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You are required to write a 4-page essay. Essays are to be type-written in a normal format and font, double-spaced, with your name at the top, and a title. Papers should be written as a persuasive-style essay, which means proposing a thesis, then elaborating on that idea by evidencing assertions, as well as concluding your discussion with persuasive reasoning. Papers must include relevant quotes and references from Primary and Secondary Sources with properly cited source information. Beyond summarizing your topic or rehearsing a source, the point of these papers is to propose a thesis in a way that shows you have intellectually or critically reflected on it. The evaluation of these papers will hinge largely on the thoughtful engagement they exhibit, but grammar, spelling, and clarity of expression will also be taken into account.
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Paper Requirements and Rubric:
DO NOT USE HISTORY.COM, BRITANNICA.COM, WIKIPEDIA.COM or similar commercial
websites as sources.
You may use Google Books, JSTOR, Ebscohost (http://bit.ly/2usXPgp). Or, actual books
work too.
Your paper or essay should have a thesis statement that states an argument, a body in
which the argument is made, and a conclusion in which you prove your point.
Your paper must be neat, well-organized, and largely free of typos, misspellings, and
grammatical mistakes. It must be double spaced. It must be at least 4 pages..
You must reference 1 Primary Source and 1 Secondary Source for this assignment and use
direct quotes.
(A Primary Source is a source of information, written or created, at or around the time of the
topic under consideration, or from an eyewitness. A Secondary Source is a source of
information, written or created, at a later date usually to explain or historicize the topic under
consideration, and typically by someone who was not there at the time.)
Be sure to provide proper citations for all materials you have used.
It is plagiarism, and hence academic misconduct, to use materials, words, or ideas without
proper citation. This will result in a failing grade or worse.
Olaudah Equiano, you can access the full ebook of “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of
Olaudah Equiano” on Google Books.
Here is the short version:
On Olaudah Equiano and the Slave Trade
From The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano
1789
One of the few enslaved Africans able to purchase their freedom, Olaudah Equiano (ca.
1745–1797) drew on his remarkable education and experiences to write an autobiographical
account of kidnapping and slavery in Africa and the Americas. It was published with the help
of British abolitionists, and he promoted his work in Britain with the equivalent of a modern
book tour. Recently discovered evidence suggests that Equiano may have been born in South
Carolina and therefore would not have experienced life in Africa and the Middle Passage.
However, his popular narrative is generally consistent with other accounts of the kidnapping
and enslavement of Africans, and its power to inspire the abolitionist movement is
unquestioned.
Source: Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano (London,1789) in The
Atlantic Slave Trade, ed. David Northrup (Lexington, Mass.: D. C. Heath,1994), 78–79.
One day, when all our people were gone out to their works as usual, and only I and my dear
sister were left to mind the house, two men and a woman got over our walls, and in a
moment seized us both, and, without giving us time to cry out, or make resistance, they
stopped our mouths, and ran off with us into the nearest wood. Here they tied our hands,
and continued to carry us as far as they could, till night came on, when we reached a small
house, where the robbers halted for refreshment, and spent the night. We were then
unbound, but were unable to take any food; and, being quite overpowered by fatigue and
grief, our only relief was some sleep, which allayed our misfortune for a short time. The next
morning we left the house, and continued travelling all the day. For a long time we had kept
[to] the woods, but at last we came to a road which I believed I knew. I now had some hopes
of being delivered;for we had advanced but a little way before I discovered some people at a
distance, on which I began to cry out for their assistance; but my cries had no other effect
than to make them tie me faster and stop my mouth, and then they put me in a large sack.
They also stopped my sister’s mouth, and tied her hands; and in this manner we proceeded
till we were out of sight of these people. When we went to rest the following night, they
offered us some victuals, but we refused it; and the only comfort we had was in being in one
another’s arms all that night, and bathing each other with our tears. But alas!we were soon
deprived of even the small comfort of weeping together.
The next day proved a day of greater sorrow than I had yet experienced;for my sister and I
were then separated, while we lay clasped in each other’s arms. It was in vain that we
besought them not to part us; she was torn from me, and immediately carried away, while I
was left in a state of distraction not to be described. I cried and grieved continually; and for
several days did not eat anything but what they forced into my mouth. At length, after many
days’ travelling, during which I had often changed masters, I got into the hands of a
chieftain, in a very pleasant country. This man had two wives and some children, and they all
used me extremely well, and did all they could to comfort me; particularly the first wife, who
was something like my mother. Although I was a great many days’ journey from my father’s
house, yet these people spoke exactly the same language with us….
