African-Americans And Slavery

Can you imagine what the feeling was like belonging to another human being as their property and being forced into working in the scorching, hot sun for hours at a time, without being awarded anything in return? This was the life of African-Americans that lived during the slavery era; belonging to another human being brought about many constrictions, disruptions, frustrations, and of course pain to African-Americans. Fortunately, African-Americans were able to fight through all oppression and make it out of slavery and because of their bravery we as African-Americans today are endowed to a more opportune lifestyle. Allow me to explain how African-Americans progressed through slavery to eventually freeing themselves and becoming the dominant
Contrary to popular belief, there were “slaves” in the America’s far before the African slave trade began. These were indentured servants that were allowed the opportunity to buy their freedom after contracts from their masters ended. Most indentured servants died from overworking or disease before regaining their freedom. Those who were fortunate enough to survive could expect to leave their masters and seek their fortunes as free persons. Although indentured servitude was the most prevalent workforce, slavery soon took reigns due to many social changes. It all started with the Atlantic slave trade. During the European age of exploration, Portugal took the lead of the slave trade during the early 1400s when its ships reached Africa’s western coast. Portuguese voyagers first arrived at Senegambia, Benin, and Kongo where they found a thriving commerce in slaves. Europeans however, settled and exploited North and South America, and the Caribbean islands. They quickly enslaved American Indians as laborers and mines. Unfortunately for them, Native Americans died of European diseases or from overworking. Some also escaped beyond reach of European
African Americans experienced suffering and oppression, but also developed means of coping with that oppression, resisting it, and escaping. Slaves would resist whenever possible, but the odds against slaves succeeding at a rebellion or escaping were so overwhelming that most slaves decided to resist through individual actions. The rebellious slaves broke tools used to perform certain jobs on the plantation as well as set building on fire. In addition, at times both the men and women slaves would fake being sick to gain relief from their harsh working conditions. Slaves also resisted the institution of slavery through the formation of their own culture and through their religious beliefs which kept hope alive in the face of persecution. Eventually, a northern black elite emerged in the early nineteenth century. You became a member of this elite through many aspects such as, talent, wealth, occupation, family connections, complexion, and education. The Black elite is what led into the development of many black institutions and culture in the struggle for racial justice. The elite gave rise to a black professional class including, physicians, lawyers, ministers, and entrepreneurs who served an entirely black clientele. African Americans who were well-off included skilled tradesmen, such as carpenters, barbers, waiters, and coachmen, who usually would find their employment among white people. As a result of