Reviewed for hatlantic by sharla fett, department of history, occidental college. Saltwater slavery succeeds in its primary objective of bringing the people aboard slave ships to life as subjects in american social history 3. Saltwater slavery details how african people were ultimately transformed into. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora, stephanie e. The cited rawlinson material eightysix notes in chapters 2 and. The auction block was a frequent sight during slavery. The situation changed dramatically with the coming of the civil rights movement of the 1950s. Washington begins his autobiography by describing the destitute conditions of his childhood in slavery.
Smallwood sought to give a new history of american slavery starting in africa, and detailing how the horrors of crossing the atlantic, the commodification of slaves, and the captivity led to. Smallwood slave trade gold coast 16751725 englands royal african company the gold coast in the atlantic world contents the half century 16751725. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading saltwater slavery. An ambitious, innovative and highly successful feature of. For example, she argues that enslaved people leaving africa had little idea where they were being taken or what was to be required of them when they arrived. Slavery occurs relatively rarely among huntergatherer populations because it develops under conditions of social stratification. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora discussion and chapter questions and find saltwater slavery. Turning african captives into atlantic commodities smallwood discusses the commodification of african slaves in greater detail, describing the process through which traders turned people into property. The cited rawlinson material eightysix notes in chapters 2 and 3 is less valuable, as it now may be found in robin laws threevolume set law 19972006. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora kindle edition by smallwood, stephanie e download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Smallwood offers a penetrating look at the process of enslavement from its african origins through the middle passage and into the american slave market. By the end of the 18th century, the situation had improved only a little. Occidental, oriental, and african slave trades, chapter 7. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora, is a book that sought to explore and give new insight into the horrors of slavery. You must use proper scholarly citation format for footnotes see chicago manual of style. Smallwood and the 2008 winner of the frederick douglass book prize. Stephanie smallwoods saltwater slavery is the new starting point for studies of the middle passage and required reading for students of the black atlantic. Smallwood herself describes the subject, writing, saltwater slavery brings the people aboard slave ships to. However the social, economic, and legal positions of slaves have differed vastly in different systems of slavery in different times and places. Mortality rates were high for slaves, especially infants. Making careful use of the primary sources at the national archives at. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts.
Saltwater slavery reaction academic essay write my essay. Smallwoods story is animated by deep research and gives us a startlingly graphic experience of. This bold, innovative book promises to radically alter our understanding of the atlantic slave trade, and the depths of its horrors. Love this site, but this is not a list on the african slave trade, it is a list of books about slavery. Stephanie smallwoods saltwater slavery sets a new standard.
It will take the form of a summary critique a combination book report and evaluation. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora cambridge. Bailey, african voices of the atlantic slave trade, chapter 6. Pangloss, teaches him that their world is the best of all possible worlds, and everything that transpires in this world is for the best. During slavery, the enslaved were generally only referred to by first name.
Stephanie e smallwood smallwoods story gives us a graphic experience of the slave trade from the vantage point of the slaves themselves. Candide grows up in the home of baron thundertentronckh in the german province of westphalia. Flight from slavery many slaves left their family to fight in the civil war with the hopes of making some money. Focused on the british slave trade from the gold coast between 1675 and 1725, saltwater slavery offers a broadly relevant exploration of the processes of commodification and forced migration. In the last two chapters smallwood describes the experiences of captives. The paramount difficulty in studying the atlantic slave trade is in trying to include the perspective of its victims, the africans kidnapped from their homes, brutalized during the middle passage, and then dispersed in the americas among a hostile and. The paramount difficulty in studying the atlantic slave trade is in trying to include the perspective of its victims, the africans kidnapped from their homes, brutalized during the. By chronicling the difficulties that beset former slaves, washington illustrates both the necessity for the adoption of his program and the unfortunate consequences that can befall those who do not follow it. Your writing assignments should be doublespaced and typed in 12point font with one inch margins.
It is at once a harrowing evocation of the middle passage, a brilliant account of the ways that africans and europeans made sense of the bloody process in which they were joined, and a subtle critique of the categories of historical inquiry. Smallwood includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 7 chapters, as well as several. Captives would be shackled around the wrists with short. The coming of freedom brought two points to the surface with which most negroes agreed. The ends hung loose and were used to carry money and other valuables. To be a slave chapter 2, the auction block summary. Lose your mother 2006, scholarship calling for a fully loaded cost accounting of slavery has countered the earlier weight. Smallwood, saltwater slavery, introduction through chapter 4 harding, there is a river, chapter 1 week 4 february 48 tuesday, feb. The history of slavery originally was the history of the governments laws and policies toward slavery, and the political debates about it. The history of slavery spans many cultures, nationalities, and religions from ancient times to the present day. Stephanie e smallwood stephanie smallwood offers a penetrating look at the process of enslavement from its african origins through the middle passage and into the american slave market. From nell painters landmark essay, soul murder, to saidiya hartmans recent travel memoir.
Up from slavery study guide chapter 2 boyhood days the coming of freedom brought two points to the surface with which most negroes agreed. Kaplan ethnic studies stephanie smallwood, chapter 2. The anomalous intimacies of the slave cargo saltwater slavery. Saltwater slavery written by stephanie smallwood was an intriguing read about the journey of captives along the atlantic passage to the americas. Smallwood examines the interaction between europeans and africans in the gold coast slave trade during the seventeenth through eighteenth centuries. The slave trade and the african diaspora chapter 6 the. The result is both a remarkable transatlantic view of the culture of enslavement, and a painful, intimate vision of the bloody, daily business of the slave trade. Washington never even knew his fathers name, because. With this new study of transatlantic slavery, smallwood promises to add an unprecedented dimension to research on american slavery.
