...Comparison Approaching the end of forced slavery, birth was given to the new genre of literature. Fugitive Slave Narratives, the new genre, have become highly recognized in the literary world. These narratives have been analyzed thoroughly by scholars, as well as influenced the enhancement of learning today. Well-known author, Frederick Douglass, was able to recollect and share his childhood through his book entitled “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” Slave Narrative author, Harriet Jacobs, also shared her slave childhood through her book “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.” Both authors take out a piece of them and put it down on paper for the public to be aware of the things they suffered through. However, the contrast in their gender influences the differences in their experiences. Although it would be coming to an end, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs were born into slavery. Together, they suffered pain and agony of seeing things that children should see. In recalling their childhood, both authors can remember pain. Douglass watched African-American men and women beaten by their masters for any or no reason at all. Jacobs had her family torn apart from her every time one of her masters died. The two wrote explaining not only their suffering and agony, but also their excitement. Douglass was being taught to read and write by his mistress and even when she was instructed to discontinue his teachings, he continued to learn any way he saw fit. When...
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...Olaudah Equiano was a man that went through hell and back. Throughout his life time he experienced slavery, pain, and loneliness. Equiano wrote of this amazing and detailed journey and shared the things he saw and experienced throughout his life. In this essay I will be talking about his journey in two ways. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, he explains his detailed experience and in his biography it explains less details about Equiano but it goes into detail when it comes to location, facts, and slave work force. In my essay I will compare and contrast the differences and similarities between the interesting narrative of Olaudah Equiano and his biography. I will prove that Equiano interesting narrative is true based off the comparison of his biography....
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...first instance of cruel human labor in the history of the world, but some may argue that it was the harshest. Flora Tristan says in her piece from the London Journal, “Since I have known the English proletariat I no longer think that slavery is the greatest human misfortune.” (1) Cruel labor is an injustice that originated in ancient civilizations, became worse in the eighteenth century, and unfortunately still exists today. No matter what event you choose to focus on, between the Atlantic Slave Trade, to the London Laboring Classes and its child labor, to the more recent sweatshops that still exist in Asia, the pain and suffering these people had to go through and are still going through is not only inhumane, but also immoral. “The London Laboring Classes” is an excerpt from the London Journal by Flora Tristan. The article is broken down into two parts: Factory Workers and Prostitutes. Tristan wrote this article in order to expose the cruelties suffered by industrial workers, women, and slaves, during the Industrial Revolution. It would be an injustice to Tristan if I paraphrase her shocking description of the life of the factory worker, so I’ll quote her directly. “Most of the workers lack clothing, a bed, furniture, a fire, wholesome food, and often even potatoes! They are shut up twelve to fourteen hours a day in mean rooms where they breathe in, along with foul air, cotton, wool, and linen fibers, particles of copper, lead, iron, etc., and frequently go from insufficient nourishment...
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...Mihir Patel Western Civilization Columbus’ Voyages Lead to Globalization In the period of 15th and 16th century, Europe was in a wave to discover the world and compatible to conquer the lands around the globe. It was an era of many radical changes. Around Europe, new political, religions, and economic systems were establishing and were desperate to build novel relationship with the people around the globe. Many sailors were competing to discover the new world and start the global exchange process. Therefore, the historians today label it as the “Age of Discovery.” In the age of discovery, Europe was in search of water path to India because the Persian society had conquered the road path known as the “Silk Road” and blocked the exchange between...
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...Donahue1 Bennett Donahue Mr. McElrath English III Honors 05 September 2014 A Trustworthy Puritan Although De Vaca, Equiano, and Smith were all brave and courageous men, William Bradford, the puritan for the historical narrative “Of Plymouth Plantation,” reveals himself to be most reliable and trustworthy. Bradford demonstrates that he is a strong believer in God, and a selfless leader among men by using emotional diction, biblical allusions, and his religiously based figurative language in order to show his tremendous leadership and his unbreakable loyalty to God and his men. Right off the bat, there is Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. Yes, long name, but with that long name comes a long, perilous voyage that gambled his life at numerous occasions. De Vaca’s ship would have been the last place on earth that you would have wanted to be. De Vaca portrays himself as the leader of the ship, which he very well was, but he talks in a selfish way as if he was the strongest member on the ship. He writes, “When night fell, only the navigator and I remained able to tend to the barge,” he seems to recall moments only when he was the strong one to survive, or how he was able to brave through the hardships that he met(De Vaca 74). Now, De Vaca was a religious man. He praised god and mentioned that the reason why his barge was still afloat was due to the grace of god. Although he does mention god, he doesn't write like William Bradford, for example he refrains from saying that ...
