Elective History

Fugitive slave act

Law requiring law enforcement to arrest anyone suspected of escaping slavery, with incentives for informants.

Plantation

A large estate where crops such as sugar and rice are grown, primarily using enslaved labor.

Field slave

Slaves who worked in the fields, facing harsh conditions and regular punishments.

House slave

Slaves who performed domestic work within the master's home, often treated slightly better than field slaves.

Indentured servant

A person who agrees to work for a specific period in exchange for basic needs, often housing and food.

Manumission

The act of freeing someone from slavery.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

The transportation of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic to the Americas.

Triangular trade

A trading system between Europe, Africa, and the Americas involving enslaved people, goods, and raw materials.

Middle Passage

The sea route taken by enslaved Africans to the Americas, marked by inhumane conditions.

Abolition

The act of putting an end to an institution, particularly slavery.

Emancipation

The act of being set free from legal, social, or political restrictions.

Underground railroad

A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to free states.

Slave Auctions

Public sales where enslaved people were bought and sold, often alongside inhumane practices.

Resistance

Actions taken by enslaved individuals to oppose and fight against slavery.

Slave Codes

Laws that defined the status of enslaved individuals and the rights of masters.

Family Life in Slavery

Enslaved families often faced separation and did not have their marriages legally recognized.

Influence of Religion

Religious practices of enslaved people were influenced by African traditions and American culture.

Language in Slave Culture

The preservation of African languages and slang in American culture used as a form of resistance.

Music in Slave Culture

Music played a vital role in cultural expression and resistance, with roots in African traditions.

Education for Enslaved People

Slaves faced restrictions in education; literacy was seen as a threat by slaveholders.

Cape Coast Castle

A major British slave trading post in Ghana that played a central role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Psychological Trauma

The long-term emotional impact experienced by individuals and families due to slavery.

Multigenerational trauma

The transmission of effects from trauma experienced by one generation to subsequent generations.

Racial Ideology

Beliefs and ideas formed around racial categorization, often justifying the slave trade.

Legal impacts of Slavery

Changes in laws that shifted from fines for helping escaped slaves to making it a crime under slavery.

North vs South in Slavery

The Southern economy was dependent on agriculture and enslaved labor, while the North was more industrialized.

Economic impacts of Slavery

The reliance on slave labor economically benefitted the South while contributing to the North's industrial growth.

Political decline due to Slavery

The effects of the slave trade led to weakened political structures and conflicts in Africa.

Culture and Identity

Enslaved people retained aspects of their African heritage, influencing American culture.

Resistance through Culture

Enslaved people used arts, music, and folklore to create a sense of identity and resist oppression.

Quilts in Slave Culture

Used as a means of expression and possible coded messages for the Underground Railroad.

Slave Branded

A practice of marking enslaved people to signify ownership.

Violence in Slavery

Enslaved individuals often faced brutal punishments for disobedience or attempts to escape.

Captives in the Middle Passage

Many enslaved individuals died during transport due to terrible conditions on ships.

Societal Breakdown in Africa

The slave trade contributed to the collapse of certain African kingdoms and societal structures.

Abolition Movement

A campaign to end slavery, gaining momentum from resistance efforts and cultural influences.

Personal Narratives

Accounts from formerly enslaved people that highlight their experiences and resistance.

Slavery timeline

Key dates that outline the history of slavery, highlighting major events and shifts.

Captors' Justifications

Arguments made by slave owners to rationalize the continuation of slavery.

Brutality in Slave Auctions

The commodification of enslaved individuals at auctions, often involving inhumane practices.

Crops produced by Enslaved Labor

Labor-intensive crops such as tobacco, sugar, and cotton were cultivated on plantations.

African Slave Trade Origins

The Atlantic slave trade was rooted in existing African practices of slavery and wealth.

Influence of Western Cultures

Enslaved Africans adopted and adapted Western cultures while retaining aspects of their own.

Crisis of Identity

The experience of loss and disconnection from heritage among enslaved individuals.

Religious Influence on Resistance

Enslaved individuals used religion as a source of hope and a method of organizing for resistance.

Collaborations in Resistance

The ways enslaved people supported each other through secret networks.

Abolitionist Literature

Writings that provided insight into the lives of enslaved individuals and fostered the abolition movement.

Economic Dependence on Slavery

The Southern states relied heavily on enslaved labor for their agricultural economy.

Community in Enslavement

Connections formed among enslaved people despite the challenges of their circumstances.

Culinary Influence of African Americans

The introduction of cooking techniques and ingredients from Africa into American cuisine.

Trade Goods from Africa

Items such as iron and guns were exchanged for enslaved people during the slave trade.

Slave Narratives

Personal accounts of enslaved people's experiences that helped shape perceptions of slavery.

Health and Nutrition

Enslaved people experienced health issues due to poor diets and lack of medical care.

Institutional Racism Origins

The development of systemic racism stemming from slavery and the slave trade.

Human Commodification

The process of treating individuals as property to be bought and sold.

Cultural Transmission

The passing down of cultural practices and traditions among enslaved communities.

Impact of Colonization on Africa

Colonial practices exacerbated the effects of the slave trade on African societies.

Key Figures in Abolition

Important people in the movement to end slavery and their contributions.

Militarization of Slave Capture

The use of weaponry and military strategies in the capturing and trading of enslaved people.

Imprisonment for Resistance

Legal consequences faced by those who aided escaped enslaved individuals.

Legacy of Slavery

Continued societal effects and reparative efforts stemming from the history of enslavement.

Cultural Evolution from Slavery

The blending and adaptation of African and American cultures resulting from slavery.

Quilt Communication

The theory that quilts were used to convey messages and directions for escape.

Abolitionist Strategies

Methods employed by abolitionists to fight the institution of slavery.

Contemporary Evidence of Slavery

Modern reminders of slavery's legacy in monuments, stories, and racial disparities.

Resistance through Education

The pursuit of literacy and education by enslaved individuals as a form of protest.

Economic Exploitation of Slavery

The financial benefits gained by slaveholders and industries reliant on slavery.

Cultural Resilience

The ability of enslaved people to maintain cultural identity despite oppression.

Social Hierarchies in Slavery

The different classes and roles within enslaved populations affecting experiences.

Global Impact of the Slave Trade

The far-reaching effects of the transatlantic slave trade on countries around the world.

Legal Changes Post-Abolition

New laws and amendments made to address the grievances stemming from slavery.

Cultural Narratives in Music

Music as a way to communicate stories and resistance among enslaved individuals.