On the observance of International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade & its Abolition which is on August 23, I am presenting a Brief History of Slavery and its Abolition.
THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY
The history of slavery, is a long and heart breaking story, full of tragedy and cruelty, that spans both centuries and continents. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact year the slavery began, because its origins predate historical recording and the written word, However, historians trace the roots of slavery around 11,000 years back.
Slavery Throughout the Ancient World
The practice of human slavery grew as the world became "more civilized" and organized cities and farms were developed. Sumeria is still thought to be the birthplace of slavery, which grew out of Sumer into Greece and other parts of ancient Mesopotamia. The Ancient East, specifically China and India, didn’t adopt the practice of slavery until much later.
The Life of a Slave in Ancient Times
Slavery in ancient times typically came about as a result of debt, birth into a slave family, child abandonment, war, or as a punishment for crime. At the outset, the slave trade wasn’t very popular, and was not a booming global business. According to historical texts, the lives of slaves in ancient times were typically better than that of peasants in the same era, as they had regular care, food, shelter and clothing. Slaves rarely attempted to run away unless their masters were cruel.
history-of-slavery-in-the-middle-ages
Throughout the Middle Ages, the practice of slavery changed dramatically as global warfare, raiding and conquering spanned across continents. This led to chaos and confusion as the citizens of conquered regions were taken as slaves, and transported across many miles to work as slaves, for their captors.
Medieval Slavery in Europe
At the outset of the Middle Ages, King Charlemagne united parts of West and Central Europe through wars and violence which involved taking slaves and selling them to the highest bidders, mostly to Muslim lands. During that period Vikings also took slaves across Europe. Additionally, Spain and Portugal were in constant state of Holy War with Muslims which always resulted in capturing prisoners which were turned into slaves.
Medieval Slavery in Asia
Throughout the Middle Ages slavery was taking root in Asia. Several invasions on India by Persia resulted in the enslavement of hundreds of thousands of Indians.
The Origins of American Slavery
In 1619, 20 men from Africa were brought to America as the first slaves, though Historians are not sure whether this was the beginning of the legal slave trade in Americas or not. However, majority of the African slaves were concentrated in the Caribbean, to work on plantations.
The Journey from Africa
The Transportation of the slaves from Africa to the Americas was Horrible. The transport ships were tightly packed, low on food, and without proper sanitation. This led to a rapid spread in fatal diseases, such as dysentery, fever, and smallpox, killing both the slaves and the ship’s crew.
THE ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT
Some of the first countries to do away with slavery as a practice were located in Western Europe. Many European countries were careful not to use slavery in their homelands, but relied heavily on slaves to build their empires abroad. The next step in the abolitionist movement was the ending of the slave trade globally. Slavers who were caught transporting slaves across the ocean were tried in court, and those captured were set free.
The American Civil War
At the time of the American Civil War, there were more than 4 million slaves working in the United States.
In 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the presidency. With the stroke of a pen, President Lincoln changed the war by signing the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the status of all enslaved in North America, from bondage to freedom. In 1865, the Union regained control of the Confederate States, and the slaves in those areas were also freed.
Although legally free, the lives of black Americans did not immediately improve. The battle for racial equality is one that is still ongoing in the United States, a reminder of our dark past.
MODERN DAY SLAVERY
Sadly, even through the hard work of abolitionists the world over, the end of slavery didn’t come in the 19th century. Modern or contemporary slavery still exists across the globe, often in places you wouldn’t expect. Experts estimate that there are roughly 40.3 million enslaved people currently in bondage.
There are many forms of modern day slavery, all of which involve people being forced to work against their will. This can take the form of prostitution, physical bondage, forced labor, human trafficking, debt bondage or simply being born into slavery.
