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.
There was no slavery in the North.
The Transatlantic trade brought Africans to North America as slaves, most of whom were agricultural workers. Eventually, racist attitudes made it much harder for Africans and their descendants to buy their freedom than it was for European indentured servants in the New World.
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
They blended their languages, cultures, and religions to create something new.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Religion was a second refuge for slaves
Enslaved Africans in New Spain made significant contributions to its economy, primarily through labor in agriculture, mining, and domestic service. They also played a role in shaping the cultural, culinary, and musical landscape of the region, influencing aspects of language, music, dance, and religion. Additionally, some enslaved Africans were able to gain freedom and achieve social mobility through skilled trades and entrepreneurship.
Music was so important to Africans because they used to tell they slave life in songs
More Africans were in America or captured and taken to America than in Africa.