Slavery — Something you must to know
Slavery is one of the remarkable parts of human society. Even until now, it still thrives. Here are some striking facts about slavery that you may not know.
Slavery was actually established in Virginia in 1654. At that time, a black man, called Anthony Johnson convinced a court that his black servant had to serve him until the end of life. Some previous years, Johnson also brought a contracted servant who must work to pay debt or to exchange food and shelter. The court ruled Johnson’s side, creating the first slave in Virginia who was recognized by the state.
Interesting facts about slavery: after this event, Johnson became more and more wealthy. He decided to import his own African black slaves.
Incredible facts about slavery: in the late half of the 18th century, slavery started to disappear in the United States because the farms did not need so much manual work. Therefore, many slaves were freed and it seemed as if slavery would have gone forever. Yet, things were changed when Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a device to process raw cotton, in 1793. This device helped a single person could process 50 times more cotton than the past, causing cotton to be a money-making crop. Many crops were replaced by cotton and slaves came back to work in the cotton filed.
Bible has a great influence on human belief. But we can find that slavery is not opposed or forbidden by the Bible. In the New Testament, Jesus heals a slave but he does not disagree that the slave owner should not have slaves or has any ideas that slavery is wrong. The Old Testament only gives further recommendation that slaves should be treated well. Because at the time the Bible was written, slavery was so popular all over the world and it was believed absolutely normal and moral.
Due to European gentleman style, the slave owner would get well reputation and honor if he treated his slaves with respect and kindness. The owners were supposed to provide enough food, clothes, surrounding condition. Beating or manhandling was considered unethical.
In the past, slavery was practiced by the ancestors. It was mentioned in the Bible and claimed by some philosophers (including Aristotle) that some men had been born to be a slave. Therefore, it was definitely normal to enslave humans. At that time, slavery was used as a punishment for debt. After having repaid all the debt, the slave would be released.
Shock facts about slavery: you can know that 6 million Jews died during Holocaust, but do you know how many Africans were shipped to the New World over the span of 1525–1866 owing to the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade? According to Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database, the number is 12.5 million.
Africans were transported throughout the New World, from the north to the south and the Caribbean. Interesting facts about slavery: according Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African-American Research at Harvard University, Brazil solely received about a half of the number of slaved brought to the New World with 4.86 million. The United States received 450, 000 ones.
The law on banning slave importation into United States was approved in 1807 by Congress. The same legislation was also enacted at the same year in Great Britain.
