History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
LIFE OF A SLAVE AND SLAVE REBELLION Arrival in the Americas After the Middle Passage, when the ships arrived in the Americas, the slaves that survived the journey were treated like animals. They were washed and shaved and sometimes covered in oil to make them appear healthy and to fetch a better price. The Africans were sold at markets in public auctions, where slave owners had to bid for the slaves they wanted to buy. Some were sold through ‘agents’. Once sold, the slaves were branded like cattle and given a new (European) name. They were often sold separately from their family and were unable to communicate with other slaves in their own language. Slave owners made sure that the slaves they purchased were of mixed origin so they would find it difficult to form bonds with each other. The slave’s identity was completely taken away from them. Advert for a Slave Auction Wikimedia Public Domain
Map of North America Showing Where Slavery Was Allowed in 1789 Wikimedia Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike: Golbez
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
Life of a Slave Laws in the southern colonies of North America were passed to prevent slaves from getting married, owning property, getting an education or earning their freedom. The slaves worked extremely long hours on the plantations. Those who worked in the sugar cane plantations in Jamaica, for example, worked about 75 hours a week, and those on cotton plantations, around 60 hours. An overseer supervised the plantation slaves and forced them to work with a whip.
Slave in Brazil Being Whipped by an Overseer Wikimedia Public Domain
For the first two or three years on a plantation, the slaves were deliberately over-worked and whipped, in an attempt to break their spirit and make them submissive. Life expectancy on the plantations was 7 to 9 years. By 1850, 64% of slaves worked on cotton plantations, 12% on tobacco plantations, 5% on sugar plantations and 4% on rice plantations. However, in some places such as Jamaica, 60% of the slaves worked on sugar plantations. In some colonies, slaves were woodcutters and in others they worked on livestock ranches. All children over the age of 6 were forced to work. They fed animals, cleaned, carried water etc. The children were often separated from their parents when they were sold to different slave owners. Beatings and whippings were common for minor misdemeanors. Leg irons and collars were used to try to control slaves. Any slave who committed a more serious crime was put to death, often by burning them alive, usually publicly.
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A slave badly scarred from being whipped by an overseer, 1863 Wikimedia Public Domain
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
There were two main systems of labour on the plantations: Task system – slaves were assigned specific tasks that they had to complete in a day. When these had been completed, they were allowed free time. This system was mainly used in the rice and long staple cotton plantations. The slaves had less supervision and more free time. Gang system – slaves were worked in large groups under the strict supervision of an overseer. There was less time and more control.
Illustration of Plantation Slaves
Field slaves worked an 18-hour day in harvest time. Women worked the same hours as men, even if they were pregnant. Once the baby was born, they had to put the baby on their back and continue working. The slaves were made to line up at the end of the day, to weigh how much cotton they had picked, for example. If they did not pick enough, they were punished, by extra work or reduced food rations.
Living Conditions The slave owners were rich and were often leaders in their local communities, as well as members of local government who could influence politics in the southern colonies. Most slaves lived on a plantation of between 20 and 150 Africans. The plantation owners lived in large houses, and the plantation was like a small village with many other buildings. Slaves lived in tiny huts in crowded conditions, often 5 to 10 people in one room, without heating or furniture.
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
The slaves suffered from many diseases, mainly due to nutritional deficiencies. These included blindness, skin and stomach problems and rickets. The infant mortality rate for the babies of slaves was double that of the general population due to diahorrea, dysentery, whooping cough and respiratory diseases. Some slaves were employed as house slaves and lived in the home of the plantation owner. They worked fewer hours and did the cooking, cleaning and looking after children. In general, the life of a house slave was better than the field slaves. House slaves often listened in on conversations and so were able to warn the other slaves of important events.
Slave Culture By 1750, almost 25% of the total population in the Americas, were black African slaves. The slaves used their African cultural background as a basis for their new life in the Americas. As slaves were not allowed to read or write, they expressed their feelings in stories and songs. The oral tradition of storytelling in African culture was one of the main ways that the slaves communicated and handed down their history and traditions. Folktales, such as the adventures of ‘Brer Rabbit’ were symbolic, with a rabbit representing a ‘trickster’. The slaves used herbal medicines, and as many Africans had medicinal skills, they had to supply cures and remedies for various ailments. The slaves made wrought-iron metal objects, demonstrating a high level of skill. Crafted objects such as banjos, drums and rattles that were similar to archaeological remains found in West Africa, were also produced. The slaves had limited leisure time, but during these times they would sign, dance, pray and play musical instruments. Many of them were very talented musicians and singers and were expected to perform for the plantation owner’s entertainment. African-American music such as gospel, blues and ragtime, has its roots in slave music. Other African traditions such as shouting, dancing and singing in prayer were practiced, despite the attempts of slave owners to convert the slaves to Christianity.
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Slaves at a Funeral in Suriname Wikimedia Public Domain
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
The slave community sang ‘sorrow songs’. The lyrics in these songs contained messages of important events that the slaves wanted to communicate, for example, the lyrics of “Many Thousands Gone” referred to escaped slaves. Overall, the slaves found many ways to resist their capture and express their creativity and cultural heritage.
