American History: The American History: The Early Days part 4Early Days part 4

Africans Come to the Africans Come to the AmericasAmericas

Labor IssuesLabor Issues

The New World was The New World was booming with product booming with product from mines and from mines and plantations, however plantations, however their labor force was their labor force was being decimated by being decimated by Natives dieing off from Natives dieing off from disease and overwork. disease and overwork. What will the poor What will the poor Europeans do?Europeans do?

ReplacementsReplacements

To give you an idea, at To give you an idea, at the time of Columbus the time of Columbus the Natives north of the Natives north of Mexico were about 10 Mexico were about 10 million. This number million. This number would drop to less than would drop to less than a million. Colonists, a million. Colonists, including Las Casas will including Las Casas will suggest replacing them suggest replacing them with Africans – why they with Africans – why they were already immune!!!were already immune!!!

The Slave Trade: Middle The Slave Trade: Middle PassagePassage

Most slaves came from Most slaves came from the interior of Africa. the interior of Africa. They were then taken to They were then taken to the coast and put on the coast and put on boats in what was called boats in what was called middle passage. Here middle passage. Here they were stacked next they were stacked next to each other below the to each other below the deck – kind of like wood. deck – kind of like wood. Terrible conditions Terrible conditions where many died before where many died before arriving, I’ll explain.arriving, I’ll explain.

African DiasporaAfrican Diaspora

African Diaspora African Diaspora means the scattering means the scattering of Africans all over the of Africans all over the New World. Between New World. Between the 1520’s and the 1520’s and 1860’s, 12 million 1860’s, 12 million Africans were shipped Africans were shipped across the Atlantic. 4 across the Atlantic. 4 million to Brazil to million to Brazil to work sugar work sugar plantations.plantations.

African DiasporaAfrican Diaspora

2 million went to the 2 million went to the colonies of New Spain. colonies of New Spain. 3 million went to the 3 million went to the British and French British and French colonies in the colonies in the Caribbean and Latin Caribbean and Latin America. 600,000 America. 600,000 went to North America. went to North America. Colonial America Colonial America would quickly set up would quickly set up laws treating slaves as laws treating slaves as property – however, property – however, treatment of slaves treatment of slaves varied. I’ll explain.varied. I’ll explain.

Slave Culture in AmericasSlave Culture in Americas

African slaves came from all over Africa and African slaves came from all over Africa and had many different customs and languages. had many different customs and languages. However, they did share many customs However, they did share many customs and viewpoints which they would use to and viewpoints which they would use to build an African-American culture. Families build an African-American culture. Families were a vital part of the slave community, were a vital part of the slave community, providing a refuge that was not fully under providing a refuge that was not fully under a slaveholders control. These families were a slaveholders control. These families were many times broken up as family members many times broken up as family members were sold. In Latin America, there were were sold. In Latin America, there were many more males than females making it many more males than females making it difficult to form stable families.difficult to form stable families.

Slave Culture in the Slave Culture in the AmericasAmericas

Religion was also Religion was also important. Mainly important. Mainly Christian, it included Christian, it included traditional elements traditional elements from African religions. from African religions. Religion gave slaves a Religion gave slaves a sense of worth and a sense of worth and a hope for salvation. hope for salvation. Spirituals were a Spirituals were a common form of common form of expression as well as art expression as well as art and dance.and dance.

GullahGullah

I’ll tell the story of I’ll tell the story of Gullah South Gullah South Carolina.Carolina.

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American History: The Early Days American History: The Early Days ReviewReview