vines. At dusk, they slowly descended the volcano of the mountain using the ropes and ladders that they had made and crept into the unfortified Roman camp.
Within a few minutes, they succeeded to capture and kill the Roman guards that Glaber had put on watch. They waged their attack against another militia in the camp. The slaves managed to capture and kill most of them. In addition, they were able to seize their weapons and armour as well as their food and medical supplies.
When Rome heard about this, the senate sent two new troops of militia that were under the command of praetor Publius Varinius. The main aim of this second expedition was to bring the slaves into justice following their actions. However, the Romans did not have an idea of the strengths and capabilities of the gladiators. After their victory, many other slaves and shepherds within the plains had joined them. Their numbers had drastically increased as a result.
The authors considered their number torange between 40,000 to 50,000 at that time[7]. With this force, the militia that was under the command of praetor Publius Varinius stood no chance. The gladiators viciously attacked them and almost captured the praetor who was defenceless when his lieutenants had been killed. Thepraetor managed, however,to escape, that is why he was not captured.
These victories showed that Spartacus was not only a gifted warrior but a true leader. He was able to command and control his men. Due to his skills and tactics, those gladiators were always victorious. This, in turn, made many shepherds and slaves to join the army. Within months, it is speculated that the number of the gladiators had reached 100,000 men.
Their main aim was to bring an end to the reign of Romans on their lands. On the other hand, the Romans took the revolts of the insurgents as a serious issue. However, every attack that they planned on them failed. This was because they did not have a good understanding of the terrain where the insurgents were based at. In addition, the adverse weather conditions coupled with attacks of epidemics and diseases reduced their chances of being victorious.
These defeats made the Roman senate to take the uprising seriously. To respond to the attacks that were raised by Spartacus and his gladiators, the Roman authorities deployed a pair of legions to fight and defeat the slaves.
The legions were under the command of Lucius Gellius Publicola and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus[8]. The attacks of the legions were initially successful. With the training and skills that they had, they managed to attack and take over a group of slaves who were under the leadership of Crixus.
This group of slaves included about 30,000 gladiators. They were defeated by the legions during the war that took place near Mount Garganus. They victory was, however, short lived since the troop that was under the command of Spartacus was able to overpower the legions. In the process, they managed to free their fellow slaves.
The results of this encounter proved the might of Spartacus and his men. In addition, this brought a lot of tension on the Roman Senate. With no options, Marcus Licinius Crassus who was the richest man in Rome at that time was given the duty to control all the Roman legionnaires.
He assembled an army that comprised of six different troops. These troops went on ahead to attack Spartacus and his crew who had moved to the southern part of the country. It is believed that Spartacus wanted to escape to Sicily.
It is in the course of these wars that it is believed that Spartacus died. Crassus was capable of bringing an end to the Third Sevile War that had brought about a lot of instability in Rome. Despite his defeat, Spartacus left a huge mark in history. The initiation of the Third Sevile War and the consequent victories of the gladiators under his command is the main impact that Spartacus had in history.
Impacts of Spartacus on World History
As stated earlier, the main mark that Spartacus left in history is the liberation of slaves. This was depicted by his efforts of organizing an escape of the gladiators from the ludus of Batiatus. In addition, he was leading an army of slaves during the Third Sevile War that gave the Roman government a huge resistance. It is through these actions that Spartacus managed to influence the mentality and attitudes of many individuals over the years.
In Haiti, there was a slave rebellion that lasted between 1791 and 1804. This rebellion was led by Henry Christopher. It was named Black Spartacus. These slaves fought for their freedom. In the course of their actions, Spartacus and his gladiators were their main mentors. Karl Marx, one of the greatest philosophers of all the times listed Spartacus as one of his mentors.
Spartacus has also found a lot of application in arts. He has been presented in literature, films and music. For example, in 1960, a film named Spartacus was released. It focused on the life of Spartacus and the war encounters that he had with the Romans. In 2010, a TV series named Spartacus: Blood and Sand was released. In sports, there are many teams that are named Spartacus. These teams use the name of the hero as a symbol of their might in the various games that they are involved in.