Education Most slaves were illiterate, due to the laws that prevented them from being educated in the southern states of North America. However, some limited education did take place. For example, in South Carolina, in 1743, a school offering Christian instruction was set up, under the guidance of a school slave master. In some plantations, informal schools were allowed. In these cases, the more educated slaves taught other slaves and the children. Some plantation owners were keen for slaves to learn to read the bible and for some to perform administrative jobs where a degree of literacy was required. Slaves in the north had more access to educational opportunities, and many were taught the basics of reading and writing. Slaves took every opportunity that they could to learn. Some freed slaves went on to publish books about their experiences; others opened schools and other campaigned for equal education opportunities.
Front Cover of Book “Life of Fredrick Douglass, An American Slave” 1845 Wikimedia Public Domain Version 1: June 2014
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
Resistance to Slavery There was great resistance to slavery, not only from the slaves themselves, but also from the abolitionists in Europe and America. These were mainly Christian groups who were keen to spread the word of Christianity to freed slaves. Despite the severe punishments that were handed down for any form of resistance, rebellion against slavery went on. Many former slaves worked with abolitionists in Britain and other parts of Europe. There were many ways that the slaves attempted to resist slavery. These methods included: • • • • • • • • • • •
Resisting capture Escape from imprisonment Attacks on slave ships Shipboard revolts Escape to the north from the southern plantations Acts of sabotage, for example, arson (burning buildings) and breaking tools Pretending to be ill or working slowing to reduce profitability Alcoholism Suicide Rebellion Attacks on plantations
The Amistad – Rebellion at Sea There were many rebellions on the Middle Passage. One of the most famous rebellions at sea took place in 1839, when Africans travelling on the Spanish Schooner, ‘La Amistad’, took control of the ship. The Africans had been illegally kidnapped in Sierra Leone and sold as slaves. The Spanish were transporting the captives to sell them as slaves on the Cuban sugar plantations. An African called Joseph Cinqué led the revolt. The captives killed the ship’s captain and demanded that the remaining crew sail back to Africa. The crew tricked them and headed north where the Africans were captured near New York and taken into custody. The case was taken to court, and the capture and transportation of the slaves were found to be in violation of the laws of the international slave trade.
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Portrait of Joseph Cinqué, 1840 Wikimedia Public Domain
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
It was ruled that the slaves acted as free men when they attempted to escape and were, therefore entitled to take any measures necessary to be free. In 1842, Joseph Cinqué and the other captives, as well as American missionaries were returned to Sierra Leone on board the Amistad.
Engraving Depicting Amistad Revolt Wikimedia Public Domain
Rebellions on Plantations The slave population in the United States increased from 698,000 to 3,954,000 between 1790 and 1860. The area that was heavily populated with slaves was known as the ‘Black Belt’ from Virginia to Texas and in some places, the slaves outnumbered the white population by 13 to 1. Many slave rebellions on plantations took place in Mississippi where the population of African slaves outnumbered Americans by 9 to 1. There was a huge slave market in this area, where thousands of slaves were sold. Rebellions on plantations frequently occurred and were severely dealt with by plantation owners in an attempt to prevent future unrest. Publicly burning, mutilation or being put on ‘a wheel’, where they were pulled apart as the wheel turned, was a punishment for slaves who participated in rebellions. They were also tortured and placed in cages to starve to death. Slave rebellions in North America were smaller and less frequent than in Brazil and the Caribbean. There were many rebellions on the Caribbean islands. The first major slave rebellion occurred in 1522, in the Spanish colony of Hispaniola.
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
In 1736, in Antigua in the Caribbean, 77 slaves who rebelled were burned alive. In the French colony of Haiti, in 1789, a slave rebellion, triggered by the French Revolution, took place. Haiti became the 1st black state, and the French government abolished slavery in its colonies in 1794. However, by 1800, Napoleon had sent troops to Haiti to re-establish slavery on the island. The Africans resisted attempts to be captured by the French and British and Haiti remained the first independent black state. In 1832, a rebellion known as the ‘Baptist War’ in Jamaica resulted in 200 slaves being killed, and a further 344 executed. Some slaves who escaped from plantations formed guerilla bands, like the ‘Maroons’ in Jamaica, who attacked plantations.
Illustration of a Slave Rebellion Wikimedia Public Domain
The major rebellions that took place in North America are described below: Gabriel’s Rebellion – 1800 Gabriel Prosser, a blacksmith and his brother, Martin, a slave preacher, planned a march on Richmond from local plantations. The aim was to kill all the white residents, except Quakers and Methodists (many who opposed slavery). Bad weather conditions caused the march to be cancelled, but the plan was leaked, and Gabriel was captured and hanged, along with his brother and 23 other slaves.
