POSTS – Page 35 – Atlantic History

The Struggle for Power on Slave Ships

September 14, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

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The kidnapping and selling of slaves was only one of many treacherous acts by European seamen. Men and women were ripped apart from their families and their homes. Unwilling and afraid, they were often forced onto crowded ships. Smallwood wrote about the power that the Europeans had held against the “cargoes” on the slave ships. (Smallwood, 679). The captives would often try to shift the balance of power by seizing any objects that could used as weapons. Smallwood reminded her readers that slaves were not always confined. They were often called on for help by the captains and his crews. There were many instances where the unwilling travelers helped sail their ship to safety. (Smallwood, 682).

One of the many things that intrigued me in this article was the use of African guardians. These guardians were slaves who were appointed to police the rest of cargoes. They helped discipline and control the rest of the captives. Many of the documentations and records of these slave guardians were produced by those of the Royal African Company. These slave guardians were often bought and sold just the same as the rest, yet they hold more power than them.

This article was very interesting to read and also well written. However, compared to many other articles and documentaries that I have seen about slavery, I believe that Smallwood definitely looks to the less gruesome side of slave trade. There are many things that she had brushed aside or sugarcoated. Smallwood had focused a lot more on their use and worth on the slave ships. She mentioned that it was important for captains and their crew to “minimize their need to ever put such force to direct use against their human cargoes.” (Smallwood, 681). This was true for many ships that want to maximize their profit. Unfortunately, there were other slave ships who packed on as much captives as they could. This often caused a shortage of food and supplies for everyone. Slave traders would then lessen the mouths to feed by brutally torturing and killing the captives.

Stephanie Smallwood. “African Guardians, European Slave Ships and the Changing Dynamics of Power in the Early Modern Atlantic” in The William and Mary Quarterly. Volume 64, Number 4, October 2007

Spaces, Ships, and Slavery Reading Response

September 14, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

In order to analyze the way that slaves were transported across the Atlantic and how they dealt with the situations they were placed in, we need to look at the relationships they had with each other and the English sailors who captured and took them across. Smallwood dives into the different ways that slaves were treated during the long voyage across the Atlantic, suggesting that some slaves were chosen to be “guardians.(Smallwood, 683).” This sheds some light on the types of relationships that these English sailors had to develop in order to maintain control.

Matthew talks about this in his response of the reading where he states: “the camaraderie between guardians and slaves can be the must powerful weapon because it brings people together and forms bonds.” One would think that with the trust that is placed in these slave guardians that there was often struggles on the voyages, but according to Smallwood there is not much evidence to suggest that. Smallwood suggests that these guardians worked to help their captors rather than those they were enslaved with(Smallwood, 685). This sort of social control seems opposite to the type of “naked physical force” that Smallwood talks about in the early parts of the article.

This opens up different ways of looking at how slaves interacted with their captors and how they handled being given power themselves in new situations. It reinforces the idea that human relationships are complex and more complicated than the binaries we tend to confine them to be when thinking historically.

