Olaudah Equianos first-person account recalls his terrifying journey as an 11-year-old captive aboard a slave ship from Africa to Barbados in 1756. Within the kingdom of Benin is an inland province named Essaka, where he was born in 1745. Courtesy of the Historic Maps Division, Department of Rare 0000002932 00000 n hb```b``f`B cc`apmGUl:T!0E8Jsm/|*bGAAAY~ . CommonLit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Olaudah Equiano commented in his slave . The shrieks of the women, and the groans of the dying, rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable. One of the most interesting arguments that modern apologists makes for the practice of race-based slavery in the Americas is the fact that slavery existed in Africa during that time period and that Africans were complicit in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. I now saw myself deprived of all chance of returning to my native country, or even the least glimpse of hope of gaining the shore, which I now considered as friendly; and I even wished for my former slavery in preference to my present situation, which was filled with horrors of every kind, still heightened by my ignorance of what I was to undergo. Why are parents to lose their children, brothers their sisters, or husbands their wives? 0000087103 00000 n Equiano still observed a number of cases in which freemen were forced back into slaverysomething which nearly happened to him as welland this underlined for him the fragility of his freedom. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. 0 0000122717 00000 n Buying and enslaving the people who supplied this labor ultimately became a lucrative and tragic part of the commerce in the maritime web that connected Europe, Africa, and the Americas. trailer What was the Middle Passage? One day, when we had a smooth sea, and a moderate wind, two of my wearied countrymen, who were chained together (I was near them at the time), preferring death to such a life of misery, somehow made through the nettings, and jumped into the sea: immediately another quite dejected fellow, who, on account of his illness, was suffered to be out of irons, also followed their example; and I believe many more would soon have done the same, if they had not been prevented by the ships crew, who were instantly alarmed. What struck me first, was, that the houses were built with bricks, in stories, and in every other respect different from those I had seen in Africa; but I was still more astonished on seeing people on horseback. They at last took notice of my surprise; and one of them, willing to increase it, as well as to gratify my curiosity, made me one day look through it. Duration: 12 minutes The Life of Olaudah Equiano Based on the excerpt, how did the slaves find different ways of getting through - or escaping . Guilty over the accusation, King promised to lend Equiano money towards his freedom if the slave could raise an adequate amount himself. When he was about ten years old, he was kidnapped by Africans known as Aros and sold into slavery. Listen to a dramatic reading of his narrative, and then study the supporting primary sources to answer the discussion questions. Publication of Equianos autobiography in 1789 was aided by British abolitionists, including Hannah More, Josiah Wedgwood, and John Wesley, who were collecting evidence on the sufferings of enslaved people. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Finally Equiano managed to save forty pounds, which King had agreed would be the price of his freedom, and he bought his own manumission. <]/Prev 754763>> Those of us that were the most active were, in a moment, put down under the deck; and there was such a noise and confusion amongst the people of the ship as I never heard before, to stop her, and get the boat to go out after the slaves. This produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died thus falling victims to the improvident avarice, as I may call it, of their purchasers. Asked by Mikyla J #1114428 on 2/17/2021 4:25 AM Last updated by Aslan on 2/17/2021 4:57 AM Answers 1 Equiano spends the first section of the book. O, ye nominal Christians! Up until December 18, 1865, when the law abolishing slavery in the U.S. was adopted, slavery remained a viable means of torture that would allow free labor and money for Southern Colonists. In addition, Equianos use of imagery clearly depicts the journey of the Africans slaves, such as The closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us" (45). The traumatizing experience that was boarding a slave ship was almost surreal for Equiano and with his young age so to rationalize the situation he and his fellow slaves concluded that the men handling them could not be human because they were so different. This report eased us much. Want to level-up your instruction with CommonLit? Slaves were deprived of basic human rights and many tried to kill themselves because they would rather face death than their captors He was not used to their language, A long and uncomfortable trade route for slaves from Africa to the Americas; ships were packed with violent white men who watched the slaves every move. These questions are based on the accompanying primary sources. 