African Americans in the Colonial Era - Book Report/Review Example

The book ‎‘African Americans in the Colonial Era’ is penned by Donald R. Wright. The book is an impressive and interesting account of information that provides a concise overview to the ruthless realities about the slavery of African Americans. The book mainly focuses upon exploring the evolution and beginning of the slavery and tells about the lives, difficulties and miseries of the African Americans. The author tells that the slaves had no other choice rather to endure the inhumane practice of the white people of the American lands. ‎ The author has presented the description of slavery and slaves’ lives and miseries using the facts and information from the other writers having deep observation and experience of slavery. He also compares the perspectives and fact presented by the other writers with his own and presents the concluding remarks about the merciless and callous slavery experience. The author has basically attempted to convince the readers to see the colonial era from his perspective and from the eyes of many other writers of his age. The book is divided in to different sections making it easy for the readers to completely understand the colonial era and the major developments occurred during that time period. There are total four sections of the book and each of the section has several sub sections that are made keeping in view the historical themes and incidents that the author has attempted to present to the readers. The author provides an in depth review of the important and crucial aspects of history that explain the origins of slavery of the Colonial America. He tells the readers that how slavery began and when and how the first slave was captured by the colonists. He then proceeds towards telling the way slaves were traded and transported. He also throws light on the wretched aspects of this trade and transportation when many of the slaves were dead during the sea voyages across the Atlantic oceans and the journey became the death sentence for many of them. These all incidents are described to establish the main theme of the book that revolves around the lives of normal Africans abruptly changed when they turned in to the captured slaves from free humans. The transition of lives from freedom to slavery was certainly a harsh experience that has been described by the author in very intricate and heart touching manner because he describes the minor details of the slaves’ lives in such a manner that the readers feel that they are witnessing the phase of slavery with their own eyes. The description of this slavery and journey becomes more impressive and engaging as Wright skillfully portrays a lively picture of journey of the slaves by including details of numerous minor incidents and events. He tells how appallingly the slaves were carried and treated by the whites during the journey. Since the slaves had to pass very long journey through the Atlantic, the traders of the slaves preferred to send maximum numbers of slaves in the ship in order to earn maximum profit. Due to these overcrowding and poor living conditions many of the slaves died on the way and many suffered from diseases and other health issues due to lack of proper diet and proper living conditions. The book also describes the major reasons behind the evolution of the slavery. He attempts to explain the factors behind the beginning of slavery in simple manner. He tells that the blacks were distinct and the while colonists used to view them as inferior and unimportant. The powerful colonists only used to see the blacks as major source of cheap labor for running the colonies and for this they also decided to bear the transportation cost of the labor between the two countries (Wright, 43). The book also explains how the colonists used to view the slavery as source of establishing business and making money. They viewed the black slaves as commodity and traded them for making money and this approach later became the root cause of racial conflicts in America. Earlier they didn’t have realized that they could use blacks as labor and assets but gradually they saw the scope of business and money making in their trade. While explaining this point, Wright mentions at one place that initially the colonial nation settled down in Jamestown in 1607 but at that time they had no plan or idea to use slaves as base for their economy and society (Wright 55). However, along with time they thought that they could not only make blacks their servant but can also make them slaves and can trade them to earn profits. In this way the slavery was spread across America. As the slavery was spread across the country, the wave of racial prejudices also got momentum and people began to realize the differences in the customers, life styles and cultural norms of the people of these two races. The whites developed several stereotypical and negative thinking about blacks. On the other hand, the Blacks who were already living in miserable conditions had no way to prove those stereotypical thinking and misconceptions wrong. Whites used to highlight the negative sides of the blacks to keep them oppressed and inferior in the society. Wright refers to the writing of an author at one place that blacks had no social will and influence to prove that the colonists were propagating false information about them to further deprive them socially. The lifestyle of the African American is another important theme portrayed in the book. Most of the slaves wanted to spend their lives according to their own cultures, religions and philosophy but they did not have the capability to act upon their desire because they were not living as free humans in the society. With limited freedom and will they had to act upon the wishes of the whites because they do not have any other choice in front of them. Eventually they became very depressed and gradually the feelings of rebel and protest were instigated among them. The author believes that the American Revolution after the Colonial Era took place due to the courage and determination of the African people to gain freedom and social will. The author concludes the discussion by moving towards the phase when people witnessed the end of the slavery. The book tells that it was a prolonged process during which the people of American started realizing that slavery is not only morally wrong but it is also against and contradictory to the beliefs of Christianity. The African American put their lives on risk to gain freedom from the colonists. They exhibited bravery and strong determination towards their cause that later compelled many people to speak in favor to end the slavery in America. All the above mentioned themes of the book are very well presented by the author using the historical artifact and authentic information. The author compellingly tells the readers what he wants them to know about slavery; its beginning, evolution and end in America. Moreover, the author has done a great job in highlighting the efforts and courage of the black people to end the slavery in America. He believes that the blacks scarified their lives to gain freedom and social equality and their efforts became successful with the declaration that officially ended the slavery in American and a horrible episode of human trade came to an end. Works Cited Wright, Donald R. African Americans in the Colonial Era: From African Origins through the American Revolution. Arlington, Heights, Ill: Harlan Davidson, 1990. Print. Read More