Slavery

The Middle Passage voyages, which transported enslaved Africans to the Americas, varied in duration due to factors like weather and advancements in ship technology. Initially, these journeys...

The social impacts of the slave trade on Africa included widespread destabilization, population decline, and the introduction of new diseases like smallpox and typhus. Millions were kidnapped and...

In mid-18th century British North America, three slave systems existed: the Chesapeake system, the Southern colonies system, and the Northern system. The Chesapeake system in Maryland and Virginia...

Slaves in the Cotton Kingdom formed their own identity and culture through music, religion, and kinship. Spirituals expressed their hopes for freedom and included coded messages for escape. They...

The slave trade was justified primarily on economic grounds, as it was vital to the Southern economy, although it hindered industrial development. Religious justifications also played a significant...

White Southerners defended slavery from the 1820s to the Civil War by arguing it was a "positive good," essential for the economy, and supported by Christianity. They claimed it was a states' rights...

In African American history, "seasoning" refers to the brutal process of conditioning Africans into a state of enslavement. This involved breaking their spirit and instilling a slave mentality...

Slavery affected black men and women similarly in terms of abuse and rights deprivation, but differed significantly in certain aspects. Women faced forced reproduction to increase slave numbers,...

Slaves resisted slavery through various means, ranging from dramatic to subtle. The most dramatic form was slave rebellions, which, though rare, had significant impact by expressing anger through...

Slaves resisted their owners in several ways. The most extreme was violent rebellion, though it was rare due to its low success rate. Escape was another method, where slaves attempted to gain freedom...

The Atlantic slave trade had profound consequences globally. In Africa, it devastated societies by removing millions of people, leading to economic stagnation and increased conflicts. In the...

Slavery took over 200 years to become a contentious issue in the U.S. due to its historical acceptance and economic importance, especially in the southern colonies. The debate intensified during the...

Venture Smith, Olaudah Equiano, and Alexander Falconbridge provided distinct perspectives on capture and enslavement. Smith's narrative details his violent capture and forced march, Equiano's account...

The year 1492 is significant in the history of the slave trade as it marked the "discovery" of the New World by Columbus, which eventually led to a dramatic increase in the demand for African slaves....

The slave trade was driven by both ideological and economic factors. Ideologically, the dehumanization of African and indigenous peoples as "the other" justified their enslavement. Economically, it...

"Slave Codes" in African American history represent the legal framework used to formalize and regulate slavery in the American South. These laws controlled every aspect of slaves' lives, dictating...

The importation of African slaves into the Americas had profound effects, including the creation of multi-racial societies and entrenched racial hierarchies. In the U.S., it contributed to economic...

Slavery was maintained primarily due to the economic investment of slave-owners, who had significant financial stakes in their slaves and faced potential losses if slavery ended. Transitioning to a...

Most antebellum whites supported slavery, despite few owning slaves, due to a mix of ignorance, aspiration, and social hierarchy. Many believed slaves were content under paternalistic care or simply...

While African slaves were significantly Europeanized through language and religion, European colonists were also Africanized, albeit less extensively. African cultural influences permeated American...

Conditions aboard Middle Passage ships were horrific due to the slavers' focus on maximizing profit by overcrowding. Slaves were packed tightly in the ship holds, often chained together, with...

In "The South Vindicated from the Treason and Fanaticism of the Northern Abolitionists," slavery is portrayed positively compared to Northern industrial workers by depicting enslaved individuals as...

From the 17th to the 19th century, slavery in North America evolved from an institutionalized practice with legal endorsements, such as the 1641 Body of Liberties, to a contentious issue amid growing...

The triangular trade system created winners and losers across continents. African political leaders and European merchants, particularly in ports like Liverpool and Bristol, profited from the trade....

Northern anti-slavery whites believed they defended liberty by advocating for the abolition of slavery, seeing it as a fundamental right not to be owned by another. Their stance was also influenced...

Slavery restricted economic diversification in the South by concentrating resources on slave-grown cash crops like cotton, which was highly profitable and discouraged investment in industry. The...

The Atlantic slave trade originated in the 15th century with Portuguese exploration of West Africa, initially trading goods for gold, ivory, and eventually enslaved people. The demand for labor in...

In the freedom debate, "slavery" and "liberty" were applied differently to white property owners and enslaved African-Americans. White owners viewed slaves as property, not human beings, thus denying...

Both Solomon Northrup's and Frederick Douglass' accounts vividly depict the brutal realities of slavery. They use detailed descriptions of physical suffering and fear to illustrate the daily horrors...

The Revolutionary War did impact slavery, but it did not end it. The Founding Fathers recognized the contradiction between slavery and democratic ideals, yet the practice was deeply entrenched and...

Slavery persists in the modern era in various forms, including human trafficking, forced labor, and debt bondage. Despite international laws and efforts to abolish it, millions of people worldwide...