motives – U.S. to 1877

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An important part of this week’s reading in Inhuman Bondage for me was how Davis describes the slave trade and in a way lists on the reason behind the Europeans purchasing other human beings as free labor. Davis persuades the reader that the slave trade was an essential part of the American economy, which makes it almost seem as if the enslavement of other people is fine because they were the cheapest alternative and they brought so much revenue back to the country. Along with the thoughts of the efficiency in terms of finances, Davis also brings up how the difference in religion rationalizes enslaving Africans to the Europeans. The Europeans looked down on the African race because they were not white Christians as they were and this difference made them inferior. He goes further to justify the horrors of slavery by making it seem like enslaving these people was going to make them better. He makes it seem as if enslaving Africans will make them want to become more like their owners, meaning they will choose to convert to Christianity, and this will make them more educated or civilized as a race. I think this is absurd because being enslaved, in my opinion, would not make you want to join those who took brought your life for work, but rather make you turn against and rebel against everything that you see them do. I find it ironic that the United States of America that we live in today is all about freedom and providing people with a chance at life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but our countries began with slavery being an integral part, and slavery lasted for a long time afterwards.

Taylor’s main focus in chapters nine and twelve is the development of the New England and Middle colonies, especially how their development determined the treatment of the Indians. The Puritans came to America for religious reasons, to create a “city on a hill,” so the marked differences between their culture and the culture of the Indians led the Puritans to cultivate a deep dislike and distrust for them. On the other hand the Dutch founded New Netherland purely as a trade outpost which depended on the Indians for furs. Because of this the Dutch couldn’t afford to mistreat the Indians. This type of relationship is also seen later, in Pennsylvania as the weakened peoples of the area didn’t present much of a threat or competition for land. I agree with Sylvia’s point as well, that in describing the different interactions between Indians and colonists in different areas, Taylor tends to show bias and favoritism. However, I also think that the focus on motive and primary support which acknowledges, at least to some extent, the perceived positive and negative aspect of Indian relations in both regions, acts to negate some of the bias presented in his writing. For example, Taylor demonstrates that not everyone in New England completely overlooked the merits of Indian culture by including a quotation by colonist, Roger Williams, saying “It is a strange truth, that a man shall generally finde more free entertainment and refreshing amongst these Barbarians, than amongst thousands that call themselves Christians” (Taylor 191). While this quotation does not, by any stretch of the mind, demonstrate a wholehearted love or even acceptance of the Indians, it does show that the colonists of New England weren’t driven by a mindless animosity toward them. Taylor also makes it very clear that William Penn’s Indian policy was not simply formed out of good will. It was also a strategic move which created a “security screen” of displaced Indians to act as a buffer between the Pennsylvanian colonists and the French and it’s allies (Taylor 269). While some bias clearly does exist, inclusion of these details prevents Taylor prom painting either region as completely good or completely bad and provides readers with the information they need to form their own conclusions.

Tag: motives

Inhuman Bondage Reading

Week Three Readings