Post your thoughts about primary documents, class discussions, readings, current events here. Have lively discussions and debates about the themes of the course.
I just found this and thought it was interesting. This is an address,”Speech to the Six Nations.” It is “A Speech to the Six Confederate Nations, Mohawks, Oneidas, Tusscaroras, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senekas, from the Twelve United Colonies, convened in Council at Philadelphia.” Dated September 13, 1775, five days after the Olive Branch Petition. (Not sure if the date for that Petition reflects when it was written, sent or received.)
Either way, this address is particularly interesting because it was (allegedly) spoken to a convened council of Native American leaders. Reading it, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “Do they really expect sympathy when these people endured such terrible treatment from the British for the proceeding 100 years?”
Also interesting: the relatively nonexistent attention in the speech given to the perspective of the Native leaders. I mean, to write this type of speech, in which your language beseeches understanding and diplomacy, and to still remain so unaware of your own cultural solipsism seems shocking. Those statements that were directly to and about them were only the delegates saying essentially “Stay out of this,” a sentiment easily interpreted in several ways.
I found the clip explaining the origin of the word “kidnap.” It is very interesting to consider that before resorting to kidnapping Africans unwillingly from their homeland, the British took their own children and sold them into indentured servitude. I find this concept particularly baffling because it is hard to explain the moral justification behind kidnapping an innocent child and taking them to an alien place.
I found the article explaining the “music” or “chanting” between African slaves to be very fascinating. From what I have observed, African Americans culture is very engrained in the beauty of song and dance. Because of that history of oral tradition going back to Africa, communication through speech and music is extremely prevalent. The presence of blues, hip-hop and various religios hymns are evidence of this very intgeresting phenominon in African American culture.
Ok, So this is not really a primary document but its a chapter from Howard Zinn’s book ” A People’s History of the United States”. He talks about Slavery and also there are journal excerpts by African slaves
if you have the book, its chapter 9, but here is the link if you dont.
Sinking Columbus
Posted by rccaahistory on October 12, 2009
I found this article about how Christopher Colombus is taught in schools and revealing his “dark side”. I know it’s not a slavery article, but it made me think about the Sinking Colombus we read earlier in the semester, so I thought it was interesting.
((I love the quote at the end of this article…”Every hero is somebody else’s villain,” said Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, a scholar and author of several books related to Columbus, including “1492: The Year the World Began.”
“Heroism and villainy are just two sides of the same coin.”<<-so true!))
The most important part i find to be compelling is three rebuttles at the bottom. Here is a quick expert if you don’t not have the want to read it through:
Objection 1. These blackamoors are of the posterity of Ham, and therefore under the curse of slavery (Gen. 9:25-27).
Answer….If this ever was a commission, how do we know but that it is long since out of date?…But it is possible that by cursory reading this text may have been mistaken….
Objection 2. The Negroes are brought out of a pagan country into places where the Gospel is preached.
Answer. Evil must not be done that good may come of it….
Objection 3. The Africans have wars one with another. Our ships bring lawful captives taken in those wars.
Answer….If they be between town and town, provincial or national, every war is upon one side unjust. An unlawful war can’t make lawful captives. And by receiving, we are in danger to promote and partake in their barbarous cruelties.
I found this article about how Christopher Colombus is taught in schools and revealing his “dark side”. I know it’s not a slavery article, but it made me think about the Sinking Colombus we read earlier in the semester, so I thought it was interesting.
Music was important to the colonial slaves because it offered a kind of universal bond that could be shared, even if a language barrier did exist between them. The power of musical expression can do wonders to the state of the soul or inner being. It can be uplifting and motivating, and even healing if one is suffering emotionally or mentally. Unfortunately, the fears of the slave owners lead to the creation of laws that outlawed the use of “loud instruments” in order to control what they thought to be secret communications sent out to other slaves for the purpose of ”wickedness” (Wood 63).
What is truly amazing is that today, hip-hop music is one of the biggest influences on main-stream music, not only in this country, but around the world as well! Known for its smooth-flowing rhythms, beats and lyrics, hip-hop, to me, echoes the “illegal” activities of slaves in Colonial America who probably just wanted to experience a little joy with friends in a world so full of hopelessness and misery.
In the Full Transcription of 1740 Slave Code Act XXXVI tells about a ban on drums and other instruments. There are also laws mentioned that ban gun use, travel and there was even a kind of “three strikes” law for the striking of a white person by a slave. The third strike meant death, but offending most laws back then often resulted in a similar sentence for a slave (See ACT XXIV for the three “strikes” law).
This is a video about the origin of the word “kidnap” which originated in the 1600s after “stiff penalties were imposed on sea captains who grabbed young people in England and sold them in the colonies as indentured servants” (Woods 29). Because of the great fire in London, and the Great Plague in Europe, labor in England was in demand. These penalties caused one of the key factors that transformed the idea of slavery into racial slavery. This video brings a little humor to an otherwise dark and serious subject.
Looking at these laws it seems quite easy to see how racial seperation could become a part of the American society. From the consequences outlined in this document it is conceivable that the intial form of segregation could have simply been the result of the general desire to avoid being made to pay enormous fines or live as an indentured servant. I think that this document shows the importance of examining the possible effects on future American society from modern legislation.
Looking at these laws it seems quite easy to see how racial seperation could become a part of the American society. From the consequences outlined in this document it is conceivable that the intial form of segregation could have simply been the result of the general desire to avoid being made to pay enormous fines or live as an indentured servant. I think that this document shows the importance of examining the possible effects on future American society from modern legislation. scard_for_lyfe@yahoo.com