From the time I left my own nation, I always found somebody that understood me till I came
to the sea coast. The languages of different nations did not totally differ, nor were they so
copious as those of the Europeans,2particularly the English. They were therefore easily
learned; and, while I was journeying thus through Africa, I acquired two or three different
tongues. In this manner I had been travelling for a considerable time, when, one evening,to
my great surprise, whom should I see brought to the house where I was but my dear sister!
As soon as she saw me, she gave a loud shriek, and ran into my arms — I was quite
overpowered; neither of us could speak, but, for a considerable time, clung to each other in
mutual embraces, unable to do anything but weep. Our meeting affected all who saw us;
and, indeed, I must acknowledge, in honor of those sable destroyers of human rights, that I
never met with any ill treatment, or saw any offered to their slaves, except tying them, when
necessary, to keep them from running away.
When these people knew we were brother and sister, they indulged us to be together; and
the man, to whom I suppose we belonged, lay with us, he in the middle, while she and I held
one another by the hands across his breast all night; and thus for a while we forgot our
misfortunes, in the joy of being together; but even this small comfort was soon to have an
end; for scarcely had the fatal morning appeared when she was again torn from me forever!
I was now more miserable, if possible, than before. The small relief which her presence gave
me from pain, was gone, and the wretchedness of my situation was redoubled by my
anxiety after her fate, and my apprehensions lest her sufferings should be greater than
mine, when I could not be with her to alleviate them….
I continued to travel, sometimes by land, sometimes by water, through different countries
and various nations, till, at the end of six or seven months after I had been kidnapped, I
arrived at the sea coast….
The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast, was the sea, and a slave
ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with
astonishment, which was soon converted into terror, when I was carried on board. I was
immediately handled, tossed up to see if I were sound, by some of the crew, and I was now
persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill
me.Their complexions, too, differing so much from ours, their long hair, and the language
they spoke (which was very different from any I had ever heard),united to confirm me in this
belief. Indeed, such were the horrors of my views and fears at the moment, that, if ten
thousand worlds had been my own, I would have freely parted with them all to have
exchanged my condition with that of the meanest slave in my own country. When I looked
round the ship too, and saw a large furnace of copper boiling, and a multitude of black
people of every description chained together, every one of their countenances expressing
dejection and sorrow. I no longer doubted of my fate, and, quite overpowered with horror
and anguish, I fell motionless on the deck and fainted. When I recovered a little, I found
some black people about me, who I believed were some of those who had brought me on
board, and had been receiving their pay; they talked to me in order to cheer me, but all in
vain. I asked them if we were not to be eaten by these white men with horrible looks, red
faces, and long hair. They told me I was not, and one of the crew brought me a small portion
of spirituous liquor in a wine glass; but being afraid of him, I would not take it out of his
hand. One of the blacks therefore took it from him and gave it to me, and I took a little down
my palate, which,instead of reviving me, as they thought it would, threw me into the greatest
consternation at the strange feeling it produced, having never tasted any such liquor before.
Soon after this, the blacks who brought me on board went off, and left me abandoned to
despair….
At last, when the ship we were in, had got in all her cargo, they made ready with many fearful
noises, and we were all put under deck, so that we could not see how they managed the
vessel. But this disappointment was the least of my sorrow. The stench of the hold while we
were on the coast was so intolerably loathsome, that it was dangerous to remain there for
any time,and some of us had been permitted to stay on the deck for the fresh air; but now
that the whole ship’s cargo was confined together, it became absolutely pestilential. The
closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which
was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This
produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a
variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many
died — thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers.
This wretched situation was again aggravated by the galling of the chains, now became
insupportable, and the filth of the necessary tubs [latrines], into which the children often fell,
and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying,
rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. Happily, perhaps, for myself, I
was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on
deck, and from my extreme youth I was not put in fetters. In this situation I expected every
hour to share the fate of my companions, some of whom were almost daily brought upon
deck at the point of death, which I began to hope would soon put an end to my miseries.
Often did I think of the many inhabitants of the deep much more happy than myself. I envied
them [for] the freedom they enjoyed, and as often wished I could change my condition for
theirs. Every circumstance I met with, served only to render my state more painful, and
heightened my apprehensions, and my opinion of the cruelty of the whites.
One day they had taken a number of fishes; and when they had killed and satisfied
themselves with as many as they thought fit, to our astonishment who were on deck, rather
than give any of them to us to eat, as we expected,they tossed the remaining fish into the
sea again, although we begged and prayed for some as well we could, but in vain….