Conclusion
Although the origin of Spartacus is still not well known, he played a crucial role in the liberation of many slaves from captivity. Through the wars in which his gladiators were engaged and fought against the Romans and the victories that they had, Spartacus managed to influence many individuals over time.
Due to his story, people realise that they can fight for their lives and freedoms regardless of their status or position in the society. The actions of Spartacus couldbe, therefore, used as an early evidence of the fight for equality and freedom of man.
Bibliography
Burns, Israel et al. “The Roman Empire.”Ancient History 19 (1998):173–202.
Crisp, Bob et al.”Heroes and their Impacts.”Research Journal 1 (2000): 4-21.
Gray, Muir. The Gladiators of Sparta. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1997.
Shaw, Campbellet al. “Spartacus.”British Journal of History49 (1999): 967-970.
Quinn, Simon. “Protecting human subjects: Rebellion and Revolts.”World Historical Journal 94 (2004): 918–922.
Footnotes
Israel Burns and others, The Roman Empire. Ancient History 19 (1998):173–202.
Israel Burns and others, The Roman Empire. Ancient History 19 (1998):173–202.
Campbell Shaw and others, Spartacus. British Journal of History49 (1999): 967-970.
Campbell Shaw and others, Spartacus. British Journal of History49 (1999): 967-970.
Crisp Bob and others, Heroes and their Impacts. Research Journal 1 (2000): 4-21.
Quinn Simon, Protecting human subjects: Rebellion and Revolts. World Historical Journal 94 (2004): 918–922.
Muir Gray, The Gladiators of Sparta. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1997) 54.
Muir Gray, The Gladiators of Sparta. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1997) 54.
Slavery in America dates back to more than two hundred years before the birth of the republic of United States. Slavery as a trade and a practice did not begin and take place overnight; it was a progressive happening or phenomenon, which expanded over many years.
Despite slaves having been at the heart of America as a country’s birth and development, it is surprising that the contribution made by slaves in the colonial America has been left out of many history books. Selective writing has denied those who took part in the struggle of laying the foundation for current America their rightful place in history. This research paper explores the contribution of slaves in colonial America.
Slaves in Colonial America
It is widely believed that only black people of African origin were enslaved. However, there were also quite a number of white slaves in colonial America. Vickers (535), notes that “though limited, there were Britons, Germans, Scots and Irish slaves in colonial America. Most of these white slaves had been shipped and subjected to slavery in colonies, as punishment by the local administrators in the countries of origin. Colonial masters owned slaves; however, in some parts, some Native Americans and free blacks also owned slaves”.
Vickers (345) notes that “slavery was most intensive in the southern part of America. The south had more slaves because the region had fertile soil for growing high-valued cash crops for export, such as rice, tobacco cotton and sugar”.
Initially, black slaves were referred to as indentured servants, which gave them a comparable lawful position equal to most deprived Englishmen who traded a number of years of labor for means of access to America. However, even when having the status of indentured servant, Roberts (281), notes that “the term Slave was used as a practical word in job regulation and politics”
Contribution of Slavery in Colonial America
Contribution in Agriculture
The contribution of slaves, those of African origin, is always reduced, in many documentaries and writings, as merely unskilled farming field hands and household servants. However, critical reading through history reveals that slaves were more than just field hands and household servants. Slaves contributed to Colonial America with their agricultural knowledge and inventions.
As Engerman (335)explains, “within the Southern Colony of South Carolina, Africans brought with them their exceptional skill of rice cultivation as they had long time expertise in growing rice back in Africa. They therefore shared these skills with their masters and as a result, rice production that had never been experienced before was witnessed” .Engerman (328) notes that initially, “slaves in the colonial America were subjected to all manner of work, which included working in cotton, sugar and tobacco plantations”.
