Slavery, Freedom, and British Empire in the Colonial Period

1. OlaudahEquano • 1789 The Interesting Narrative of the Life of OlaudahEquiano • 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 • 18th century- Height of slave trade • 1700-1775- 280,000 slaves out of 585,000 persons • Contradictions in British America • Liberty for whom? Slavery, Freedom, and British Empire in the Colonial Period

2. 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 #1: Slavery and Empire

3. 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 Africa and the Slave Trade

4. 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 and 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 Colonies

5. 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 Slavery in the North

6. In the Nether World… • Charter generations (Ira Berlin) • Abduhl Rahman, Natchez, Mississippi • Process of creating cohesive culture • 19th 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 Slave Culture

7. 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

8. 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

9. #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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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: 16th century Britain • Freedom of press: viewed as dangerous/discouraged

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