Nearly 20% of the People on Board has died.
Slaves were treated harshly, slave owners whipped and beats the slaves.
Slavery profoundly altered the traditional way of life for Africans in North America by forcibly uprooting individuals from their ancestral homes, cultures, and communities. Enslaved Africans were subjected to harsh labor conditions on plantations, which disrupted familial structures and traditional practices. Their rich cultural heritage was often suppressed, yet it also led to the emergence of new cultural expressions, blending African traditions with those of European and Indigenous peoples. Overall, slavery imposed a brutal hierarchy that redefined social, economic, and cultural dynamics in North American societies.
Sought refuge in their families, religion and music
They blended their languages, cultures, and religions to create something new.
The first Africans brought to Colonial America on English occupied territory came ashore at Point Comfort, today's Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. They were later transported to plantations including Jamestown. The White Lion, an English ship flying a Dutch Flag brought the first Africans to Virginia in August of 1619. The fist enslaved Africans were considered indentured servants but in 1661 the Virginia House of Burgess declared Africans to be slaves for life.
The causes of slavery in North America were primarily economic, social, and political. The demand for labor-intensive crops like tobacco, cotton, and sugar drove plantation owners to seek a workforce, leading to the importation of enslaved Africans. Additionally, racial ideologies and legal frameworks were established to justify and sustain the practice of slavery, embedding it into the social fabric of society. The expansion of agricultural economies in the South contrasted with the more industrialized North, further entrenching the institution of slavery in American life.
Information on the life of enslaved Africans is based on historical records, narratives written by enslaved individuals and abolitionists, archaeological findings, oral traditions, and scholarly research. These sources provide insight into the experiences, challenges, and resilience of enslaved Africans during the transatlantic slave trade and the period of slavery in the Americas.
Africans told stories because they had wanted to keep their culture alive. When they were enslaved, africans were forbidden to read or write. As a solution, they told stories to teach their children about their culture and life.
Sought refuge in their families, religion and music
French settlements in North America were centered around fur trading, agriculture, and Catholic missionary efforts. The society was hierarchical with French settlers at the top, followed by Indigenous peoples and enslaved Africans. Conflict often arose with British colonies and Indigenous tribes, leading to tensions and wars. French culture, language, and Catholicism influenced daily life in these settlements.
They blended their languages, cultures, and religions to create something new.
Slavery drastically altered the traditional way of life for Africans in North America by forcibly uprooting them from their homes and cultures, subjecting them to brutal conditions, and stripping them of their autonomy. Enslaved Africans were compelled to work on plantations and in households, disrupting their familial structures and community ties. Additionally, their cultures were often suppressed, leading to the emergence of a distinct African American identity that blended African traditions with adaptations to their new realities. This system entrenched racial hierarchies and inequalities that have had lasting impacts on American society.
The first person to be enslaved for life in the United States was John Punch, an African servant who was sentenced to a lifetime of servitude in 1640. This judgment marked the beginning of the legal establishment of slavery based on race in British North America.
Enslaved Africans were forced to endure the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a journey that involved being captured in Africa, transported across the Atlantic Ocean on crowded and unsanitary ships, and then sold into slavery in the Americas. This journey was often referred to as the Middle Passage and resulted in unimaginable suffering and loss of life for millions of enslaved Africans.
The first Africans brought to Colonial America on English occupied territory came ashore at Point Comfort, today's Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. They were later transported to plantations including Jamestown. The White Lion, an English ship flying a Dutch Flag brought the first Africans to Virginia in August of 1619. The fist enslaved Africans were considered indentured servants but in 1661 the Virginia House of Burgess declared Africans to be slaves for life.
The second leg of the triangular trade, often referred to as the "Middle Passage," involved the transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas. Ships would leave Europe loaded with goods, such as textiles and firearms, which were traded in Africa for enslaved people. These enslaved individuals were then transported to the New World, where they were sold to work on plantations, particularly in the Caribbean and southern colonies of North America. This brutal journey was marked by inhumane conditions and significant loss of life.
Religion was a second refuge for slaves
Music was so important to Africans because they used to tell they slave life in songs