Sugar Revolution and start of Francis Drake documentary

Documentary Purpose

To reinforce historical narratives about plantation societies and slavery in the Atlantic world, tied to course material.

Extra Credit Policy

Minimal extra credit awarded to students who submitted assignment outlines on time to acknowledge timely submissions.

Sugar Revolution

A historical period that led to the dominance of African slave labor in The Americas due to the expansion of sugar production.

Barbados Slave Code (1661)

A legal framework that established harsh punishments and control mechanisms for enslaved people in Barbados, primarily to protect enslavers.

Code Noir (1685)

French legislation for enslaved people in their colonies, intended to provide rights and protections, though often not upheld in practice, as shown by the acquittal of a planter who killed four slaves in 1788.

Jamaica's Enslaved Population Growth

Increased almost threefold in the mid-seventeenth century due to the introduction and expansion of sugar plantations.

French West India Company

Managed economic development in the French Antilles (e.g., Guadalupe and Martinique), contributing to the success of sugar production there.

Hispaniola's Sugar Production (1799)

Became the leading sugar producer by the mid-eighteenth century, generating 78,000 tons of sugar in 1799.

Chesapeake Plantations

Primarily operated by English indentured servants (80% of immigration in the 17th century), with a later shift to enslaved labor due to declining indentured servitude.

South Carolina Plantations

Many originated from planters who migrated from Barbados, cultivating rice and indigo, with a heavy reliance on enslaved African labor.

Georgia's Slavery Policy

Initially prohibited slavery but permitted it in the 1750s, which interrupted its plantation economy development.

Urban Slavery

Enslaved individuals working in skilled professions (e.g., iron works, dock labor) in urban areas, often allowing for slightly better economic conditions and opportunities for freedom compared to plantation slavery.

Forced Migration

The dynamic nature of the plantation economy led to the forced migration of 10 to 15 million Africans to the New World.

Atlantic Creoles

Individuals of African descent who played pivotal roles in agriculture and plantation management, contributing to plantation operations and crop development.

Africanization of Slavery

The impact of enslaved Africans bringing agricultural knowledge and multilingual capabilities to plantations, influencing their dynamics.

Subtle Resistance to Enslavement

Forms of resistance including using indigenous languages, slowdowns, and damage to tools.

Overt Resistance to Enslavement

Forms of resistance including running away or forming maroon communities.

Maroon Communities

Groups of escaped enslaved individuals who built independent lives away from their enslavers, representing a significant form of resistance throughout the Americas.

Provision Grounds

Systems that allowed some enslaved individuals to cultivate their own food, providing a degree of autonomy and independence.

Allowance Systems

Systems employed by planters to control enslaved people by providing food, clothing, and minimal monetary allowances, thereby restricting their freedom and economic agency.

Women in the Atlantic World

Contributed significantly to societal changes, including roles in exploration, religion, and culture, with the early Protestant movement offering platforms for public assertion.

Sir Francis Drake

A privateer and pirate whose exploits against Spanish shipping highlighted the intersection of piracy with the slave trade and colonial competition, often associated with illegal operations with John Hawkins.

Letters of Reprisal

Legal frameworks that provided cover for privateering actions, blurring the lines between legal commerce, piracy, and imperial warfare during geopolitical tensions.