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...become a slave in the West Indies. In the West Indies (Barbados) he was put up for sale to work in the sugar plantations. Then in 1766, he was sold to a Virginian farmer to be a slave there. He was a slave in North America for ten years, and then he was allowed to buy his freedom. He left North American and went to Great Britain. In Great Britain he worked as a barber and became an abolish nest. He spoke out against slavery and in 1789 wrote a book about his life called “The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African”,...
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...incorporates the behaviours and beliefs characteristic of a particular society. More broadly put it signifies what is normal or acceptable in a particular social setting. Slave culture is no different. Though African slaves were shipped from different parts of Africa as individuals, there was no accommodation for the retention of family units. This voyage of death became their common experience. The hardship endured in the crucible of the Atlantic crossing contributed to the state of mind and their view of the new world in which they were exiled. It was this new experience that began to shape the new African Culture. Slaves from differing colonies were thrown together and forced to form communities and work groups. Work dominated their very existence. There was no consideration for their independence or their need for socialization. Family relationships forged by fellow slaves became the foundation on which slave cultural life was built. Within these family groups, not recognised by the European settlers, emerged a broadly based slave culture of beliefs, social organization, and private and communal values, which enabled slaves to cope with the rigors of their life. The promulgation of religious belief and customs was very potent in these family groups. In the confines of the family group, young slaves were taught the religion of their ancestors referred to by the Europeans as African heathenism or obeah . Christianity, introduced by the Europeans, was couched in the...
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...Global Exploration and global empires 1500-1700 Name: Institution: Course: Date: Slave trade was so evident in European countries because most Europeans would get Africans and sell them in European markets to work in their farms. They would be punished, beaten, overworked and also not well taken care of. Most of them died in the work places due to lack of energy and food. So they would not go on with the work. The Portuguese were people who were specialized in many different types of work like merchants, artisans, vendors and shoppers (David, 1987). They were very hardworking people such that by early morning they were moving towards the docks in Lisbon. Portugal built an empire based on commerce. This was in September 1600. The people who had arrived early had the opportunity of getting goods from the four continents; Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. Each of these countries provided different goods that arrived by ship in Portugal (Bland, 2001). Example of these goods are, wheat, ,glass, weapons, honey, ebony, coral, salt, coconut oil, and camphor, among others. Brazil supplied sugar and Brazil wood. There was massive competition for cargoes and profits between Italian city states like Venice and Genoa, and Muslim merchants (David, 1987). This stimulated the Europeans to look for overseas routes to the Indies and the spice lands. By this time, the Portuguese were looking for sea routes. ...
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...exploration, hardship, and religion. It is these central ideas around which all early American writing is based. The first prominent theme that appeared in the literature of Christopher Columbus and the many great explorers that followed in his footsteps was that of exploration. With the mission to sail West across the Atlantic Ocean and report back with their findings, these explorers wrote down all of their noteworthy experiences in journals and narratives. So, it is only natural that the theme of exploration can be found in many of these literary works. For example, in Christopher Columbus’ Report of the First Voyage, he details the discovery of the Canary Islands as well as their inhabitants; a settlement of people who had never before been known to exist. Throughout the report, Columbus describes nearly everything that he sees as he explores the islands and the curious people who call them home. Exploration is the central theme in just about every popular literary piece from this period, including Verrazzano’s Voyage and The...
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...Middle Passage. He was served under various masters until, with enough money, purchased his freedom in 1766. During a visit to London, he became involved with an abolitionist movement. He petitioned to the Queen in 1788 and even wrote an autobiography called: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. 10 years after his death, slavery was abolished in Great Britain. Although Equiano did not live to see these events, his actions as an abolitionist played an important part in bringing them about. In the mid to late 18th century, Olaudah Equiano was an outstanding example of courage and perseverance through his experiences as a slave, his societal class, and his religion. Equiano was captured at an early age in his homeland and shipped across the Atlantic to Barbados and then Virginia. He was then quickly purchased by a Royal Navy officer, Lieutenant Michael Pascal, who renamed him 'Gustavus Vassa' after the 16th-century Swedish king. Equiano wished, as any slave of that day, to be freed. Unfortunately, Pascal learning of Equiano's desire, and cruelly sold him...
