Slavery Mapping the Spread of Slavery “The institution of chattel slavery is older than the first human written records”

SlaverySlavery

Mapping the Spread of Mapping the Spread of SlaverySlavery

““The institution of chattel slavery is The institution of chattel slavery is older than the first human written older than the first human written

records”records”

““Wherever we look, slave systems dot Wherever we look, slave systems dot (and sometime dominate) the historical (and sometime dominate) the historical geography of very different regions of geography of very different regions of

the globe.”the globe.”

““Between the fall of Rome and the decline of Between the fall of Rome and the decline of feudalism – a period of some 1000 years – feudalism – a period of some 1000 years –

slavery and other forms of bondage were as slavery and other forms of bondage were as common in Europe as in other continents.”common in Europe as in other continents.”

““The Arabs and their Muslim converts were the first The Arabs and their Muslim converts were the first people to make use of millions of blacks from sub-people to make use of millions of blacks from sub-

Saharan Africa and to begin associating black Africans Saharan Africa and to begin associating black Africans with the lowliest form of bondage. As many as fourteen with the lowliest form of bondage. As many as fourteen

million African slaves were exported to Muslim million African slaves were exported to Muslim regions.”regions.”

““While African slaves were not part of any While African slaves were not part of any original European blueprint for colonizing the original European blueprint for colonizing the

Americas, spatial boundaries had shifted by Americas, spatial boundaries had shifted by the 1490s in a way that would enable the 1490s in a way that would enable

Europeans to draw on an enormous potential Europeans to draw on an enormous potential supply of African slave labor.”supply of African slave labor.”

““There were few states strong enough to There were few states strong enough to prevent opportunistic African kings from prevent opportunistic African kings from profiting from the low cost of capturing, profiting from the low cost of capturing, transporting, and minimally sustaining a transporting, and minimally sustaining a

captive who could be sold for highly desired captive who could be sold for highly desired commodities.”commodities.”

““As the slave trade increased (dramatically after 1600) As the slave trade increased (dramatically after 1600) ever more Europeans sought a toehold on the coast as ever more Europeans sought a toehold on the coast as

the best way of guaranteeing their own share of the the best way of guaranteeing their own share of the lucrative trade across the Atlantic. . . . At the same lucrative trade across the Atlantic. . . . At the same

time, newly emergent European powers began to flex time, newly emergent European powers began to flex their own commercial and maritime muscles, seeking a their own commercial and maritime muscles, seeking a profitable share both in the trade and in the settlement profitable share both in the trade and in the settlement

of the Americas.”of the Americas.”

““About twelve million Africans began the Atlantic About twelve million Africans began the Atlantic crossing – the Middle Passage – by being loaded into the crossing – the Middle Passage – by being loaded into the slave ships, but only ten and a half million lived to see slave ships, but only ten and a half million lived to see landfall on the far side of the Atlantic. . . . The landfall on the far side of the Atlantic. . . . The purposepurpose

of this violent system was profit.”of this violent system was profit.”

““The Atlantic slave trade thus became a massive industry. It The Atlantic slave trade thus became a massive industry. It was also an industry that spawned a complexity of other was also an industry that spawned a complexity of other businesses and trades throughout the Atlantic world. It businesses and trades throughout the Atlantic world. It

became, in effect, the lubricant of a huge Atlantic trading became, in effect, the lubricant of a huge Atlantic trading system, and it reminds us of the need, throughout, to system, and it reminds us of the need, throughout, to

integrate the slave trade with the wider commercial activities integrate the slave trade with the wider commercial activities of which the slave trade was a critical part.”of which the slave trade was a critical part.”

““The Atlantic crossings constituted the largest enforced The Atlantic crossings constituted the largest enforced movement of peoples known to the pre-twentieth-century movement of peoples known to the pre-twentieth-century

world. . . . It was the unique terrors of crossing the Atlantic world. . . . It was the unique terrors of crossing the Atlantic that seem to have scarred the Africans most deeply. Not that seem to have scarred the Africans most deeply. Not

surprisingly, the Atlantic slave trade has come to symbolize surprisingly, the Atlantic slave trade has come to symbolize the most brutal feature of the wider story of slavery in the the most brutal feature of the wider story of slavery in the

Americas.”Americas.”

