Slavery Systems

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History

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Nov 24, 2024

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1 Slavery Systems Student’s Name Course University Professor’s Name Date

2 Slavery Systems Africa's long and complicated relationship with slavery dates back to prehistoric times. There were several kinds of servitude in pre-colonial Africa, and they originated in politics, economics, and religion ( Lovejoy, 2011) . Unlike the slave systems established by European nations in the New World, these existed independently. Slavery appeared in several forms across Africa. Conquest, debt, or criminal punishment were all viable pathways to servitude in some communities. Slavery in Africa was not founded exclusively on racial factors, and enslaved people typically had some legal protections and social benefits, including the chance at eventual independence ( Lovejoy, 2011) . Slavery in Africa, though, frequently occurred within the preexisting clan and societal institutions, facilitating some degree of absorption. Enslaved people often became integral members of their masters' families and social circles. The transatlantic slave trade and the Middle Passage are significant aspects of the enslavement systems in Africa and the New World. As Lewis (2005) documented, the Middle Passage involved the coerced transportation of millions of Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. The New World slave trade relied heavily on this trip, notorious for its terrible conditions, overcrowding, and high mortality rates ( Lewis, 2005) . The Middle Passage, a historical event that involved the forced separation of individuals from their communities, families, and homes, resulted in the transmission of trauma and isolation across generations (Lewis, 2005). The institution of slavery in the New World, established by European powers including the Spanish, Dutch, French, and English, exhibited notable distinctions when compared to slavery as practiced in Africa and the Middle East. New World slavery was racially oriented and intended to exploit Africans for agricultural labor on big estates, in contrast to the various and context-dependent African systems. Enslaved

3 people in the New World were considered property, frequently attacked with lethal force, and denied all civil liberties ( Lovejoy, 2011) . As chattel enslaved people, they were treated as property that could be exchanged for money or passed down via families. The Middle Passage has left a painful and essential legacy that links the slave systems of Africa and the New World. There was a lot of death and suffering on the long trip, which helped dehumanize the African people ( Lovejoy, 2011) . Enslaved people already traumatized by the transatlantic voyage endured far more abuse once they arrived in the New World. The Middle Passage serves as a compelling manifestation of the moral corruption inherent in the slave institutions of the New World and the transatlantic slave trade. During the colonial period (1500s to mid-1700s) in the Americas, the Spanish, English, and French sought colonization for different reasons and used different methods of force and labor. The Spanish encomienda system, which enslaved indigenous people for resource extraction, contributed to their pursuit of wealth. That led to the repartimiento system. The English used indentured slavery in their colonialism to facilitate agricultural expansion. Due to financial pressures and prejudice, chattel slavery became the norm. On the other hand, the French prioritized commerce and encouraged indigenous communities to work together in the fur trade. Using native intermediaries helped reduce the importance of slavery at the outset. As their colonies grew, the French accepted a milder form of African slavery. Different economic goals informed how colonists interacted with indigenous people and how the latter responded to forced labor.

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4 References Lewis, E. (2000). To Make Our World Anew. Volume I: A History of African Americans to 1880 . Oxford University Press, USA. Lovejoy, P. E. (2011). Transformations in slavery: a history of slavery in Africa (Vol. 117). Cambridge University Press. Willis, J. R. (2014). Slaves and Slavery in Africa: Volume One: Islam and the Ideology of Enslavement (Vol. 1). Routledge.

Slavery Systems

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