World Slave History

By Emeka Anwuna(Nwaeze)

This book talks about slavery from the beginning of time. It discusses slavery in Europe, Africa, Asia over the ages till Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the end of slavery in America in 1870. It discusses the American Civil right movement to combat the use of former slaves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 6, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387148332

Book preview

World Slave History

HISTORY OF SLAVE TRADE

by

Dr Alexander E. Anwuna

History of slavery is very wide, bad and broad. It is subject to many interpretations. Slave systems, is historical, in which, one human being, is communally and legally allowed to `to possess, purchase, buy or sell, as a property, of a human being to another human being.

According to Drescher (2009) He argued, ``The most crucial and frequently utilized aspect of the condition is a communally recognized right, by some individuals to possess, buy, sell, discipline, transport, liberate, or otherwise dispose of the bodies and behavior of other individuals."

It is pertinent to note, children of a slave, automatically becomes a slave too, belonging to the same ``Master. Slavery is evil, an ancient institution, it can be traced back, to Code of Hammurabi, in 1760 BCE. It refers slavery as an institution very rare in ``hunter/gatherer society.Secondly, it depends how the community is stratified. Slavery operates, where there is shortage of labor and plenty of farmland.

David P. Forsythe wrote, ``The fact remained that at the beginning of 19th Century, an estimated three-quarters of all people alive, were trapped in bondage against their will, either in some form of slavery or serfdom".

While slavery is no longer legal anywhere in the world, Mauritania in North Africa just abolished slavery in 1981. The country was the last to abolish slave trade. However, the number of slaves today, is higher than the number of slaves  at any point in history.As high as 12 million slaves to 27 million is ``floating" in different parts of the world.

Slavery origins, over the millennia were too deep and many. All across the globe, in Europe,; Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Celtics Tribe, Vikings and Scandinavians. Middle Ages, Middle East, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands,(Dutch) Great Britain and Ireland.Barbary Corsairs. Pre-Industrial Europe. Modern Europe. Sub-Saharan , Africa.

Christian Slaves, African Participation in Slave Trade. Modern Times, The New World.Among Indigenous People, Brazil, Resistance and Abolition. South American Countries. British and French Caribbean, North America, Early Events. Slavery in American Colonial Laws.Development of Slavery.

Early US Law, Civil War in the United States., Asia, Oceania, Hawaii, New Zealand, Chatham Islands, Rapa/Nui Easter Island, Abolition Movements, Britain, France, Abolition, Napoleon restored slavery. United States, Congress of Vienna, 20th Century Worldwide, Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.Africa and Middle East,Latin America and British Empire.

USA.

ORIGINS

There are lots of evidence of slavery in many cultures over the centuries. Slavery in some cultures, is a system of  ``stratification.  ``Mass slavery  requires economic surplus to maintain and high population density to be viable. Slavery could have proliferated, if invention of agriculture had the required surpluses. In neolithic revolution about 11000 years ago.

Slavery transcends, literally, all cultures in the world, including Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, Akkadian Empire, Assyria, Ancient India, Ancient Greece, The Roman Empire, The Ottoman Empire,(Islamic), The Pre Columbian Civilizations of the Americas. -Debt Slavery, Punishment for Crime, Enslavement of Prisoners of War, Child Abandonment and Birth of slaves children to slave Mothers.

ANCIENT EUROPE

In Ancient Greece for example, there were abundance of evidence of slavery in Ancient Greece.

Slavery origins is practically unknown. Even though it appears to be `part and parcel’ of the economic activity of all the city -states. Greece included. Nation-state of Israel included. Early Christianity days participated in slave trade.

There is rough estimate, all Athenians own at least one slave. ``Socratic Dialogues and ``Stoics were the origin of protest against slavery. That may have cost Socrates his life in Third Millennium.BCE. According to any recorded history. In the past most writers simply thought slavery was a necessity and justified, but Socrates and the Stoics prove them wrong, Socrates was murdered with poison, self administered. (Hemlock poison) Slavery was evil.

During 7th and 8th Century, two Messianic Wars, the Spartans reduced an entire population to pseudo-slavery (called Helotry). According to Herodotus, Helots were seven times, size of Spartans before the war.

Helots, revolted in 600 BCE. The Spartans` `restructured" their city-states along `authoritarian lines’ . Their leaders take all the decisions and therefore turning their nation-states into armed camps.

How they hope to control their numerous population was by authoritarianism. In ancient Greece 30% of the population were all slaves. They were paid to work.

Ancient Rome

The Romans inherited Slavery institutions from Phoenicians and Greeks. As Roman Empire Expands, territorially, it correspondingly increases in creation of slaves, farm workers and domestic servants. People of Mediterranean and Ancient Europe became servants of The Roman Emperors and "Patricians’ (Nobles).

Such oppression by elite and ruling minority led to slave revolts. ``Third Servile Wars" led by the Spartans (Spartacus) those servile groups, at the time were; Greeks, Berbers, Germanic Tribes, Britons, Gauls, Celts, Jews and Arabs. These groups were not used to slave labor, were thus used for sex , gladiators enjoyment and public entertainment.

