Slavery Freedom and British Empire in the Colonial

Slavery, Freedom, and British Empire in the Colonial Period Olaudah Equano • 1789 The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano • Challenges to image of Africa and Africans • Represents expansion and freedom Atlantic World: Bridge between Old and New Worlds • Flow of ideas, people, and goods • Culture, laws and political institutions reflect European powers • 18 th century- Height of slave trade • 1700 -1775 - 280, 000 slaves out of 585, 000 persons Contradictions in British America Liberty for whom?

#1: Slavery and Empire The World the Slaveholders Made • World Commerce-slave trade • Asiento- Spanish • Treaty of Utrecht 1713 (Dutch) Atlantic Trade (First Lecture Notes) • Triangular Trade routes • Caribbean- seasoning process • Tobacco, Indigo, Rice, Sugar • Sir William Dunbar of Natchez, MS and Jamaica Middle Passage: “the door of no return…” 1762 - Quaker Abolitionist John Woolman

Africa and the Slave Trade Gunpowder Empires (First Lecture Notes) • European supply of weapons to African societies African Rulers Involvement in Triangular Slave Trade • Played Europeans against one another • Collected taxes from foreign merchants • Sold captives to European traders Consequences (First Lecture Notes: Portuguese) • Disruption of African society • Cheap imports/traditional crafts • Militarized states • Loss of people weakened and distorted West Africa

Slavery in the Colonies What is a slave society VS a society with slaves? The Chesapeake • Tobacco-based plantation slavery • Consolidation of the Elite South Carolina and Georgia • Rice-based plantation slavery • Indigenous slavery • Rice Kingdom • The Experiment in Georgia New England Middle Colonies • No plantations Slavery and the Law • Enhancement of master’s power • Violence • Race as a social division • Free-Blacks in Virginia

Slavery in the North Development of Free-Black Communities • Philadelphia • “In the Shadow of Slavery…” New York Colonial Life • Work patterns • Differences of Law • Marraiges • Testify in Court • Own property/Pass along rights Slavery in New York Slavery in Philadelphia

Slave Culture In the Nether World… • Charter generations (Ira Berlin) • Abduhl Rahman, Natchez, Mississippi • Process of creating cohesive culture • 19 th century- identify as African Americans • Creoles: Slaves born in the New World The World the Slave Made… • John Blassingame and Eugene Genovese • Slave quarters and Family • South Carolina and Georgia • The Gullah • Enslaved Women • Code Noir • Slave religion • Syncretic religions- Catholicism and Vodu. Candoble

Resistance to Enslavement Occurred • At point of Contact • During Middle Passage • Every facet of society, each day, in the New World Forms • Overt: Rebellions and Uprisings, Active forms of resistance, use of religion, meetings, running away, ), burning property • Covert: Poisoning, breaking tools, work-slow down, feigning sickness or ignorance, burning property • Creation of Maroon Communities: Latin America (Cimarron’s) Quilombo, Palmares • Hispaniola 1522 - first documented slave revolt on island (Haiti/ St. Dominique) Impact: dramatic increase after 1600 - affected every part of Africa, introduced fire-arms: • Fostered conflict and violence/ growth of Dahomey- powerful slave raiding state/ upset cultural, political, and environmental features of Africa The African Diaspora: Ashanti proverb, ” the tree is not cut…” • Plantation Societies- introduction of cash crops • Sustaining African cultural traditions • African and Creole languages • Cultural traditions: foods, weaving, pottery, artwork

The Turning Point…The Haitian Revolution, 1791 -1804 Boukman and a ceremony in Bois Caïman… • Situation in 1789: social hierarchy • “Declaration of Rights of Man” • Vincent Oge • Slave revolt against French masters Key Leaders • Toussaint L’ Ouverture • Jean-Jacques Dessalines Second and Third Phases of Revolution • Civil War, Economic and Political instability Impact on Slavery in North America • Restrictive Laws

#2: Creating a British Empire: Mechanisms for Freedom British Patriotism • Symbolism • Economy • Religious British Constitution • Identity and Concept of Liberty • Slavery and Liberty • Contempt of Foreigners Language • General right to resist

Political Ideals in the Anglo-American World Republican Liberty • Public and Social Quality • Virtue • “Country Party” • Britain: luxury and political manipulation Liberal Freedom (Liberalism) • Private and Individual • John Locke • Opinions about women • Exclusions to universal right of liberty

Colonial Policies and the Public Sphere The Right to Vote • Colonial Politics • Law verses Custom: Free Blacks Political Culture • Competitive- Middle Colonies • Appointive verses elected • Property Qualifications • Wealth, Education, Social Prominence=right to public office Colonial Government • Salutary neglect The Rise of Assemblies • Pennsylvania

Politics and the Press in Public Space Language and the Political Nation • Dominated by gentry • Expansion of public sphere • Literary, Philosophical, Scientific, Political • Benjamin Franklin and the Junto • American Philosophical Association The Colonial Press • Market for printed material • Circulating libraries • Colonial newspapers Freedom of Expression • Freedom of speech: 16 th century Britain • Freedom of press: viewed as dangerous/discouraged

#3: Imperial Rivalries Historical Snapshot: Women in the Spanish Territories Dependents in Need of Protection… Free and Enslaved Women Marriage and Common-Law Spanish Florida and Race 13