One day, when we had a smooth sea and a moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen
who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of
misery, somehow made through the nettings and jumped into the sea; immediately, another
quite dejected fellow,who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also
followed their example; and I believe many more would have soon done the same, if they
had not been prevented by the ship’s crew, who were instantly alarmed….
At last we came in sight of the island of Barbadoes, at which the whites on board gave a
great shout, and made many signs of joy to us. We did not know what to think of this; but as
the vessel grew nearer, we plainly saw the harbor, and other ships of different kinds and
sizes, and we soon anchored among them, off Bridgetown. Many merchants and planters
now came on board, though it was in the evening. They put us in separate parcels, and
examined us attentively. They also made us jump, and pointed to the land,signifying we
were to go there. We thought by this, we should be eaten by these ugly men, as they
appeared to us; and, when soon after we were all put down under deck again, there was
much dread and trembling among us,and nothing but bitter cries to be heard all the night
from these apprehensions, insomuch, that at last the white people got some old slaves from
the land to pacify us. They told us we were not to be eaten, but to work,and were soon to go
on land, where we would see many of our country people. This report eased us much. And
sure enough, soon after we were landed, there came to us Africans of all languages.
We were immediately conducted to the merchant’s yard, where we were all pent up together,
like so many sheep in a fold, without regard to sex or age. As every object was new to me,
everything I saw filled me with surprise.What struck me first, was, that the houses were built
with bricks and stories,and every other respect different from those I had seen in Africa; but
I was still more astonished on seeing people on horseback.3 I did not know what this could
mean; and, indeed, I thought these people were full of nothing but magical arts. While I was
in this astonishment, one of my fellow prisoners spoke to a countryman of his, about the
horses, who said they were the same kind they had in their country. I understood them,
though they were from a distant part of Africa; and I thought it odd I had not seen any
horses there; but afterwards, when I came to converse with different Africans, I found they
had many horses amongst them, and much larger than those I then saw.
We were not many days in the merchant’s custody, before we were sold in the usual manner,
which is this: On a signal given (as the beat of a drum),the buyers rush at once into the yard
where the slaves are confined, and make a choice of that parcel they like best. The noise
and clamor with which this is attended, and the eagerness visible in the countenances of
the buyers,serve not a little to increase the apprehension of terrified Africans, who may well
be supposed to consider them as the ministers of that destruction to which they think
themselves devoted. In this manner, without scruple, are relations and friends separated,
most of them never to see each other again.
I remember, in the vessel in which I was brought over, in the men’s apartment, there were
several brothers, who, in the sale, were sold in different lots; and it was very moving on this
occasion, to see and hear their cries at parting. O, ye nominal Christians! might not an
African ask you — Learned you this from your God, who says unto you, Do unto all men as
you would men should do unto you? Is it not enough that we are torn from our country and
friends, to toil for your luxury and lust of gain? Must every tender feeling be likewise
sacrificed to your avarice? Are the dearest friends and relations, now rendered more dear by
their separation from their kindred, still to be parted from each other, and thus prevented
from cheering the gloom of slavery, with the small comfort of being together, and mingling
their sufferings and sorrows? Why are parents to lose their children, brothers their sisters, or
husbands their wives? Surely, this is a new refinement in cruelty, which, while it has no
advantage to atone for it, thus aggravates distress, and adds fresh horrors even to the
wretchedness of slavery.
Paper Requirements and Rubric:
DO NOT USE HISTORY.COM, BRITANNICA.COM, WIKIPEDIA.COM or similar commercial
websites as sources.
You may use Google Books, JSTOR, Ebscohost (http://bit.ly/2usXPgp). Or, actual books
work too.
Your paper or essay should have a thesis statement that states an argument, a body in
which the argument is made, and a conclusion in which you prove your point.
Your paper must be neat, well-organized, and largely free of typos, misspellings, and
grammatical mistakes. It must be double spaced. It must be at least 4 pages..
You must reference 1 Primary Source and 1 Secondary Source for this assignment and use
direct quotes.
(A Primary Source is a source of information, written or created, at or around the time of the
topic under consideration, or from an eyewitness. A Secondary Source is a source of
information, written or created, at a later date usually to explain or historicize the topic under
consideration, and typically by someone who was not there at the time.)
Be sure to provide proper citations for all materials you have used.
It is plagiarism, and hence academic misconduct, to use materials, words, or ideas without
proper citation. This will result in a failing grade or worse.
Purchase answer to see full
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Explanation & Answer:
4 pages
Tags:
slavery
slave trade
Suffering And Results Of Slave Trade
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