If ever a slave escapes and recovered alive the punishment is death. In Ancient Rome, slavery was discovered to be very lucrative, therefore nearly 40% of all Italy were enslaved.

Ancient Celtics

Celtic tribes were recorded by Roman sources  they traded in slavery, the extent is unknown.

Ancient Vikings And Scandinavia

``Thrall and Volga Trade Route Around 793 BCE, Norse Raiders, routinely enslave their military captives. The Nordic countries slaves were called ``Thralls"..

The Thralls were essentially from Western Europe., Franks, Anglo-Saxons and Celts. Many Irish Slaves participated in colonisation of Iceland.

There are too many evidences of the Baltic, German, Slavic, and Latin as well as in the 6th centuries through 11th Century. A Persian Traveller Ibn Rustah, was describing Swedish Vikings, Varangians (Rus) terrorized and enslaved the Slavs, . The `Thrall" System was finally abolished in 14th century in Scandinavia.

Middle Ages , Slavery in medieval Europe. The habitual taking of slaves, became chaotic in medieval Europe. Saint Patrick, himself  was captured and sold as a slave, yet he protested the attack on newly baptized christians. According to the letter he wrote to Soldiers of Coroticus.

Another example was, ``The Ottoman Empire" soldiers routinely capture Christian converts and sell them deep into Muslim territory.

During the Middle Ages the Jews were also operating slave trade too.Till beginning of 5th Century CE(AD)  The Muslims conquered the whole Northern swarth Africa. Which originally was captured by Alexander The Great of Greece, Roman Empire and currently captured by Ottoman Empire of the Muslims in 5th millennium.North Africa was still of Animist and Coptic religion till Muslims arrived.

Later in 5th Century, Already the typically Negroid Africans (Blacks) had been sacked towards Western and Central Africa to overpopulated Nigeria, with abundance of water resources. They mixed with other Bantu/ Congo stock of Central Africa . Followers of European Heritage of Alexander the Great took over the landmass of Northern Africa. These were landless Europeans and Mediterranean heritage. Today they were the Arabs of Northern Africa. Majority of them converted to Islam.

After the capture of North Africa and Iberian peninsular, Islamic world started importing Saqaliba Slaves (Slavic) from Central and Eastern Europe. According to Olivia Remie Constable. ``Muslim and Jewish merchants, brought slaves to Al-Andalus from Eastern Europe and Christian Spain. And then re- exported them to other regions of the Islamic World."

These games came to an end when all these countries became Christianized. The Etymology of the word SLAVE came from the word SLAV; Came from these period word Sklavos meaning ``Slav".

The Vikings were raiding all across Europe, as a major `stock in trade"  may not know with their time and sea prowess. Conquer others , enslave them for money,use the females and children for domestic service. Then march the rest of the slaves to Byzantine Islamic markets for more profits.

In the West, the targets of Vikings were the English, Irish, Scottish. While in the East, their target is the Slavs. The Vikings bad trade ended in 11th Century CE (AD) The Vikings suddenly converted to Christianity and subsequently stopped slave raiding for a living. These Viking no longer went home, rather they moved-in with their former captives, Secondly, serfdom ended in the same 11th century.

Islam was a great facilitator of slave trade. Although Islam banned slavery among themselves, but it did not outlaw the dealing of slavery with non-muslims.Except the individual is related to them by marriage or convert to Islam, However many Muslim families did not treat their slaves with required respect,

Muslim groups of Iberian (Spain) keep raiding for slaves from European Merchants. Often these Jewish Radhanites one of the groups that swing back and forth, to muslim and christian worlds. The Middle Ages, from 1100 AD to 1500 CE .the world continue to witness slave trade,

Though they changed from Western Mediterranean to Islamic Nations to Eastern Venice and Genoa.  In total control of 12th Century Black Sea, from 13th Century they sold both Baltic and Slavic Slaves, as well as Georgians, Turks, other ethnic groups of the black seas, Caucasus to the Middle East.

Sales of European Slaves ended immediately they became Christians in late Middle Ages. European slaves in the Islamic world changed to become muslim pirates. Primarily, Algerians and Somaliland. Both were seafarers’ extraordinaire. All these operations with tacit support of Ottoman Empire. Raiding European coasts.

The coasts and shipping lanes between 16th to 19th Century, when more sophisticated Navies dismantled both the Ottoman Empire and Muslim pirates fleet. Their days of treasure hunting and piracy ended abruptly. It was led by British Royal Navy of Her Royal Majesty Queen Victoria and British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Other developed countries’ Navies’ joined in destroying pirates fleet.

MONGOLS

Mongol invasion and conquests in the 13th Century made the situation worsts. Mongols enslaved skilled men and women and their children. Took them to Karakorum or Sarai. Sell them all over Europe -Asia. (Many of these slaves were taken to Novgorod.)

Slaves commerce during the late middle ages were in the hands of Genoese merchants. Enslaving with the Golden Horde.