Engerman (331), however, points out that this is not all that slaves contributed in the colonial America. Overtime, most of the African American slaves were immensely involved in almost every day-to-day economic activity of the times. This free involvement led to numerous inventions by slaves such as the invention of spinning machines, which largely contributed toward the development of modern cultivation machines that were used in many colonial American plantations.
The economic contribution of slaves in the colonial America can be discussed in connection with the various economic activities that the slaves were subjected to. Working in the plantation was the earliest and common economic activity that is documented in history books.
The utmost contribution by slavery in the southern parts of America was in flourishing the plantations thus leading to booming export trade. Desiring more surpluses from agricultural exports, there was high demand for labor. Consequently, as argued by Sale(78),”the colonialist had to bring in more slaves in order to enhance their cash crop production, which was the sure way to eminence”.
Salem (90) further notes that “the export business was going so well the colonists were able to afford two imports which would greatly contribute to their productivity and quality of life. 20 Blacks from Africa and 90 women from England. The Africans were paid for in food; each woman cost 120 pounds of tobacco. The Blacks were bought as indentured servants from a passing Dutch ship low on food, and the women were supplied by a private English company”.
The achievement of tobacco plantations led to legalization of African slavery in Virginia as well as in Maryland; consequently, facilitating the southern Agriculture based economic prominence. In these southern agricultural estates, Nobleman (6), notes that “majority of slaves were field hands, picking cotton, as well harvesting rice, tobacco, wheat and many other crops that were grown in the plantations”.
Nobleman (7) elaborates that “in small plantations slaves were given different roles, with children and the elderly being subjected to household chores, while the energetic youths and the rest of the slaves served as meadow hands”. In some occurrence, Nobleman (6) observes that “the slaves were forced to draw the plow or where there was no plow they would have to dig the soil without one”.
In addition, Nobleman (7) points out that in other parts of America such as Texas, “slaves not only worked in the field, but also worked as carpenters, huntsman, as chefs and as brick masons”. In as much as enslavement was such tragic, the author argues that, it was the hard work and efforts of the slaves that made plantations successful ventures, and provided the economic backbone of Texas as it is known today.
Contribution of Urban Slaves
There was however a slight difference among the slaves that worked in the plantations and those that lived in the urban setups of the colonial America. In most cases, Morgan (88) observes that “the urban slaves had few more privileges compared to their counterparts who worked in the rural plantations.
Some of these privileges were reflected in the fact that the urban residing slaves had more opportunities of earning money, which eventually enabled them to buy their freedom”. Many of the African-American slaves that resided in the urban setup, according to were either domestic or maritime workers.
Most of the female slaves in the urban centers’ were involved in a number of occupations; most of them were cooks, while some of them served as laundresses. Their male counterparts on the other side were involved in giving coachmen services, gardening or worked as shopkeepers.
Even though the urban residing slaves had a better lifestyle given they enjoyed more freedom of movement and were usually decently dressed, Morgan (93) notes that “most of them lived in roof space within the cooking place, or in the laundry area”. The author also points out that “the urban slave contributed a great deal in helping their rural based counterparts through contributing their resources to antislavery organizations, as well as hiding escaping slaves from the plantations”.
A key economic contribution by the urban slaves, in colonial America, was registered in the maritime industry. In this industry, most of the slaves served as dockworkers. They were involved in the back-breaking work of loading and unloading vessels that engaged in business transactions within the US harbors, and many other places the world over. Slaves worked hard in docks in all of the big cities bordering water bodies i.e. seas and oceans.
In absence of these slaves, it would have been extremely hard or even unfeasible to pack and take down, as well as move goods within the borders of the United States in particular, and to the rest of the world in general (Grigg 84). As Griggs (89) further points out, “the slaves’ contribution in the maritime industry was not limited to that of porters. There were many of them who were trained and did skilled work just like the white workers”.