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
Nat Turner’s Rebellion – 1831 This rebellion was a dramatic event in American history, which caused the southern American slave owners to go into a panic. Nat Turner was a slave preacher who claimed to have visions from God and thought that he had been chosen to lead people to freedom. Nat Turner and a group of five of his followers went on a rampage from plantation to plantation in Southampton county, Virginia. They killed sixty white people, mostly women and children, while the men were at a religious gathering. About eighty slaves joined in the rebellion. Turner’s aim was to spread terror amongst white people. The rebels were eventually caught, and Nat Turner was hanged. After his execution, he was skinned and dismembered, with parts of his body being distributed as souvenirs or preserved for scientific use.
Illustration of Nat Turner’s Rebellion Wikimedia Public Domain
In total, 56 Africans who were suspected of being involved in the uprising were convicted and hanged. Nearly 200 other slaves who had nothing to do with the rebellion were also murdered. Many other slaves were beaten in an attempt to deter them from rebelling. Many died from the savage beating. As a result of this rebellion, new legislation was passed in the southern states, further restricting the rights of slaves. These laws included preventing them from gathering, as well as preventing them from being educated.
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
John Brown and Harper’s Ferry – 1859 John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry was an attempt to start an armed slave revolt in 1859. John Brown was a white abolitionist and claimed to have been called by God. John Brown had been fighting against slavery for many years. In 1858, he called a meeting and outlined a plan for a raid on Harper’s Ferry in Virginia. Word of the raid was leaked, but the raid was eventually carried out; however, he was defeated by the US Marines. A freed African, who was a baggage handler on a train, was the first person killed in the attempted raid, when he confronted the raiders. Five other civilians were killed. Brown, as well as six other raiders, were found guilty of treason and were hanged. After the raid, many southerners lived in fear of another raid or rebellion.
Illustration of US Marines Attacking Harper’s Ferry Wikimedia Public Domain
The Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a system that helped slaves escape in the 1800s. It reached its height between 1850 and 1860 and assisted over 100,000 slaves to escape to the northern states and British North America (Canada). Some also escaped to Mexico. The system was a network of secret routes and safe houses, organized and run by sympathetic people who helped the slaves to escape.
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
The network was not under the ground, but ‘underground’ in the sense that it was secret. It was known as the ‘railroad’ due to the railway terminology used as coded messages. The code words included: • • • •
Stations – meaning hiding places. Passengers/cargo – meaning escaped slaves. Conductors – meaning guides who led of transported the escapees from station to station. Station masters – meaning the people who assisted and hid the escapees.
The line between slavery and freedom was located on the border between Pennsylvania and Maryland and was called the ‘Mason Dixie Line’.
Map of the Underground Railroad Routes, 1830 - 1865 Wikimedia Public Domain
Escaped slaves would travel at night and head north to connecting ‘stations’ along the way, where they could rest and get food. They often hid in barns and even under the floorboards of churches. A coded message would be sent to the next ‘station’ to let the ‘station master’ know that escaped slaves were on their way. The escapees travelled mainly by foot, wagon or horse and sometimes by trains or boats. The routes were difficult, dangerous and indirect to ensure they could not be followed.
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Painting Depicting Underground Railroad, Charles Webber, 1893 Wikimedia Public Domain
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (c1822 to 1913) was an African slave who escaped to freedom and helped other slaves to escape. She was born into slavery and became an African-American abolitionist. Her grandmother arrived on a slave ship from Africa. Harriet assisted around 70 families to escape using the network of anti-slavery activist and the ‘safe houses’ of the Underground Railroad. She also assisted John Brown to recruit men for his raid on Harper’s Ferry, although she did not take part in the raid herself. As a child born into slavery, Harriet was beaten on many occasions. On one occasion, she was hit by a heavy metal weight, which resulted in her having seizures, headaches and powerful visionary and dream experiences for the rest of her life.
Harriet Tubman Wikimedia Public Domain
On another occasion, an overseer broke her skull, and she was sent straight back to work with blood pouring out of her wounds. Harriet became very religious and believed she had signs from God. In 1849, she escaped with her brothers to Philadelphia but returned to rescue her family. She helped all her relatives, as well as dozens of other slaves to escape, despite huge personal risks. When she crossed into Pennsylvania, she said: “ When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the Sun came gold through the trees and over the fields, and I felt like I was in heaven.”
A Ride for Liberty – Escaped Slaves Wikimedia Public Domain
Harriet was never captured, and neither were any of the slaves that she helped to escape. Later she said: “ I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for 8 years and I can say what conductors can’t say – I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”
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History: Grade 7 The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Life of a Slave and Slave Rebellion
The End of Slavery The slave rebellions continued into the 18th century and increased in the 19th century, as slaves became aware of the approaching end to slavery. The campaign to end slavery took many years. Many Europeans started to realise that slavery was inhumane. The Slavery Abolition Movement used an image of a slave begging for help. The slogan “Am I not a man and a brother”, was also used in the campaign to end slavery.
Medallion to Create Awareness of Slavery, 1787 Wikimedia Public Domain
It was the slaves themselves, as well as the abolitionists who eventually helped to end slavery, through their rebellions and resistance. Slavery ended in the colonies in: 1834 – Britain 1865 – United States 1869 – Portugal 1888 – Brazil
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