““The westward drift of sugar production presented the The westward drift of sugar production presented the ideal crop for New World development at a time when ideal crop for New World development at a time when Western Europe was about to develop internal markets Western Europe was about to develop internal markets for such other luxury products as eastern spices, tea, for such other luxury products as eastern spices, tea,

coffee, chocolate, and tobacco.”coffee, chocolate, and tobacco.”

““Slavery had been a feature of many African societies long before the Slavery had been a feature of many African societies long before the Europeans arrived by sea. It was the existence of slavery in Africa Europeans arrived by sea. It was the existence of slavery in Africa

that enabled Europeans to accept Africans as slaves in the first place. that enabled Europeans to accept Africans as slaves in the first place. In addition, the idea that slavery of other alien people was wrong was In addition, the idea that slavery of other alien people was wrong was

largely unknown – in Europe or Africa – in these years of colonial largely unknown – in Europe or Africa – in these years of colonial expansion. Africans felt no more uneasy about enslaving other expansion. Africans felt no more uneasy about enslaving other

Africans, from different cultures, than European traders felt uneasy Africans, from different cultures, than European traders felt uneasy when buying Africans on the coast.”when buying Africans on the coast.”

““Sugar poured across the Atlantic to Europe. Everywhere the Sugar poured across the Atlantic to Europe. Everywhere the key was the African. Europeans all agreed that Africans, later key was the African. Europeans all agreed that Africans, later their locally born descendants, were essential to the task of their locally born descendants, were essential to the task of converting fertile Caribbean lands to profitable cultivation.”converting fertile Caribbean lands to profitable cultivation.”

““There was a discrepancy throughout the islands between the There was a discrepancy throughout the islands between the numbers imported and the numbers in the population, but the numbers imported and the numbers in the population, but the explanation was simple. The sugar islands were a ‘graveyard explanation was simple. The sugar islands were a ‘graveyard

for slaves.’ All the human data we possess were at their worst for slaves.’ All the human data we possess were at their worst among African slaves. And these data were the worst of all among African slaves. And these data were the worst of all

among sugar slaves.”among sugar slaves.”

““Until the 1720s, the black population of North America grew via imported Until the 1720s, the black population of North America grew via imported Africans. Thereafter, it began to increase naturally rather than via the Atlantic Africans. Thereafter, it began to increase naturally rather than via the Atlantic slave trade. When the American colonies broke away from Britain in1776, they slave trade. When the American colonies broke away from Britain in1776, they took with them half a million blacks; by 1810, that had increased to 1.4 million, took with them half a million blacks; by 1810, that had increased to 1.4 million, overwhelmingly in the Old South. This established American slave population overwhelmingly in the Old South. This established American slave population that was to make possible the development of the enslaved cotton revolution of that was to make possible the development of the enslaved cotton revolution of the nineteenth century and the consequent westward movement of slavery from the nineteenth century and the consequent westward movement of slavery from

the former colonies to the new cotton frontier.”the former colonies to the new cotton frontier.”

““The association between cotton and slavery is embedded deep in US The association between cotton and slavery is embedded deep in US history and folk memory. The development of cotton in the South saw history and folk memory. The development of cotton in the South saw

the emergence of a new trading axis. The net result of the cotton the emergence of a new trading axis. The net result of the cotton revolution was the transfer of slavery across huge tracts of North revolution was the transfer of slavery across huge tracts of North

America.”America.”

““At the outbreak of the Civil War, the USA was home to four million At the outbreak of the Civil War, the USA was home to four million slaves. The USA no longer needed Africa. But it slaves. The USA no longer needed Africa. But it diddid need a slave need a slave trade. This was the period of heightened slave distress, when the trade. This was the period of heightened slave distress, when the

agonies of slavery were often compounded by family separations, with agonies of slavery were often compounded by family separations, with families split by slave traders trawling for suitable labour to buy and families split by slave traders trawling for suitable labour to buy and

move to the cotton states. The agonies wrought by this internal move to the cotton states. The agonies wrought by this internal American slave trade were there for all to see.”American slave trade were there for all to see.”