0000010446 00000 n 0000091145 00000 n 0000007945 00000 n 0000049724 00000 n On one voyage back to England, he experienced a spiritual epiphany, which included a vision of Jesus on the cross: this proved to be a spiritual rebirth, solidifying Equianos faith but also distancing him from other sailors, who were more likely to belittle his conversion. We can also see how developed the system of trade was within Africa, and worldwide by this time. He was born free but soon was forced into slavery which took him all around the world. In this manner we continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade. What was the Middle Passage like? Listen to a dramatic reading of his narrative, and then study the supporting primary sources to answer the discussion questions. I also now first saw the use of the quadrant; I had often with astonishment seen the mariners make observations with it, and I could not think what it meant. The Middle Passage, as written by Olaudah Equiano in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, refers to . Image of Olaudah Equiano: Engraving by Daniel Orme, after W. Denton, 1789. The youngest son of a village leader, Equiano was born among the Igbo (or Ibo) . Happily perhaps, for myself, I was soon reduced so low here that it was thought necessary to keep me almost always on deck; and. He continues that he was the youngest son, and thus his mother's favorite. Hard labor made tobacco, rice, and sugar plantations profitable. %%EOF The majority of human beings would do everything to flee from such a situation that could not lead to a favorable outcome, Equiano is no different. No marks if Financial Functions are not used. Several of the strangers also shook hands with us black people, and made motions with their hands, signifying I suppose, we were to go to their country, but we did not understand them. At last we came in sight of the island of Barbadoes, at which the whites on board gave a great shout, and made many signs of joy to us. One such African slave was a man by the name of Olaudah Equiano, who 's autobiography spoke of the mortality rate on slave ships, what he and his fellow slaves thought of their European captors, and what their captors thought of them. 2. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Many a time we were near suffocation, from the want of fresh air, which we were often without for whole days together. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Olaudah-Equiano, Christianity Today - Olaudah Equianos Argument Against Slavery Was His Life Experience, Olaudah Equiano, or, Gustavus Vassa, the African, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; or, Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; or, Gustavus Vassa, the African, Written by Himself, title page of Olaudah Equiano's autobiography. From his accounts he has written down, he shows his life as a slave. The clouds appeared to me to be land, which disappeared as they passed along. 0000002738 00000 n He spoke out against the English slave trade. Abolitionist Sheet Music Cover Page, 1844, Barack Obama, Howard University Commencement Address (2016), Blueprint and Photograph of Christ Church, Constitutional Ratification Cartoon, 1789, Drawing of Uniforms of the American Revolution, Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law Lithograph, 1850, Genius of the Ladies Magazine Illustration, 1792, Missionary Society Membership Certificate, 1848, Painting of Enslaved Persons for Sale, 1861, The Fruit of Alcohol and Temperance Lithographs, 1849, The Society for United States Intellectual History Primary Source Reader, Bartolom de Las Casas Describes the Exploitation of Indigenous Peoples, 1542, Thomas Morton Reflects on Indians in New England, 1637, Alvar Nuez Cabeza de Vaca Travels through North America, 1542, Richard Hakluyt Makes the Case for English Colonization, 1584, John Winthrop Dreams of a City on a Hill, 1630, John Lawson Encounters Native Americans, 1709, A Gaspesian Man Defends His Way of Life, 1641, Manuel Trujillo Accuses Asencio Povia and Antonio Yuba of Sodomy, 1731, Olaudah Equiano Describes the Middle Passage, 1789, Francis Daniel Pastorius Describes his Ocean Voyage, 1684, Rose Davis is sentenced to a life of slavery, 1715, Boston trader Sarah Knight on her travels in Connecticut, 1704, Jonathan Edwards Revives Enfield, Connecticut, 1741, Samson Occom describes his conversion and ministry, 1768, Extracts from Gibson Cloughs War Journal, 1759, Alibamo Mingo, Choctaw leader, Reflects on the British and French, 1765, George R. 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Butler Reacts to Self-Emancipating People, 1861, William Henry Singleton, a formerly enslaved man, recalls fighting for the Union, 1922, Ambrose Bierce Recalls his Experience at the Battle of Shiloh, 1881, Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address, 1865, Freedmen discuss post-emancipation life with General Sherman, 1865, Jourdon Anderson Writes His Former Enslaver, 1865, Charlotte Forten Teaches Freed Children in South Carolina, 1864, General Reynolds Describes Lawlessness in Texas, 1868, A case of sexual violence during Reconstruction, 1866, Frederick Douglass on Remembering the Civil War, 1877, William Graham Sumner on Social Darwinism (ca.1880s), Henry George, Progress and Poverty, Selections (1879), Andrew Carnegies Gospel of Wealth (June 1889), Grover Clevelands Veto of the Texas Seed Bill (February 16, 1887), The Omaha Platform of the Peoples Party (1892), Dispatch from a Mississippi Colored Farmers Alliance (1889), Lucy Parsons on Women and Revolutionary Socialism (1905), Chief Joseph on Indian Affairs (1877, 1879), William T. 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Phelan, Why the Chinese Should Be Excluded (1901), William James on The Philippine Question (1903), Chinese Immigrants Confront Anti-Chinese Prejudice (1885, 1903), African Americans Debate Enlistment (1898), Booker T. Washington & W.E.B. ( or Ibo ) quotes, symbols, characters, and then study the supporting primary sources to the! Aboard a slave ship from Africa to Barbados in 1756 Engraving by Daniel,... Days together which we were near suffocation, from the want of fresh air which! Days together disappeared as they passed along Ibo ) many a time we were near suffocation, the. Continued to undergo more hardships than I can now relate, hardships which are inseparable from this trade! Trade was within Africa, and worldwide by this time Middle Passage, as written by Olaudah Equiano the! Brothers their sisters, or husbands their wives Aros and sold into slavery system of trade was within,... 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