Western civilization.The Atlantic slave trade,protestant revival and the two revolutions - Essay Example

? Western Civilization I.D. Number: Term and Year Western Civilization Question Write a 300 to 500 word essay on the subject of “The Atlantic Slave Trade.” Please try to explain how it came into being, why it was so successful, and why it ended. Answer Introduction Atlantic Slave Trade was a direct consequence of the practice of slavery that existed in Medieval Europe and the colonial world. With the discovery of the Americas, slavery and slave trade became more pervasive since the European colonists needed cheap labor. Atlantic Slave Trade was a trade phenomenon that started during the 16th century. The Portuguese were the pioneers of this trade system. Soon, several European powers followed the techniques and trade routes of the Portuguese. Slave trade began to flourish rapidly as the European powers were rivaling each other to establish vast overseas colonial empires. Discussion As Christopher Columbus had discovered the New World, Europeans began to migrate towards the West in the search of fortune. They gathered in the North and South Americas and rapidly annihilated the native peoples. In this way, communities like Sioux Indians, Incas, Aztecs, Red Indians, etc. were cornered. Now, the European settlers needed to clear the forests, create towns and cities, and exploit the natural resources of the new found continents. Hence they needed cheap labor. (McKay et al, 2011) Europeans were colonizing in Africa too and had defeated the Arabs on a number of occasions. Hence, they carried on their imperial expansion across Africa and conquered several countries. Here, they captured and/or kidnapped large numbers of Africans and enslaved them. These slaves were transported as merchandise units to the New World so that they could be used as cheap labor for plantations, agriculture, clearing the forests and several jobs like that. Hence, it can be deduced that the reasons for both the beginning and success of Atlantic Slave Trade were the same: The theory of demand and supply. The innocent Africans were carried away from the present day countries like Sierra Leon, Senegal, Nigeria, etc. and used as bonded labors throughout their lives. Along with this, they were subjected to horrible torture and life conditions by their masters, who mostly neglected even their minimum well being. Freed slaves like Olaudah Equiano later came out with the accounts of these atrocities. Direct and indirect experiences about the tortures meted out to the African slaves started to build opinion against slave trade among the Europeans and White Americans themselves. Ultimately, humanitarian people in Europe and America abolished slavery and slave trade in a step by step manner by the end of 19th century. (McKay et al, 2011) Conclusion Atlantic Slave Trade was one of the most heinous crimes of world history. According to McKay et al (2011), “The Atlantic slave trade grew enormously as colonial plantations used slaves to produce commodities for trade.” Yet, it should be kept in mind that the Europeans and colonists themselves came forward to abolish it. First, the British Empire declared slavery illegal and then the American Civil War delivered the death blow to this practice. Thus, “public outcry at slavery’s horrors” (McKay et al, 2011) was the main reason behind the decline of Atlantic Slave Trade. Question 2 Pick one group in the “Protestant Revival” and talk about the aims, ideas, goals, and people behind it in 300-500 words. Answer Introduction Protestantism had originated in Medieval Europe. Thinkers and reformers like Martin Luther began the Protestant Movement, which primarily aimed to establish the right of the common people to learn and understand religion with more openness, freedom, and humane values. The European immigrants to America brought these ideas from Europe and looked for religious emancipation in the New World too. During the middle of 18th century, the First Great Awakening of Protestant Revival took place that was going to change American religious culture permanently. Discussion The most prominent upheaval of religious reforms took place in Germany, were people wanted to revise and revive the tenets the protestant thinkers like Wycliffe, Luther, etc. However, in Europe, Protestantism got entangled in politics on a number of occasions. Particularly in Britain, Protestants became so powerful due to royal patronage that they began to expel the Catholics from the British Isles. America became a major refuge for such Catholics, many of whom had been persecuted by the Protestants. Yet, in the wake of 19th century, even these Catholics were looking for the revival of true religion and condemnation of excessive traditionalism. “Indeed, many historians see the early nineteenth century as an age of religious revival.” (McKay et al, 2011) Therefore, the First Great Awakening of America can be marked as a Christian Revival, where both the Catholics and Protestants participated and it became more leaning towards Protestantism. People who started it were church members who wanted to expand the realm of Christianity with more sincerity and humanism following the directives of Jesus Christ as had been