The Middle Passage
(Olaudah Equiano, 1788)
1. Typically the actions of Europeans engaging in the slave trade are viewed as cruel for the sake of being cruel. In reading the document do you notice any other motivations for the cruelty of slave drivers?
Olaudah Equiano was only 11 when he was kidnapped from his home and shipped to Barbados to be sold into slavery. Equiano describes an incident he encountered during his journey in which three people that were also enslaved jumped from the ship. The ship’s crew immediately sought to fetch the three but only one survived. When they returned with the one survivor, the crewmen “flogged him unmercifully.” Such cruelty was in part to punish this enslaved person for his attempt to escape or as Equiano states, “for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery.” I would guess that the greater purpose of the brutal flogging was to place fear in the enslaved men and women that remained on the ship. The nature of the crewmen was to assert dominance in order to discourage escape attempts and keep the people enslaved fearful. Further, the crewman view the people enslaved as chattel or income. For every dead or missing enslaved person meant one less payment. The ship’s patron does not want to lose any more than those that they expect to die from illness. It is the crewmen’s job to maintain order on the ship and keep the enslaved people alive and suppressed. Equiano’s note that the ship has been overloaded with cargo in order to make up the difference for those that die in route demonstrates this fact. The text book American Stories (Brands, 2015) discusses the fear the planters had that the people enslaved to work the farms would secretly organize a revolt. These fears brought the politicians to create laws to further suppress the people enslaved by the planters. (Pages 67-69.)
2. Equiano notes that, “… I found some black people about me, who I believe were some of those who brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay…” What may this reveal about the nature of the slave trade and/or challenge how you thought it was carried out?
Initially I was surprised by the statement, however, after some thought I felt the statement was highly possible. A light skinned man, dressed in his own country’s style would bring suspicion. However, if the slave handler paid a member from the village or country to bring potential people to be enslaved far from the reaches of his/her family, it would make the task less difficult. The paid natives would be familiar with the villages, the people of these communities and their daily routines. They may know the details of when the elders would be away hunting, gathering food, know when the younger children are alone or even when the young adult males may be separated from their families. It would be less challenging to kidnap individuals, young children, or small groups. I would believe they were promised riches beyond what they had or perhaps that their personal debts would be paid off. I could only guess that they committed these acts for selfish reasons and never considered they would be taken once they were no longer needed.
In today’s society, slavery still exists. We might not notice it or see it standing in front of us, but then again, would we know it if we saw it. The term slave brings images of men and woman tied or chained walking down dirt roads with a man carrying a riffle in front of the line and one at the back of the line from the 1700’s. We might imagine a modern sweat shop full of migrant workers forced to make clothing or other products. The people enslaved in today’s world continue to be treated cruelly if they do not meet daily quotas. If an enslaved person is defiant, they are beaten and threats of harm to their families are made. Although slavery is outlawed in most countries, it continues because it is cheap labor, corrupt politicians look the other way and the poverty level is abundant causing those living in the poorer countries to be taken advantage of. http://www.theworldreporter.com/2013/11/slavery-in-the-modern-world.html.
Olaudah Equiano was only 11 when he was kidnapped from his home and shipped to Barbados to be sold into slavery. Equiano describes an incident he encountered during his journey in which three people that were also enslaved jumped from the ship. The ship’s crew immediately sought to fetch the three but only one survived. When they returned with the one survivor, the crewmen “flogged him unmercifully.” Such cruelty was in part to punish this enslaved person for his attempt to escape or as Equiano states, “for thus attempting to prefer death to slavery.” I would guess that the greater purpose of the brutal flogging was to place fear in the enslaved men and women that remained on the ship. The nature of the crewmen was to assert dominance in order to discourage escape attempts and keep the people enslaved fearful. Further, the crewman view the people enslaved as chattel or income. For every dead or missing enslaved person meant one less payment. The ship’s patron does not want to lose any more than those that they expect to die from illness. It is the crewmen’s job to maintain order on the ship and keep the enslaved people alive and suppressed. Equiano’s note that the ship has been overloaded with cargo in order to make up the difference for those that die in route demonstrates this fact. The text book American Stories (Brands, 2015) discusses the fear the planters had that the people enslaved to work the farms would secretly organize a revolt. These fears brought the politicians to create laws to further suppress the people enslaved by the planters. (Pages 67-69.)
2. Equiano notes that, “… I found some black people about me, who I believe were some of those who brought me on board, and had been receiving their pay…” What may this reveal about the nature of the slave trade and/or challenge how you thought it was carried out?
Initially I was surprised by the statement, however, after some thought I felt the statement was highly possible. A light skinned man, dressed in his own country’s style would bring suspicion. However, if the slave handler paid a member from the village or country to bring potential people to be enslaved far from the reaches of his/her family, it would make the task less difficult. The paid natives would be familiar with the villages, the people of these communities and their daily routines. They may know the details of when the elders would be away hunting, gathering food, know when the younger children are alone or even when the young adult males may be separated from their families. It would be less challenging to kidnap individuals, young children, or small groups. I would believe they were promised riches beyond what they had or perhaps that their personal debts would be paid off. I could only guess that they committed these acts for selfish reasons and never considered they would be taken once they were no longer needed.
In today’s society, slavery still exists. We might not notice it or see it standing in front of us, but then again, would we know it if we saw it. The term slave brings images of men and woman tied or chained walking down dirt roads with a man carrying a riffle in front of the line and one at the back of the line from the 1700’s. We might imagine a modern sweat shop full of migrant workers forced to make clothing or other products. The people enslaved in today’s world continue to be treated cruelly if they do not meet daily quotas. If an enslaved person is defiant, they are beaten and threats of harm to their families are made. Although slavery is outlawed in most countries, it continues because it is cheap labor, corrupt politicians look the other way and the poverty level is abundant causing those living in the poorer countries to be taken advantage of. http://www.theworldreporter.com/2013/11/slavery-in-the-modern-world.html.
Reflection
This assignment stuck out to me, probably because it was written by child that had been captured and enslaved. I was wrapped up in his story and how a young child's survival instincts become important. This paper in particular taught me to connect this issue from the past, i.e., slavery from 1788, to modern day human trafficking and slavery. I was able to see the depth of paper and elaborate on a fuller historical picture. If I could re-write the essay I would find better cites for the modern day human trafficking and slavery that continues in today's world.