. Burnt down the city.carted off its inhabitants in thousands as slaves, between 1414 and 1423 10,000 Eastern Europeans were sold off as slaves in Venice

Genoese merchants organized slaves from Crimea to Mamluk, Egypt. Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan routinely made raids into Russia for slaves, plunder cities and carte way thousands of . Slaves.Russia recorded 40 such raids in 16th century. In 1521 Combined forces of Crimean, Khan Mehmed Giray and his Kazan allies attacked Moscow, captured thousands of slaves.

In 1441 Haci I Giray  withdrew from Golden Horde and established, the Crimean Khanate. They merged with the Ottoman Empire and went on massive `Slave Raids" against peasant Slavs, between 1558 to 1596. In 1571 The Crimean Tatars (or Crimean Khanate) Burnt down Ancient Moscow. And took 75% of the population into slavery,

MEDIEVAL SPAIN

In Medieval Spain and Portugal were the territory of `see-saw" slavery / religious wars. Almohad Yaqub Al Mansur. took 3000 females and children of Christian heritage as slaves.

While the Christian Governor of Cordoba, Spain did the same against the Muslims. in 1191 CE (AD) Byzantine-Ottoman Empire Wars in Europe brought large number of Christians into the Islamic world. After the Battle of Lepanto, 12,000 Christian slaves were freed from the Ottoman Fleet. Christians were correspondingly selling Muslim slaves. they captured.

The Knights of Malta attacked pyrates and Muslim Shipping fleet. Their base was simply a slave holding center. or market post. Dealing on captured North Africans,and Turks. Malta remained a slave trading center till 18th Century.

By 15th Century, Poland abolished slavery, Lithuania in 1588 replaced slavery with serfdom. Some kind of errand person. Slavery declined and stopped in 1723. Peter the Great of Russia stopped slave trade in Russia.He simply replaced slavery with serfdom. in 1679.

The Runaway  Serfs  of Poland and Russia became Cossacks (outlaws) former Kholops formed autonomous communities in the Southern Steppes

HISTORY OF BAHAMAS

The Bahamian history started with the discovery of first humans in 1st millennium CE (AD). They were the Arawakan- speaking people of Tainos and Lucayans. It was alleged they came from the Caribbean Islands into the Bahamas. (Between  500 to 800 AD) they arrived.

Then according to recorded history, Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492 into the Island of Guanahani, also known as San Salvador inside the Bahamas, in his original visit. Europeans later arrived in 1647. Then, here came thousands of African slaves, who now constitute 85% of the island. In July 10th 1973 the Island of Bahamas gained independence from great Britain.

PRE-COLUMBINE BAHAMAS

Just about 500 to 800 AD Tainos of Greater Antilles, with their dugout canoes started coming from Hispaniola / Cuba into the Bahamas. They arrived through various routes Cuba to Long Island (in the Central Bahamas.) another route was through Caicos island , eastern Cuba into Inagua Islands. And the final one was Granberry and Vescelius,  for two waves of migrations.

The population in Bahamas grew to 40,000 in between 700 AD to 1500 AD . Population density reduced due to drier climate. ( Less than 800 mm of rainfall in a year on Great Inagua Island and the Turks , Caicos Islands and only slightly higher on Acklins and Crooked Islands and Mayaguana.)

In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed from Spain on his first voyage, with his famous three ships, The Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina. They were seeking a direct route to Asia. In October 12th, 1492 Columbus arrived in an island called Bahamas. long before he discovered America. The first American `landfall’ date remained very controversial  in the Bahamas. Authors like Samuel E. Morison" identification of Watling (or Watling’s) Island is Columbus’ San Salvador. Columbus visited many other Islands including Cuba, Hispaniola.

EARLY ENGLISH SETTLEMENT

A group from Bermuda in 1648 called `` The Company of Adventurers for the Plantation of the Islands of Eleutheria" was led by William Sayle. sailed into Bahamas to found a colony.These were Puritans and republicans. Due to Bermuda was getting overcrowded. They suddenly discovered Bahamas offers, political freedom, economic freedom and religious freedom. Some Bermudians  later went back home, due to bad soil. Others moved to Saint George’s Cay (Spanish Wells) and Harbor Islands in 1670. Only about 20 families remained in Eleuthera communities.

WRECKERS (Shipwreck) PRIVATEERS AND PIRATES

Bahamians went into battles with the Spanish over salvaging of wrecked ships and its goods. They attacked the Spanish, confisticated the goods they already took from the shipwrecks. The Spanish in turn, raided Bahamian neighborhoods as a vengeance. and that was in 1684. In Europe, Spain and England were at peace with one another. Spanish burned down settlements in New Providence and Eleuthera

In 1686, New Providence became settled for a second time from Jamaica. In 1690s English privateers simply settled in Bahamas, for France was at War with England. Then in 1696, Henry Avery, using a pseudo-name called Henry Bridgeman, brought his fancy ship,`Fancy’., loaded with pirates’ loot. into Nassau harbor. He successfully bribed the Governor, Nicholas Troth with gold, silver, and requested he stores `Fancy’ for him-laden with 50 tons of