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...! Voyages and Visions Essay Exam! 1. Mary Rowlandson in ‘A Narrative of the Captivity’ sees a sense of hope and gives her suffering all to God, even though her daughter has faced death, as she says: “Thus nine days I sat upon my knees, with my babe in my lap, till my flesh was raw….” (Page 65). She also makes a reference to the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy; where Moses warns that God will bless those who obey Him and curse those who do not. “So I took the Bible, and in that melancholy time, it came into my mind to read the first chapter of Deuteronomy, which I did, and when I had read it, my dark heart wrought on this manner, that there was no mercy for me, that the blessings were gone, and the curses come in their room, and that I had lost my opportunity” (Page 67). But, instead of losing her last resolve, she continues to read on; “But the Lord helped me still to go on reading till I came to chapter 30.. there was mercy promised again, if we would return to Him by repentance; and though we were scattered from one end of the Earth to the other, yet the Lord would gather us together, and turn all those curses upon our enemies. I do not desire to live to forget this Scripture, and what comfort it was to me….” (Page 67). This shows that even through her misery from losing her daughter and being held in captivity, she gave it all to the Lord; and prayed in finding peace and a new life. With her faith, nearing the end of her long journey, she states: “ But I was fain...
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...America is commonly referred to as the land of opportunity. Whether it's to escape war, flee poverty or to find freedom, people come to America today to fulfill their “American dream.” Many of the reasons why people came to colonial America 400 years ago are the same reasons why people still come today. They are in search of a better life for their families. The opportunities were so good, many of the people were willing to come to colonial America as an indentured servant in order to reap the benefits America provided, including cheaper land, higher wages and the promise of religious freedom. Colonial America offered many people economic stability. In document 3 and 5, we can see how many financial benefits were offered to the poor. They...
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...Paper #2 – Origins of Islam in America Trevor Pace A00763129 It seems that when it comes to the first Muslims in America it is a little unclear, however several sources that I found believe that it was first in the 12th century and ties in with the voyage of Columbus. “The Navigator of Columbus, who during the famous voyage, brought along a copy of a travel narrative written by Portuguese Muslims who had sailed to the New World in the 12th century. The narrative by al-Idrisi was called "The Sea of Tears"”. (Ahari, 1998) Next during the 14th century with Muslims that came from the Senegabian region of Africa, “It is believed they were Moors, expelled from Spain, who made their way to the Caribbean and possibly to the Gulf of Mexico” (Cowan, 2006) Then with the 16th century with Istafan, the Arab, “who was a guide for the Spanish that wished to settle the area that would later be called Arizona in 1539”. (Ahari, 1998) The next major instance of Islam in America happened with slavery in the 18th century. This is the first real wave of Muslims in America as it is said that “Historians estimate that between 15 to 30 percent of all enslaved African men, and less than 15 percent of the enslaved African women, were Muslims” (Samuel S. Hill, 2005). Next in the late 19th and early 20th century Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, particularly from Syria and Lebanon, arrived in large numbers. “Many were settling in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and even the Dakotas. Like most other migrants...
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...How The Americas got started Charlene Cochran Matthew DeFraga His/115 8/12/10 How the Americas got started North American started to civilize about 35,000 years ago. There was a land mass that acted as a bridge like structure that connected Europe and Alaska. Many natives used this land mass to cross over to the Americas. When the Ice age ended the water level rose over the land mass which was submerged leaving the native that were here stranded with no way to go back across to their land. This is how the first descendants as well as their animal made it into North Americans over the years the natives started settlements of different tribes though out North America, Central, and South Americans. They were the first inhabitants (Axia College2010). These people were nomads which means they moved around a lot. The men of the tribe would hunt and fish for food . They also used Animal hides for their clothes and blankets. The women of the tribe plant gardens they also harvest them for more crops like wheat and corn. They also took care of the home and the children which they took pride in. They had to adapt to the lands while strengthening the society. They also would share their food with other settlements. They each developed their own language along with their religious belief. Many Europeans came to America by boats and ships through exploration. There were a few explorers by the 1300’s . One was Eric the Red he was a Viking. He was the first European...
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...Captivity had been around since the beginning of time. Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano wrote their experiences with captivity, with different messages in mind. They dealt with fear and terror while being subjected to the evils of captivity. Although they did deal with fear, they learned from their experiences. Both Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano suffered from the horrors of kidnapping; Mary Rowlandson was captured by Native Americans in 1864, while Olaudah Equiano was captured by African slave traders and later sold to white slave traders. Through life before, during, and after captivity, Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano can be compared and contrasted. Mary Rowlandson was a young mother of three living on the frontier under the constant threat of a Native American attack. “In February 1676, she [Mary] and her three children were carried away by a Wampanoag raiding party that wanted to trade hostages for money” (Rowlandson 35). The colony Mary lived in was surrounded by Native Americans. The attackers burned down houses and opened fire on the settlers, wounding and killing several of them, and taking a number of the survivors as captives. The Native Americans begin to lead their captives, including Rowlandson and her three children, from the settlement into the surrounding wilderness. Olaudah Equiano was a member of the Ibo people, born in a part of West Africa that is now Nigeria. Olaudah was the youngest of the sons and became his mother’s favorite. His mother...
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