module:6 Happiest slaves?

African Americans were happy when they were slaves? George Ftzhugh says “The negro slaves of the South are the Happiest, and, in some sense, the freest people in the world.” Negroes didn’t have to think how to make money, they have house to sleep, and they do not worried about food. “In African or the West Indies, [slave] would become idolatrous, savage and cannibal, or be devoured by savages and cannibals. At the north he would freeze or starve,” George Fitzhugh says. “As the nineteenth century progressed, some southern states enacted laws to prevent the mistreatment of slaves, and their material living conditions improved,” Eric Foner says. But unfortunately, the happiest slaves were the farthest slaves from freedoms. “Although slavery in Brazil lasted until 1888, over half the population of African descent was already free in 1850. (The comparable figure in the American South was well below 10 percent.)” Slaves were like animals in the zoo. They do can not go anywhere, they have few rights, but they can eat and live without any fears.

John Little, a former slaves wrotes:

they say slaves are happy, because they laugh, and are merry. I myself and three of four others, have received two hundred lashes in the day, and had our feet in fetters; yet, at night, we would sing and dance, and make others laugh at the rattling of our chains. Happy men we must have been! We did it to keep down trouble, and to keep our hearts from being completely broken: that is as true as the gospel! Just look at it,---must not we have been very happy? Yet I have done it myself---I have cut capers in chains.

People who give something tend to think that he did good things for others, but no one knows they really wanted the things or not. No one knows that animals want to stay in the zoo or want to escape. If animals get the skill to speak, the zoo in the world may disappear.

America Past and Present Online - George Fitzhugh, "The Blessings of Slavery" (1857)

 Eric, Forner. Give Me Liberty! An American History. New York: W.W.Norton, 2005.

 Zinn, Howard. A people's History of the United States. HarperCollins, 2003

mOdule:5 Jefferson and Slaves

Module 5: Jefferson and Slaves

 

Eric Foner says “ White Americans increasingly viewed blacks as permanently deficient in the qualities that made freedom possible—the capacity for self control, reason, and devotion to the larger community.” In those days, it was still major idea that blacks are inferior to whites, but there are some people who wanted to know the truth.

  Thomas Jefferson doesn’t like to agree with the idea without any scientific researches. Benjamin Banneker was a free African American from Maryland. He was the first American American mathematician. On August 19, 1791, Banneker Jefferson and he sent a letter and a copy of an astronomical almanac he had published. The “Sable Astronomer” was often pointed to as proof that African Americans were not intellectually in ferior to European Americans.  Thomas Jefferson replied to Banneker’s letter on August 30 and he wrote “ No body wishes more than I do, to see such proofs as you exhibit, that nature has given to our black brethren talents equal to those of other colors of men. …” Thomas Jefferson had three kids with his slave, Sally Hemings. People asked him, “Didn’t you say humans are equal? Then why did you have slaves?” I believe that Thomas Jefferson trusted that humans are equal. The reason why I think he had three kids with her was he just loved her. Sally Hemings was his family’s slaves but she was also his late wife’s half-sister. He had a nearly forty years long relationship with her. He got three kids after his wife died. If he really loved her, nothing was strange to keep her in his house and have kids. People called her slave but nobody knows how he treated her. When her kids became about 21, he freed all of them. I think he wanted to free them soon, but he had a responsibility to take care of them. Thomas Jefferson was the man who really believed people’s equality and who was a big father.    

  　     

 Eric, Forner. Give Me Liberty! An American History. New York: W.W.Norton, 2005.

 Zinn, Howard. A people's History of the United States. HarperCollins, 2003

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.progress.org/banneker/bb.html

http:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson - Marriage_and_family

module:4 Revolution and Class

Module:4  The American Revolution and Class

After the Revolutionary war, America became independent from England. But is it the war that brought freedom for everybody? No. Carl Degler says (Out of Our Past): “No new social class came to power through the door of the American revolution. The men who engineered the revolt were largely members of the colonial ruling class.” According to Zinn Howard, general enthusiasm for the war was not strong when American began the war. John Adams had estimated a third opposed, a third in support, a third neutral. But many people lived in America were participated into the war. The men who first joined the colonial minitia were generally whites. Later, “Military became a place of promise for the poor, who might rise in rank, acquire some money, and change their social status.” Zinn says. Even though rich and poor people fought together, the Revolution mean to them differently.

 Four years later, The U.S. Constitution was made by the convention. But the Constitution didn’t mention much about slavery. John Jay supported the Constitution after its creation but he says "It is much to be wished that slavery may be abolished. The honour of the States, as well as justice and humanity, in my opinion, loudly call upon them to emancipate these unhappy people. To contend for our own liberty, and to deny that blessing to others, involves an inconsistency not to be excused."

So what was the purpose of the Revolution? Zinn says “Now, with the British out of the way, the Americans could begin the inexorable process of pushing the Indians off their lands, killing them if they resisted.“ Francis Jennings also comments “the white Americans were fighting against British imperial control in the East, and for their own imperialism in the west.” The war was for get economically freedom for rich people. Since British army moved drew back from America, American rich people became free to make poor be obedient.  For Indians, slaves, blacks, women, or other poor white people, the revolution only changed their honer, but not gave them rights.

Alexander, Hamilton. The Federalist Papers. Signet, 1999.