Spanish Domination

September 13, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

In chapter three Iberians in America of The Atlantic World by Douglas R. Egerton et al., the authors try to explain the encounters between the people of the Iberian peninsula and the native inhabitants of the newly discovered (in the view of the European explorers) American continent. While the chapter touches on the the fact that the Native Americans were a people of rich and advanced culture that consisted of an elaborate religious system and social hierarchy (Egerton, 77.) along with the Portuguese establishing a network of trade that eventually lead to the colonization of Brazil (Egerton, 90.), chapter three focuses primarily on the Spanish exploration and eventual conquest of the native peoples living in we now call the Caribbean, Mexico, and Peru. Even though Spanish attributed their discoveries and conquests for the greater glory of God and the kingdom of Spain, elements of miscommunication and the Spanish’s self-serving quest for power and prestige enslaved and dominated the native peoples of America.
At first contact the Taino people perceived Columbus and his crew as strange people willing to set up a trading relationship (Egerton, 82.). On the other hand, Columbus considered the Taino as “naive and child-like,” who could be easily ruled. This misunderstanding and tipped the balance of power towards him and his crew. As a result, Columbus, threatened or enslaved the Taino to extract the riches from the newly acquired provinces of the Spanish crown. Wary of the Spanish demands on their land and themselves, the Taino tried resist the Spanish. Although they were somewhat successful, Columbus and the Spanish responded with mass killings and scorched earth tactics (Egerton, 87.).
Cortez’s lust for gold and power provided the inspiration for his conquest of the Mesoamerican empire of the Mexica. The Mexica were a highly evolved society steeped in tradition, religion, and social hierarchy. When Cortez and his garrison first encountered the Mexica, he presumed that he and his men were being given tribute of gold as a supreme being which as far from the truth. Even though Moctezuma saw the Spanish conquistadors are visiting dignitaries, this misunderstanding and Cortez’s greed proved disastrous for Moctezuma and his people. As a result, Cortez and his men raided Motcezuma’s treasure and massacred the Mexica during their celebration of Huitzilopotchli (Egerton, 99.). Even though the Mexica were successful in driving out the Spanish out of Tenochtitlan during La Noche Triste, Cortez returned to lay siege to the beautiful Mexica capitol of Tenochtitlan (Egerton, 101.).
Thinking in hindsight, could have these miscommunications and misunderstanding between the Spanish and the Native Americans been resolved with subjugation and or bloodshed? Maybe if the Taino and the Mexica encountered someone who was not suffering from gold fever with conquest on their minds. Unfortunately Columbus’ opinion of the Taino as “naive and child-like” reinforced his perception that they were somewhat lesser as human beings than he was. As for Cortez and his men, the misunderstanding of the celebration of Huitzilopotchli sparked fear in the the hearts and minds of his men. As a result men who fear what they do not understand tend to react violently.

Atlantic World Chapter 3 Response

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

I agree with Matt relating to early Portuguese and early Spanish explorers because each of them used goods, cotton, and other items to use to create their factories and used to trade with other local people in the Caribbean. Both the Spanish and Portuguese movements were key towards their journey to the coast of Africa. Matt wrote early Portuguese and early Spanish explorers make me think of Christopher Columbus because he had had goods to trade with Spain such as water, wood, and had individuals to translate when sailing to various places around the Caribbean. (Chapter 3, Page 81). These goods that Columbus use to trade with the Spanish help create a partnership towards their journey through the Caribbean.

Test…

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

Test

Hello History World

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

This is the beginning of my historical blogging adventure through Atlantic history and the vast amount information within. Stay tuned for critical analysis and thought.

Until next time,

Alec C

Hello world!

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

The Trials and Travails of La Conquista

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

A popular misconception is that the Spanish conquest of the Americas was one of ease and expediency, made possible by technological superiority. However, as the authors state on page 104, “securing Spanish rule in the Americas was a protracted process, one exacerbated by indigenous resistance and Spanish rivalries.” Indeed, the impediment of internal Spanish conflict (Egerton, 86), the tug of war that was the Fall of Tenochtitlan (Egerton, 100), and the difficulty of subduing the Incans (Egerton, 104) all provided a significant hindrance to the establishment of New Spain.

As Columbus was consolidating his rule over the Isle of Hispaniola, he weathered frequent challenges to his authority by dissatisfied mutineers and classist dissenters who frowned upon his lowly birth status (Egerton, 86). Some rebels even made the voyage back to the Spanish royal court to voice their grievances (Egerton, 86). Ultimately, Columbus was relieved from being chief administrator and replaced by a more competent bureaucrat: Nicolas de Ovando (Egerton, 87). Further on, in 1519, we learn true nature of Hernan Cortes’s historic visit to Tenochtitlan. He came not as a royally sanctioned conqueror, but rather, as a treasonous outlaw (Egerton, 99). After fending off a challenge from Panfilo de Narvaez (who was sent to arrest him), Cortes mounted an offensive against the Aztec rulers of Tenochtitlan (Egerton, 99). In the ensuing battle, a contingent of outnumbered contingent of Spaniards was forced into full retreat by an angered swarm of Mexicas (Egerton, 99). Technological superiority clearly granted only a modest advantage in warfare (Egerton, 100). Just as the Aztecs, the Incans also forced the Spaniards into a bitter stalemate. Initially, the Spanish in Peru remained on the periphery of the Incan Empire, divided by infighting between pizzarista and amalgrista factions (Egerton, 103). 40 years elapsed before the Spaniards could finally assert control over the remnants of the Incan Empire (Egerton, 103).