Saltwater africans are african slaves who survived the dangerous and terrifying middle passage, or the middle part of the atlantic triangle trade in which slaves were transported from africa. Like their transatlantic and riverine counter parts, u. Apr 23, 2019 a text b txt 2 rdacontent 337 a unmediated b n 2 rdamedia 338 a volume b nc 2 rdacarrier 245 1 0 a saltwater slavery. Sometimes slaves were traded or sold in an informal process through two businessmen. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora cambridge, ma. Afa week 6 saltwater slavery written by stephanie smallwood. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. The first desire is to change their names to mark their selfpossession. Educated at columbia and duke, smallwood has received grants to do research in the united kingdom and ghana from. In the final two chapters, smallwood turns from african markets and. Oct 06, 2008 while in jamaica, as edward long has calculated, 10% of the saltwater negroes died during each year of the seasoning period which usually lasted three years, in surinam 30% died during the first year alone mostly of yaws. A slave in rough linen pants with a matching jacket and a hat was at his sunday best. Turning african captives into atlantic commodities. She begins her narrative on the shores of seventeenthcentury africa, tracing how the trade in human bodies came to define the life of the gold coast.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In saltwater slavery, stephanie smallwood attempts to reconstruct the atlantic slave trade from the perspective of africans. Throughout the book, smallwood stresses africans varied responses to their attempted commodification, and slave traders thoroughly scientific 43 development of institutions, methods, and sites of incarceration to carry out this commodification. Black history was promoted very largely at black colleges. This essay examines the ubiquitous presence of venus in the archive of atlantic slavery and wrestles with the impossibility of discovering anything about her that hasnt already been stated. Smallwood includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 7 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Saltwater slavery is animated by deep research and gives us a graphic experience of the slave. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide smallwood, stephanie e. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora is a book by stephanie. He is not quite sure when he was born, since his father was a slave owner and his mother was a slave, and there were no records kept of his birth. The book should fall within the parameters of the time period that continue reading saltwater slavery by smallwood. Up from slavery study guide chapter 2 boyhood days. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora stephanie e.
Drawing on both the business records and the voluminous correspondence of the royal african company rac, the books seven chapters follow the trajectory. Making careful use of the primary sources at the national archives at kew, smallwood follows 300,000 captives taken from what is now ghana, between 1675 and 1725, to widening circles of the diaspora in the americas. This 33page guide for saltwater slavery by stephanie e. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of up from slavery and what it means. African company rac, the books seven chapters follow the trajectory from. Most people growing up in slavery did not know what slavery and freedom really meant because they rarely left the plantation or heard news from outside the plantation boundaries. Turning african captives in to atlantic commodities, saltwater slavery. As one can imagine, a book written about the african experience, based on european accounts can bring about a few doubts. Smallwoods excellent book saltwater slavery has attracted less attention than it deserves.
Smallwoods story is animated by deep research and gives us a startlingly graphic experience of the slave trade from the vantage point of the. Thus, to talk about the atlantic slave ship experience asread more about saltwater slavery reaction academic. Slave owners usually sold their slaves to get out of debt or sell a problem slave, one who was belligerent or ran away often. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora is a book by stephanie e. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora, chapter 3 lecturediscussion five.
The first realization of slavery is a recurring element in many slave narratives and early african american autobiographies. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. He was born and raised on a plantation in franklin county, virginia around 1858 or 1859. Yet the slave ship looks different when viewed in its coastal u.
It will take the form of a summary critique a combination book report and evaluation that identifies the continue reading saltwater slavery. Instant downloads of all 1291 litchart pdfs including up from slavery. Anglo saxons and mexicans, race and manifest destiny. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. In chapters ii and iii, washington continues to lay the foundation for the elaboration of his social program of racial uplift. Stephanie smallwood, saltwater slavery mit opencourseware. A middle passage from africa to american diaspora study guide questions and answers.
Jun 30, 2009 saltwater slavery is animated by deep research and gives us a graphic experience of the slave trade from the vantage point of the slaves themselves. The atlantic slave trade grew to match rice production. Culture, kinship, and religion in the africanportuguese world, 14411770 chapel hill, nc. Newly freed slaves have two immediate and pressing desires, according to washington. In the last chapter we learn that only in 1720s tidewater virginia did a population of americanborn descendants of saltwater. Some soldiers would help recapture said slaves and send them back to work for a small fee. Saltwater slavery a middle passage from africa to american diaspora. Saltwater slavery succeeds in its primary objective of bringing the people aboard. What are saltwater africans in africanamerican history. In the book, smallwood attempts to reconstruct the experiences the captives suffered throughout the journey into slavery.
Dec 15, 2008 ultimately, saltwater slavery details how african people were transformed into atlantic commodities in the process. The transformation began at the oceanfront, where the captives witnessed the market where they were sold. Saltwater slaves slaves taken from africa, rather than country born were inspected and branded on coastal forts in africa, shipped overseas where many died, then sold and marched to plantations. Announcements week 3 american empire and chattel slavery october 10 reginald horsman, chapter 11.
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