AP African American Studies: Freedom on My Mind Summaries

What role did African explorers play in the Americas before large-scale enslavement began?

They traveled with Spanish expeditions and served as navigators, translators, and guides.

What were the major departure zones for the transatlantic slave trade?

Senegambia, the Gold Coast, Bight of Benin, Bight of Biafra, and Angola/Congo region.

What was the Middle Passage?

The horrific sea voyage to the Americas where enslaved Africans faced high death rates and inhumane conditions.

How did the capture of Africans for slavery impact West African societies?

It caused economic disruption, population loss, and political instability.

What acts of resistance did Africans undertake aboard slave ships?

Mutinies and revolts, such as the Amistad in 1839, symbolized defiance against enslavement.

What happened to the domestic slave trade after the U.S. outlawed the international slave trade in 1808?

The domestic slave trade expanded dramatically, commodifying enslaved people and separating families.

What was the purpose of slave codes in American law?

To codify racial slavery and define enslaved people as property, denying them legal personhood.

How was race socially constructed to justify enslavement?

Through pseudo-scientific theories that rationalized oppression and institutionalized white supremacy.

What cultural contributions did enslaved Africans make in America?

They developed rich cultural traditions, including music, oral storytelling, and a unique spiritual culture through the merging of Christianity with African beliefs.

How did enslaved people's resistance manifest emotionally and spiritually?

Through the creation of kinship networks, escape attempts, and acts of sabotage.