Cultural Contribution of Slaves
There was immense cultural contribution by the slaves in colonial America. Griggs (102) point out that “these comprised, most outstandingly, imaginative and musical creations, academic outputs, and specific spiritual practices”. It is worth noting that even though the slaves were shipped to America against their will, this did not mean that they left their culture back in Africa. As expected, they brought it (their culture) to their new abode.
Though no one can deny that the experience the black slaves passed through was pathetic and inhuman, the persecution did not stop their deep-rooted culture from taking effect, and eventually largely influencing the American culture. In particular, Middleton (300) remarks that “the African culture greatly assisted in the development of America’s own music, arts and clad”.
Middleton further reiterates that it is comprehensible that given Africans were lashed into compliance and obligated into lifetime forced manual labor; they would be, most of the times, offended and irritated. As a result, they came up with forms of expression that reflected their life and its hardships.
When it comes to songs, indigenous African composition consisted primarily of wind and cord melodies interposed by hand acclamation, xylophones, and playing of the drums beats. All these found expression in American music; making it distinct and life giving for many.
With regard to language, the slaves had their own dialects before they left Africa. As would have been anticipated, upon being dumped into an English speaking society, their language slowly started fading out. Nevertheless, through appropriating English as per their dialects a new form of American English was realized.
This form of English is still in existence today in the form of the black Americans’ colloquial speech (Thomas 35). Thomas (56) explains that “the Black English, as the altered English is commonly referred to, is still widely spoken in America by a big percentage of African-Americans”.
Though the African America slaves’ spiritual practices have undergone quite a considerable amount of transformation over time, the centre belief, vigor and values of African American traditions is still firm as highlighted in religious and gospel music. In the course of their day-by-day forced responsibilities, Slaves sung in relation to how God exercised control and had supremacy above everything.
Middleton (302) comments that “the African American slaves, believed that God had power over everything and consequently he could save them from oppression”. Equally important in African religions, are their departed ancestors.
Middleton (310) observes that, “majority of the slaves with Africa origin, highly believed that their ancestors could protect the living”.For this explanation, the African American slaves always threw a small quantity of food or drinks before they ate, to appease their dead family members, in return for protection against anything bad that may befall any member of the their family.
Moreover, Middleton (311) indicates that “in cases where the master did not give religious directives, as was often the case, the African slaves would assume the responsibility”.
Over the years, most of the slaves preferred the Baptist church as opposed to other denominations, because the Baptist were not strict with some rules thus they readily incorporated some of the African cultures that were hard for Africans to leave behind (Middleton 314).
The preference of Baptist resulted from the fact that the Baptist church did not accommodate any slave owner in their congregation and therefore, the slaves were relieved some unnecessary discomfort of worshiping in the same place with their masters.
Political Contribution by Slaves
The contribution of slaves and mostly those of African heritage in the American Revolution marks the greatest sacrifice, which though often disregarded, led to the birth of today’s United States of America, which is a great nation, internationally known for its democracy, wealth, and diversity.
The American Revolution was both a blessing to some and at the same time a curse to different parties that took part in it. To the Native Americans, Grigg (86), observes” that the revolution presented an opportunity to fight for liberty from the British colonialist”. On the other hand, most of African Americans saw the revolutionary war as an opportunity to fight for liberty.
Grigg (93) comments that “the responsibility of the black slaves in the American Revolution can be comprehended by capturing the fact that loyalty was not to a location or a person, but to an approach or philosophy”. Despite the consequences of where the devotion of the African American rested, they gave an input that was not officially recognized, but which was instrumental towards realization of United States of America.
During the period of American civil disobedience, the African American soldiers served both in the continental armed forces as well as in the British army. The condition of the free blacks in pre-independent America was one of vagueness, one flanked by servitude and some freedom. Lanning (205) observes that “the African American slave were faced with unusual permitted, economic and societal limitations”.
