✊🏿AP African American Studies Unit 2 – Freedom, Enslavement and Resistance

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Chattel slavery involves the legal ownership of human beings as property that can be bought, sold, and inherited
• Middle Passage refers to the forced transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas
• Triangular Trade encompasses the trade routes between Europe, Africa, and the Americas that facilitated the transatlantic slave trade
• Abolitionism is the movement to end slavery and the slave trade, which gained momentum in the late 18th and early 19th centuries
• Manumission is the act of freeing an enslaved person, either through the enslaver's will or through the enslaved person's self-purchase
• Slave codes are laws that regulated the lives of enslaved people, restricting their rights and freedoms
• Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to free states and Canada

Historical Context

• Transatlantic slave trade began in the 16th century and lasted until the 19th century, forcibly transporting millions of Africans to the Americas
• Slavery was a central component of the colonial and early American economy, particularly in the Southern states
• Enslaved Africans were forced to work on plantations, producing cash crops such as cotton, tobacco, and sugar
• The institution of slavery was deeply intertwined with the development of racist ideologies and practices
• The American Revolution and the ideals of liberty and equality sparked debates about the morality of slavery
• The U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1788, included compromises that protected slavery and the interests of slaveholders
• The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 increased the demand for enslaved labor in the American South

Forms of Enslavement

• Chattel slavery, the most common form in the Americas, treated enslaved people as property that could be bought, sold, and inherited
  • Enslaved people had no legal rights and were subject to the complete control of their enslavers
  • Children born to enslaved mothers were automatically considered enslaved, perpetuating the system across generations
• Debt bondage, also known as peonage, involved forcing individuals to work to pay off a debt, often with little to no wages
• Indentured servitude was a form of contract labor in which individuals worked for a set period in exchange for passage to the colonies
  • While indentured servants had some legal rights, they were often subject to harsh treatment and exploitation
• Convict leasing involved leasing prisoners to private companies for labor, disproportionately affecting African Americans after the Civil War

Mechanisms of Control

• Physical violence, including whipping, beating, and torture, was used to punish and intimidate enslaved people
• Psychological manipulation, such as separating families and promoting a sense of helplessness, was employed to maintain control
• Legal codes, such as slave codes, restricted the rights and freedoms of enslaved people and reinforced the power of enslavers
  • These codes prohibited enslaved people from learning to read and write, owning property, and testifying against white people in court
• Economic control, including limiting access to education and skilled trades, kept enslaved people dependent on their enslavers
• Religious justifications, such as the "curse of Ham," were used to legitimize slavery and portray it as a divine institution
• Surveillance and patrols were used to prevent escapes and monitor the activities of enslaved people

Resistance Strategies

• Running away was a common form of resistance, with enslaved people fleeing to free states, Canada, or forming maroon communities
  • The Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses, assisted enslaved people in their escape to freedom
• Slave rebellions, such as the Stono Rebellion (1739) and Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831), involved armed uprisings against enslavers
• Everyday forms of resistance included slowing down work, feigning illness, sabotaging equipment, and maintaining African cultural practices
• Legal challenges, such as petitioning for freedom suits, were used to contest the legality of slavery in courts
• Participation in the abolitionist movement allowed formerly enslaved people to share their experiences and advocate for emancipation
  • Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth were notable African American abolitionists who used their oratorical skills to fight against slavery

Notable Figures and Movements

• Harriet Tubman, an enslaved woman who escaped to freedom, became a conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading dozens of enslaved people to freedom
• Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person, became a prominent abolitionist, orator, and writer, publishing his influential autobiography "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave"
• Sojourner Truth, a former enslaved woman, became an abolitionist and women's rights activist, delivering her famous "Ain't I a Woman?" speech at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in 1851
• Nat Turner led a slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831, resulting in the deaths of over 50 white people and the subsequent execution of Turner and many of his followers
• The American Colonization Society, founded in 1816, promoted the idea of relocating free African Americans to Africa, leading to the establishment of the colony of Liberia
• The American Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1833, was a prominent abolitionist organization that advocated for the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people

Cultural and Social Impact

• Slavery had a profound impact on African American family structures, as families were often separated through sale or forced relocation
• African Americans developed unique cultural practices, such as storytelling, music, and dance, that helped maintain a sense of community and identity in the face of oppression
  • Spirituals, a type of religious folk song, often contained coded messages about resistance and the desire for freedom
• The institution of slavery shaped the economic, political, and social landscape of the United States, particularly in the South
• Racist ideologies, such as the belief in white supremacy, were developed and reinforced to justify the enslavement of Africans and their descendants
• The legacy of slavery contributed to the development of Jim Crow laws, segregation, and ongoing racial inequalities in the United States
• The cultural contributions of African Americans, such as in music, art, and literature, have had a lasting impact on American society

Legacy and Modern Implications

• The Thirteenth Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery in the United States, but the struggle for racial equality continued
• Jim Crow laws and segregation, enforced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, perpetuated racial inequality and discrimination
• The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s fought against racial segregation and discrimination, leading to landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Ongoing racial disparities in areas such as education, employment, housing, and criminal justice are rooted in the legacy of slavery and systemic racism
• The concept of reparations, or compensation for the descendants of enslaved people, has gained attention as a means of addressing the lasting economic and social impact of slavery
• The study of African American history and the legacy of slavery has become increasingly important in understanding and addressing contemporary issues of racial justice and equality
• Movements such as Black Lives Matter have drawn attention to the ongoing struggle for racial equality and the need to confront the legacy of slavery and systemic racism in the United States