Question:
History classes rarely discuss the slave trade, and when they do it is a discussion that focuses on the adults. Nearly 1 million African children were transported across the Atlantic and sold into plantation slavery in the Americas. These sources will explore their experiences.
What I'd like for you to do in this discussion activity is visit the Children in the Slave Trade Website and take a look at the sources housed there. There are several first hand accounts of children's experiences in the trade ranging from a description of their kidnapping, to their journey across the Atlantic, to their sale in the Americas. Other sources housed on this site are advertisements for voyages that arrived in the Americas that were placed in the paper, commissioned voyages for a certain number of children, and various images of children in the trade. Read the introduction on the site's main page and then choose 2 of the sources linked along the right hand side of the screen:
Some things to consider as you read:
What strikes you about these sources? What did you know about the slave trade coming into this class, and had children factored into that characterization before now?
Do you think that children received special treatment based on their age or size? Why or why not? Does the image of the slave coffle change or support your opinion?
How did the capture, transport, and sale of children affect these enslaved individuals?
What might slave traders and plantation owners argue were the advantages and disadvantages of enslaving children?
What do these documents indicate in terms of the possible effects of images and narratives of enslaved children on public opinion about slavery and on the abolitionist movement?
Enslaved children are often overlooked individuals. How do these documents give enslaved children a voice?
Equiano, Cugoano, and Smith are writing their experiences down many years after they were captured and sold in the trade. Is memory an issue here? Why or why not?
Anything else you see and would like to discuss?
So, To complete this assignment, please do the following:
Make your initial post in the discussion area below telling us which two of the sources you chose and why. What strikes you about these sources? What do these sources tell us about children's experiences in the trade? What can we learn from them? Choose one of the Things to Consider above (or something else you would like to discuss) and discuss it in your post. You should write at least two paragraphs in your initial post: one paragraph ONLY of summary and AT LEAST one paragraph of analysis.
Don't forget to proofread, because you will be graded on grammar and style. That means that misspelled words and incorrect grammar will cause point deductions.
If you use direct quotes or paraphrase, make sure that you cite your sources. Since we have a variety of sources here, just refer to the author or title of the source. Ex: (Equiano) Citing the Intro? (Vasconcellos)