““The history of slavery is the history of slave resistance. Slaves The history of slavery is the history of slave resistance. Slaves resisted their bondage in many different ways. Most spectacular of all resisted their bondage in many different ways. Most spectacular of all forms of slave resistance were slave revolts and rebellions. Only one forms of slave resistance were slave revolts and rebellions. Only one fully succeeded in overthrowing slave society: the Haitian revolt of fully succeeded in overthrowing slave society: the Haitian revolt of

1791. Most failed and were crushed, normally with a savage brutality 1791. Most failed and were crushed, normally with a savage brutality designed to overawe other slaves.”designed to overawe other slaves.”

““Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep forever: that considering numbers, nature and his justice cannot sleep forever: that considering numbers, nature and natural means only, a revolution of the wheel of fortune, an exchange natural means only, a revolution of the wheel of fortune, an exchange of situation, is among possible events: that it may become probable by of situation, is among possible events: that it may become probable by supernatural interference! The Almighty has no attribute which can supernatural interference! The Almighty has no attribute which can

take side with us in such a contest.”take side with us in such a contest.”

““There were strong economic reasons for the broad reach of American There were strong economic reasons for the broad reach of American slavery. Southern slave-grown cotton was by far the nation’s leading slavery. Southern slave-grown cotton was by far the nation’s leading

export. It powered textile-manufacturing revolutions in both New export. It powered textile-manufacturing revolutions in both New England and England. American slaves represented more capital than England and England. American slaves represented more capital than any other asset in the nation, with the exception of land. In 1860 the any other asset in the nation, with the exception of land. In 1860 the

value of Southern slaves was about three times the value of the value of Southern slaves was about three times the value of the capital stock in manufacturing and railroads. The Southern ‘lords of capital stock in manufacturing and railroads. The Southern ‘lords of the lash’ forged ever closer ties with Northern ‘lords of the loom.’”the lash’ forged ever closer ties with Northern ‘lords of the loom.’”

““New World slavery. . .its specifically racial character. . . . slavery became New World slavery. . .its specifically racial character. . . . slavery became indelibly linked throughout the Western Hemisphere with people of African indelibly linked throughout the Western Hemisphere with people of African

descent. This meant that the dishonor, humiliation, and bestialization that had descent. This meant that the dishonor, humiliation, and bestialization that had universally been associated with chattel slavery now became fused with universally been associated with chattel slavery now became fused with

Negritude. This linkage, which lies at the heart of white racism, would have Negritude. This linkage, which lies at the heart of white racism, would have disastrous consequences in nineteenth- and twentieth-century South America disastrous consequences in nineteenth- and twentieth-century South America

as well as in the United States.”as well as in the United States.”

““It was only in North America that the extremely arbitrary and It was only in North America that the extremely arbitrary and artificial concept of ‘Negro’ – denoting anyone with artificial concept of ‘Negro’ – denoting anyone with

supposedly visible African ancestry, revealed by hair as well as supposedly visible African ancestry, revealed by hair as well as skin color – took on the stigma of slave heritage.”skin color – took on the stigma of slave heritage.”

“…“…the profound contradiction of a free society that was made possible the profound contradiction of a free society that was made possible by black slave labor. It was the larger Atlantic Slave System…that by black slave labor. It was the larger Atlantic Slave System…that

prepared the way for everything America was to become. Thus, vital prepared the way for everything America was to become. Thus, vital links developed between the profit motive, which led to the links developed between the profit motive, which led to the

dehumanization of African slaves, and a conception of the New World dehumanization of African slaves, and a conception of the New World as an environment of liberation, opportunity, and upward mobility.”as an environment of liberation, opportunity, and upward mobility.”

““Slavery became the dark underside of the American Dream – the great Slavery became the dark underside of the American Dream – the great exception to our pretensions of perfection, the single barrier blocking our way exception to our pretensions of perfection, the single barrier blocking our way

to the millennium, the single manifestation of national sin. The tragic result of to the millennium, the single manifestation of national sin. The tragic result of this formulation was to identify the so-called Negro as the Great American this formulation was to identify the so-called Negro as the Great American

Problem. Hence the victims of the great sin of slavery became, in this ghastly Problem. Hence the victims of the great sin of slavery became, in this ghastly psychological inversion, the embodiment of sin. And for some two hundred psychological inversion, the embodiment of sin. And for some two hundred

years African Americans have struggled against accepting or above all years African Americans have struggled against accepting or above all internalizinginternalizing this prescribed identity, this psychological curse.” this prescribed identity, this psychological curse.”