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Why Were African Americans Enslaved Summary

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“Why were Africans Enslaved?” Two authors by the name of Eric Williams and Winthrop D. Jordan gave us their opinions on basically what caused slavery in the article titled, “Why were Africans Enslaved”. In Williams article “Economics, not racism as the root of slavery” he explained that economics was the root cause of slavery. “Slavery was not born of racism: rather, racism was the consequence of slavery...” the beginning quote stated by Mr. Williams. Within that statement he informed us on how he feels about the relationship between racism and slavery. Williams presented to us information on how the New World, not only enslaved the Negros, notwithstanding the Indians as well. The history of the Indian slavery, and how the Europeans used them not …show more content…

“Indians was so weak that they can only be employed in tasks requiring little endurance, such as taking care of maze fields or farms”, a quoted stated from Williams article. Furthermore, before the Africans were captured, there were poor white servants, which was known as indentured servants. From Mr. Williams article, it was stated that “they had to sign a contract, indented by law, binding them to service for a stipulated time to return for their passage.” Williams, justifying, that ordinarily race was a factor, considering that he stated that “African slavery was easier to justify and rationalize due to racial differences”. Now with Jordan, and “The simultaneous invention of slavery and racism” He explained how the Englishman found the natives of Africa very different from themselves. “Negros looked different; their religion was un-Christian; their manner of living was anything but English; they seemed to be a particularly libidinous sort of people.” quoted from Jordans article. The color differences were mainly the issue, especially during the seventeenth century. The Englishman felt fervid about the darker completion and also other factors that set them (Africans) apart,

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