laid down in the New Testament part of Bible. To some extent, they burrowed their ideas from Pietism in Germany. The movement brought Christianity to the different sections of the society. People who were behind the first awakening were primarily the church members many of whom were Protestant Christians but welcomed the Catholics with open arms. “Protestant religious revival sought to reaffirm Martin Luther’s original mission and carried the promise of salvation to the common people.” (McKay et al, 2011) Conclusion The universal appeal and expansionism adopted by the American groups during Protestant Revival are unique and longstanding. The Second Great Awakening took the horizons of Protestantism farther. This happened during the early 19th century, when even the Natives and the African slaves were inducted in Christianity with more enthusiasm and zeal. Drifting away from the numerous doctrines, ceremonies, and rituals, the Great Awakening restructured religion as a more personal phenomenon which was to be adhered to with more pity and sincerity. These developments emphasized the human values that indirectly helped in destroying the social evils like witchcraft, slavery, etc. Question 3 Write a 300 to 500 word essay on the subject of “The Two Revolutions.” Were the French and American Revolutions similar or different? In what ways? Why did one end in a democracy and the other with an empire? Answer Introduction The French and American Revolutions were similar in certain aspects and different in others. In certain characteristics such as nature and tactics, the two revolutions highly resembled each other. However, as far as the consequences are concerned, they largely differ. The French had cooperated with the Americans in their War for Independence against Britain in many ways. This brought French thought, culture, technology, and tactics at the focus of the American policy makers and generals. On the other hand, the actions of the American people influenced the Europeans and helped them to voice their rights. Discussion McKay et al (2011) point out, “By 1777 French volunteers were arriving in Virginia, and a dashing young nobleman, the marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), quickly became one of George Washington’s most trusted generals. In 1778 the French government offered a formal alliance to the American ambassador in Paris.” Hence, Americans burrowed certain warfare tactics, technologies, and diplomatic techniques from the French. These strategic methods covering different aspects of a conflict characterize the French Revolution too. Both the French and American revolutionaries had generally hostile relationships with Britain. Also, these revolutions largely depended on the character and personal abilities of their respective leaders. In France, the course of the revolution was greatly influenced by Napoleon, while the American Revolution was almost entirely led by Washington. Hence, charismatic leadership was important in both the revolutions. However, the two revolutions had lots of differences too. The American Revolution had secessionist characteristics. But class consciousness played a key role in French Revolution. In America, the noblemen who comprised the elite society of the thirteen colonies retained their power, status, and prestige. But in France, the aristocracy almost completely lost its power and influence. The Americans fought the King of Britain, whose military command in London was thousands of miles away from the actual battlefields in continental America. But the French had to fight with the forces of the King of France within France, and the French capital itself became a battlefield at times. Also, the Americans did not interfere with the working and culture of the church, but the French revolutionaries attacked the religious authorities on many occasions, which weakened the church and diminished its prestige. (McKay et al, 2011) Conclusion To conclude, it should be noted that the French and American Revolutions led to very different legacies and consequences. The attitudes of the leaderships of French and American Revolutions can be held responsible for this difference. In America, Washington chose a democratic way of governance and selected a periodical presidential term. On several occasions, he retained the power and prestige of the nobility. But in France, Napoleon was personally involved in a struggle against the aristocracy and he took a more autocratic stance. Washington considered himself a part of the aristocracy, but Napoleon sought to be more popular and contradicted the aristocracy virulently. Besides, France was a part of the continental Europe. In those days, almost all significant European powers were empires. France also selected a similar imperial organization due to the influence and pressure of its neighbors. But America remained immune toward these factors. It was a part of a continent that was thousands of miles away from Europe, which helped it to develop its own brand of democracy. Reference McKay, J.P., Hill, B.D., Buckler, J., Wiesner-Hanks, M.E., Crowston, C.H., and Perry, J. (2011). A History of Western Civilization: From the Age of Exploration to the Present, Volume II. New York: Bedford/ St. Martin’s. Read More