Question #3
3. With an indigenous population literally getting in the way, why did early Americans go to the trouble of shipping slaves in from Africa?
posted by Fenian Fox at 9:08 PM
I hope my questions cause you discomfort. You don't learn anything by staying where you are comfortable. But ask yourself, if you don't like the question, do you have a good answer? I look forward to your comments and your question suggestions.
posted by Fenian Fox at 9:08 PM
5 Comments:
Home field advantage. The natives of north america had not yet had their spirits broken.
I concur, the main reason was the fact that the indigenous population would rather die than be a slave, whereas I think in Africa, and the Middle East, slavery was an established form of dealing with wartime prisoners. Although, to be fair, the type of slavery to which they were subjected, was far better and less detrimental to people in Africa than it was in the US. This was mainly due to the fact that in Africa, almost without exception, the slavery did not have a racial component, and in most cases slaves could eventually purchase their freedom.
I think you are right in that in Africe slaves were still seen as people, whereas in America race was used to dehumanize slaves. With the long interactions and the inherent civilization displayed by tribes such as the Cherokee, a similar dehumanizing vision was not achievable.
because they had not yet invented airplanes?
An excellent answer to this question is provided Jared Diamond in Guns, Germs, and Steel, the Fate of Human Societies.
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