Like Grigg, Lanning (204) argues that the “most important motivating factor behind the African American slave’s participation in either the patriot or the British Army was freedom”. Apart from their believe in freedom, Lanning (209) argues that “slaves also joined the forces out of the spirit of exploration or in order to benefit from the monetary gain that was pledged to those who joined the forces”.
Similarly, Lanning (212) points out “both the Americans and the Eglish used the promise of liberty to lure Africans to fight in their ranks”. In the war itself, Green & Pole (335), notes that “despite some level of discomfort on the part of slave owners, there are a number of blacks, who were used to pilot the war ships while others were entrusted with managing ammunition”.
After the end of the revolution war, and declaration of American independence in 1776, the Africa American loyalists who had given support to the British army in the war, were repositioned to New York, while others were shipped to London.
However, most of them if not all, sooner than later became conscious of the fact that though they had been guaranteed freedom after the war, life had not in reality changed much, from the style it was prior to the revolution (Green & Pole 340). After the war, Green & Pole (357) reveal that “the black service men were disqualified from martial services in various States, with some of the states permitting free men to serve in their mercenary troops”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has to be noted that although slaves are not consciously credited for their contribution to development in America, without them the much achieved would not have been practically possible. The plantations in agrarian South America flourished because of hard forced labor of slaves.
As it was noted in the paper, slaves were not just hands in the fields but contributed in bettering farming through sharing knowledge and skills. They also came up with inventions e.g. the spinning machine that was later modified to make work easier in plantations.
The economic contribution of slaves was also registered in urban areas away from the plantations. Additionally, they were used as dockworkers and worked in the ships that fed US with what it needed from the outside world. Culturally, the slaves infused into America cultural practices that are to date shaping how things are done especially in performed arts.
Finally, slaves also had a great impact on the American Revolution that led to the birth of the American republic. in their struggle for emancipation, former slaves have helped anchor values such as freedom and equity in the American psyche. Therefore, no amount of denial will change the reality that without the sacrificial effort and hard work of these slaves, America probably would not be what it is.
Works Cited
Engerman, Stanley. Terms of Labor: Slavery, Serfdom, and Free Labor. Stanford: Stanford University press, 1999
Green, Jack & Pole, Jones. A companion to the American Revolution. New York: Wiley- Blackwell Publishers, 2003
Grigg, A., John. British Colonial America: People and Perspectives. California: ABC Publishers, 2008
Lanning, MColley. Dictionary of Afro-American Slavery. California: Greenwood Press, 1988
Middleton, Richard. Colonial America: a history 1565-1776. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, Publisher, 2002
Morgan, Philip. Diversity and Unity in Early North America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001
Africans in the north and the south reacted to colonialism with a lot of resistance. For this reason, they started their struggle for independence. The lives of the Africans were affected by the aftermath of the war of independence. The Africans had been enslaved in their own countries.
The colonialists had deceived the Africans that colonialism would put an end to slavery although it was not the case. Quite a number of activities and events occurred during the period of their search for independence. Those people who supported colonialism for the Africans had reported that Africans were ready to be colonized. To some extent, this strategy worked. When they were colonized, it marked the end of the war between the Africans in the south and those from the north.
Several wars were fought by the Africans before they gained their independence and freedom (Higginbotham 84). The colonists had conquered the Africans’ efforts of trying to resist colonization. By the end of the First World War; all Africans were under colonial rule. During this period of time, the Africans remained at peace with the colonists before the struggle started again.
They had a number of grievances that they wanted the colonists to address urgently. For instance, the Africans were not happy with the prejudice and bias that they received from the white colonial masters. This resistance came mostly from the Africans who were educated since they had better understanding of the effects of colonialism to Africans (Conway 76).
When the Africans obtained their freedom, several things changed in their favor. The slaves were now given equal opportunity in their countries. They were also no longer treated inhumanely and discrimination cases were taken as criminal offences. The slaves were free at last.