Zinn, Howard. A people's History of the United States. HarperCollins, 2003

"The Federalist ." 

TheFederalist. 1994. 07/14/09 . 

Mount, Steve. "Constitutional Topic:Slavery." USConstitution.net.30 Nov 2001.

The Atlantic slave trade: Module 3

“Of the estimated 7.7million Africans transported to the New World between 1492 and 1820, over half arrived between 1700 and 1800.”(1) In the eighteenth century, it was a regularized business in which European merchants, African traders, and American planters engaged in complex bargaining over human lives, all with the expectation of securing a profit. (1) I was surprised the fact that there were African traders who exported Africans to America as a business. I thought England or Spain kidnapped Africans with no authorizations. But in Africa, as same as now, there were rich people and poor people, so African had slaves who were African. How did African slaves come to America? How did they live?

Sometime in the mid-1750s, Olaundah Equiano, the eleven-year-old son of a West African village chief, was kidnapped by slave traders. (1) His family had many slaves in his house. (2) Although he was kidnapped when he was eleven years old, Olaudah Equiano, also known as Gustavus Vassa, was one of the most prominent people of African heritage involved in the British debate for the abolition of the slave trade.

He published a book called The Interesting Narrative of the Life if Gustavus Vassa, the African, which is his autobiography.

“One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I and my dear sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over our walls, and in a moment seized us both, and, without giving us time to cry out, or make resistance, they stopped our mouths, and ran off with us into the nearest wood. Here they tied our hands, and continued to carry us as far as they could, till night came on, when we reached a small house, where the robbers halted for refreshment, and spent the night. “(3)

He wrote about the time he and his sister were kidnapped by traders. I can tell they had no idea what was happening and they were scared. He was living in rich family, but suddenly, somebody he doesn’t know took him somewhere.

“I stayed in this island for a few days; I believe it could not be above a fortnight; when I and some few more slaves, that were not saleable amongst the rest, from very much fretting, were shipped off in a sloop for North America.”(3)

After he arrived at North America, He worked for Whites. While he was still a slave, he could learn to read and write, and enlisted in the Royal Navy.  In 1763, Equiano was sold once again and returned to the Caribbean. Three years later, he was able to purchase his freedom. (1)  

In 18^th century, Africans were the products for trading but not a man. I understand that European couldn’t think that African people were also the same human and had a right to have freedom because they look really different and speak different. But I felt really sad that some African supported the African slave trade because they know they are human, have a family, and have a right to live.

(1) Eric, Forner. Give Me Liberty! An American History. New York: W.W.Norton, 2005.

(2) "Wikipedia". Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2009/07/06 .

(3) Olaudah , Equiano. The Interesting Narrative of The Life of Olaudah Equiano, The African. Lightning Sourse , 2006.

Las Casas and New World: module 2

Las Casas: Module 2

 

Fray Bartolome de Las Casas became famous for his book “A Very Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies.” He stood for Indians and denounced Spain for causing the death of millions of innocent people during its the conquest and the colonization. His courageous movements earned him the title “Defender of the Indians.”(1)

Las Casas family knew about Christopher Columbus well. (1) Las Casas’s father and his uncle had sailed on Columbus’s second voyage.(2) When Columbus came back from his first voyage (1493), Las Casas met the Indians for the first time. He was shocked when he saw them. That was when he was about 9 years old. After his father came back from voyage, his family became wealthy and had holdings on Hispaniola.(1)  Las Casas would mediate between pope and Columbus. He also edited Columbus’ journal during his voyage. Columbus and Las Casas' family were very close. Through Las Casas' sailing to America several times, he found Spains' stern treatments to the Native Americans. 1552, he published his book, "A Brief Account of the Destructions of the Indies" and criticized Spain.

I believe Las Casas was very brave man who could be honest to his brief and criticize his country. He fought for indians’ right, but he suggested that Africans could work instead of native Americans. He didn’t feel Africans as same as Native Americans. In 16 century, Europeans hadn’t accepted Africans as human beings. Baron de Montesquieu stated that “It is impossible to think Africans are rational.”  (4) (5) In his book, the spirits of the law(1748), he said European and African are totally different. Thus, It was very natural that Las Casas thought Africans were good for the slaves in America.

What happened after he blamed his country Spain? Las Casas’s writings translated almost immediately into several European languages. It might help native Americans, but the image of Spain turned to be brutal and exploitative colonizer because of his book.(2) Actually, England experienced many massacre to get indians’ land, so England should have been blamed, too. But the image of the history is "Spain was very savage and England was a hero of creating new world." Maybe it is because Cortez conquered Azteca kingdom. But I think it’s because many people in Spain stood for Native Americans earlier than other people. For example, Las Casas or princess Isabel adviced to respect Native Americans as human beings. And England (or some other countries) used them as a reason for depriving Spanish’s colonies. England did a same (or more cruel) job as Spain but England hided how they treat Native Americans.

(1)Christopher , Minster. "About.com". 06/29/09 .

(2) Eric, Forner. Give Me Liberty! An American History. New York: W.W.Norton, 2005.

(3)David , Raymond. "you tube". 06/29/09

(4)”Revolution”.06/29/09

        <http://revcom.us/a/120/montesquieu-correction-en.html> 

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