This chapter refutes a long-standing narrative that the Spanish conquest of the Americas was cohesive, relatively straightforward, and overwhelming. However, upon closer inspection, we see inner power struggles and stiff indigenous resistance greatly hamper Spanish ambitions.

Conquering Indigenous Spaces

September 12, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

The Spanish’s impact in the Americas during the 15^th and 16^th centuries decimated indigenous populations in order to make way for a civilization based on European ideals. The quest for wealth, evangelism, and labor sources allowed the Spanish to manipulate native society in order cater to their own needs, such as establishing encomiendas to force local peoples to labor for gold (Egerton, 84). 84). Explorers such as Christopher Columbus and Hernán Cortés viewed their actions as part of a divine mission, attempting to civilize unfamiliar people and construct a European society that caused more harm than good. No single factor can be attributed to the elimination of indigenous people in the Americas, as numerous actions led to their demise. Animals imported from Spain destroyed essential resources for Native Americans, limiting food and natural sources that were necessary for survival (Egerton, 92). Wars between Spaniards, Aztec, and Maya led to the downfall of indigenous communities (Egerton, 99). Disease epidemics wiped out whole populations, causing many ethnic groups to become extinct (Egerton, 92). Once native structures were toppled, the Spanish viewed it as an opportunity to impose their ideals and beliefs on remaining survivors. Catholicism took the place of Mexica religion, a foreign hierarchy was established, and evangelism was declared necessary for native people in order to assimilate in a growing European society (Egerton, 106). With their conquest of the Americas, the Spanish demonstrated their power over indigenous communities. The invasion, exploitation, and elimination of native populations led European nations to construct a society that was built on the deaths of many people. Despite the thriving civilizations of indigenous people in the past, the overwhelming presence of the Spanish crushed once powerful regimes.

An Iberian Atlantic World

September 11, 2016December 16, 2020Dr. Shrout

Chapter three gives readers an understanding of what occurred when the Europeans from the Iberian Peninsula and the locals in the Caribbean and the Americas saw one another for the first time. While Spanish exploration was the main topic in the chapter, the chapter also dives into the Portuguese and their travels around the southern tip of Africa and Brazil. The author talks about the different models used by the Portuguese and the Spanish in terms of how they interacted and settled. For example, early Portuguese and early Spanish explorers used a form of trade model to interact in Africa and the Caribbean, where they constructed factories along the coast and traded with the locals (Egerton, 82). However, this form of interaction with the locals changed over time. The author gives us an interesting view of how Spanish interaction in the Caribbean changed. When Columbus sailed to the Caribbean in 1492, the trade model that closely resembled the model Portugal used in Africa was implemented, but only a year later when Columbus returned to the Caribbean, territorial gain and religious conversion that was used to unify a Catholic Spain was now the priority (Egerton, 84). What the Spanish saw as a “blessing from God” after defeating the Muslims, they took that religious motivation and aggression from fighting and applied it to their “discoveries” across the Atlantic (Egerton, 84). While religious conversion was on the minds of the Spaniards, their main goal was finding gold and becoming wealthy. Interestingly enough, they used that ambition of finding gold and believed that they would be doing God’s work at the same time. For example, Columbus believed that gold found in the Caribbean would be sent back to Spain to further extend Christianity into Jerusalem (Egerton, 84). The author lastly covers the transition of Spanish interaction to Spanish takeover in the Caribbean and the Americas. From diseases to battles and eventually Spanish settlement, the Spanish found themselves establishing rule in the Americas that pushed for conversion to Christianity and placed themselves in power following the existing structures of power and using that to their advantage.

Egerton, Douglas R. The Atlantic World: A History, 1400-1888. The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell, 2007.