They formed organizations and unions that fought for their rights. South African National Congress and the West African National Congress were some of the organizations that ensured that the rights of the Africans were observed to the letter. The slaves also enjoyed their freedom of worship and practiced any type of religion of their choice. African priests and clergy wanted religious discrimination to be stopped. Hence, it became a reality after the Africans were given independence.
Christians were not given freedom to worship and all their religious meeting places had been abolished by the whites. New churches were formed. Christians gathered together to worship and give thanks to their creator. These churches played a very important role in ensuring that justice was done to all Africans. It made these churches to acquire great numbers of followers. Some of their founders were later imprisoned but the churches still grew.
Most slaves were forced to work long hours in the mines and ports. This was another reason for opposition by the Africans. Freedom from working long hours without pay was another effect of the aftermath of the war to the slaves. Africans were also allowed to own land. During the time of slavery, their lands were grabbed and worse still, they were forced to work on them for the benefits of their colonialists (Conway 39).
The Africans now had the freedom to control the factors of production as well as the market for their cash crops. Since all their demands had been fulfilled by their colonial masters, freedom of the African slaves was the main impact of the struggle (Higginbotham 69).
Works Cited
Conway, Stephen. The War of American Independence 1775-1783. New York: E. Arnold, 1995. Print.
Higginbotham, Don. The War of American Independence: Military Attitudes, Policies, and Practice, 1763–1789. New York: Northeastern University Press, 1983. Print.
The lives of slaves were full of hardships. Often they would better die than live in such a misery. Once sold, they became a total property of their owner with no right to being paid for their work, studying to read and write, social protection, self-defense against being punished by the master, and decent treatment and living as such.
The slaves’ working day began long before the dawn. They had to feed domestic animals, cook breakfast for their masters and prepare everything they might need when they wake up. No matter what the weather was the slaves spent whole days working on the plantations.
Often during the day they were punished by the owners if they were thought to do something wrong or do their job slowly. Both men and women worked in the fields but while the men were plowing and carrying crops, women were cutting and gathering them. The rest of the job was also divided with men focusing on more difficult tasks and women arranging house matters.
The working day of the slaves was not over with the dusk. In the evenings, female slaves were sewing quilts, cooking, making preserved food for winter, feeding domestic animals and poultry, cleaning out stables, making baskets, etc. The men were shoeing the horses, repairing fences, putting up additional buildings and doing another hard work. During the nights, women slaves often sew clothes for their families because the slaves were not provided with the needed clothing.
With no personal freedoms, the slaves were often forced to sexual relationships with their owners both male and female. They were often physically punished, namely beaten and whipped publicly, and had no right to self-defense or raising a hand on the white people. They did not have enough sleep and food, clothing, rest and personal time to spend with their families or study.
While slaves were working hard from dawn till dusk, slave owners lead a steady life. Unlike slaves, they were free to wake up whenever they wanted, read some books, have hearty meals and do whatever they wanted all day long.
Being plantation owners, they had some work to do, but most of the time it was limited to visiting local high-rankers, dealing with business matters and defining the schedule of the slaves’ working days and tasks for them to do.
They spent most of their time taking long walks along their plantations, controlling slaves and punishing them for the slightest fault. In the evenings, they usually had rich dinners with meat, fish, and vegetables, read some books, spent time with their families and friends, and went to bed after praying.
The ways of spending time varied depending on the gender of the slave owner. Men dealt with business matters and often went to plantations to control the slaves, while women stayed close to the house and most of the time spent enjoying themselves and their families, hanging around their children, reading, studying, sewing, etc., and controlling slaves and punishing as well.
So, the lives of the slaves and their masters were completely different. While the first were struggling to survive in unbearable living conditions and permanent need, totally disrespected and treated badly, the latter enjoyed their living indulging redundancy in every single sphere of life from eating habits to leisure and rest.
