Slavery and the African Experience
True or False: Could slaves be mortgaged?
True
True or False: Measles, influenza, smallpox ALL affected colonial Latin America
True
True or False: Indigenous societies had no internal political conflicts before European arrival
False
True or False: Colonial cities and plantations offered extremely similar experiences for enslaved Africans
False
True or False: Brazil imported the most slaves compared to the rest of the Americas
True
Is a plantation considered a “society with slaves” or a "slave society"?
a "slave society"
Why might a population with no previous exposure to a disease suffer more than one that has seen it before?
They have no immunity so more people might get sick/die
Name 3 indigenous societies in colonial Latin America
Aztecs, Maya, Tlaxcalans, Inca, Taino, etc
In a slave society, did social relations revolve around slavery?
Yes
Name two ways enslaved Africans could become free during the colonial period of Latin America?
Buy their freedom/run away/rebel
What were some common ways enslaved Africans resisted or coped with their forced labor?
Running away/practicing their own religions/keeping cultural traditions/subtle forms of sabotage
How could a disease help one group gain power over another?
If one group is weakened or killed, the other can take advantage politically, socially, or militarily
What factors contributed to the increase in deaths in indigenous societies during the epidemic?
Practice of sleeping on the ground/Hard labor/Lack of immunity
Why were mortality rates often higher in port cities than in rural plantations?
Disease/crowding/harsh transpor conditions/frequent movement of enslaved population
The month-long journey transporting slaves across the Atlantic was called the…
A. America passage
B. Middle Passage
C. New World Passage
D. Cleansing Passage
B. Middle Passage
Why did Sandoval focus so much on the spiritual well-being of enslaved people?
He believed Europeans had a moral and religious duty to treat Africans well because of their shared humanity and souls
How might a sudden loss of leaders affect a society during a disease outbreak?
It could cause political confusion, civil unrest, and weaken defense or decision making
How did disease affect social and political structures in Indigenous societies?
Epidemics killed large portions of populations/disrupted governance and succession/undermined social cohesion
Name one major difference between colonial cities and plantations
Cities had more trade, diverse jobs, and interaction with free populations/plantations focused on monoculture labor and strict field work
Why might slave owners have wanted to suppress cultural practices among enslaved Africans?
To prevent rebellion/control behavior/enforce European norms
During this time period, which of the following did colonizers in Latin America not use enslaved people for?
A. Gold mining
B. Silver mining
C. Sugar plantations
D. Oil drilling
E. Everyday labor in cities
D. Oil drilling
When did the smallpox epidemic begin?
Fall of 1518
Explain the impact of leadership deaths, like Cuitláhuac and Huayna Capac, on indigenous societies
Succession crises caused civil unrest/weakened military organization/made societies more vulnerable to conquest
Define the term “maroon community"?
Maroon communities were self-liberated groups of Africans who escaped slavery in the Americas to form their own free societies
What strategies might enslaved Africans have used to survive the harsh conditions described by Sandoval?
Forming social bonds/sharing food/helping each other/maintaining morale/spiritual practices