In the 1750s, a fugitive slave Ancoma formed a community of runaway slaves in Jamaica. After his assassination, slaves in the colony organized more than a dozen significant conspiracies, including Thackie’s Rebellion in May 1760. During this rebellion, Thackie, a slave overseer on the Frontier plantation in St. Mary’s County, led a group of enslaved Africans in killing their enslavers. The uprising ended with Thackie’s murder and the death of the rebels: they committed suicide. The success of this rebellion is relative because there were no apparent results. The most significant impact of this rebellion was the subsequent formation of a fugitive slave society that was able to reclaim its territory.
Fedon began the rebellion in Grenada on March 2, 1795. With the help of about 100 formerly enslaved people and mulattoes, Fedon fought the French and British planters of the island. Rebel attacks were coordinated against the towns of Grenville and Give. They burned the houses of the British farmers, killing several of them. Despite initial success, however, the British military was able to absorb the uprisings. Fedon’s fate remained unknown; the Crown could not capture him. This rebellion affected territorial policy toward the West Indies and spurred subsequent revolutionary movements.
As the British government attempted to create a Crown colony in Barbados by annexing the island to a confederation with the Navajo Islands, the white Barbadian elite and the Afro-Barbadian workers did not accept it. Their differing reactions to the Confederate debate led to violence in the form of riots in April 1876. The conflict was both a post-emancipation struggle and a constitutional crisis, so the stated demands were not enacted in August of that year. It led to the development of a new constitutional policy, and the Crown became more suspicious of the Caribbean.
Suriland is a fusion of different cultures: the Caribbean, Suriname, and Netherlands. Due to the mass migration from the Caribbean to the Netherlands, driven by a desire to escape from the English Crown, it has readied its traditions in the new place. Amsterdam had a unique position, gaining the trust of the Negro race: this led to the immigrants from Suriname acting more and more on the cultural masses in Europe. Nowadays, the Caribbean culture has been virtually supplanted by the dense cooptation with Suriname and the lack of support for the settlers.
The picture tells a lot about the lives of slaves in the plantations and in Britain. Slaves were never supplied with basic needs, such as clothing and beddings since they could spend their nights in the cold. Their children could also sleep without blankets since the ones supplied were insufficient. After spending their day in the farms working, they could be given additional responsibilities meaning that some lacked time to sleep.
Household chores, such as washing, mending, and cooking, were considered secondary duties. Slaves were supposed to accomplish them once they were through with their main duties in the day. Slaves were squeezed in one small room, irrespective of whether they were married, male, or female. This was unethical because family values were never respected. Under normal situations, men were supposed to be housed in their shelter while women would also be housed separately. Married individual would be given rooms to spend their time discussing family values, but colonialists never considered this important.
Masters would frequently harass slaves without valid reason just because of differences in skin color. Plantations were self-sufficient meaning that they had everything that would be needed to make life comfortable for the master. At no point would a slave claim to have finished his or her work. Slaves would be subjected to physical assault in case they failed to accomplish their tasks appropriately. Masters employed overseers who were extremely cruel and inhuman.
The whites misinterpreted the bible by arguing that human beings would never be equal. They even claimed that people were never equal during the old times when kings owned huge tracts of land and animals while slaves provided compulsory labor. From the bible, it was illegal or unethical for a slave to refuse to take orders from the master. Such an actor would invite a heavy penalty, which included death. Based on this, white settlers in the southern states advocated for slavery, arguing that it was justifiable biblically. From the picture, it is true that slaves gave themselves hope through music and religion.
They authored songs that acted as a source of optimism and strength for many blacks. The picture reveals further that slaves had strong families ties since they could dine together, celebrate, and even share some words before surrendering to bed. On the contrary, masters lived a desperate life, full of anguish and sorry because of disunity. Slaves reinterpreted the bible whereby they realized that they were not supposed to be servants. The justification given by the white settlers in the south was misplaced. Southern states showed their desire to secede because slavery was their major source of labor in the plantations. They could not imagine operating without free slave.