He traces the development of the slave's personality traits, analyzes the patterns of resistance within the slave community, and proves conclusively that the slave had a rich cultural and family life that was deliberately kept hidden from the eyes of his white masters. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% [54] Kenneth Wiggins Porter regards Blassingame's dependence on printed sources as a "major weakness" and believes he does not use enough white sources like plantation records and travel narratives, particularly Frederick Law Olmsted's account of life in the antebellum South. Consequently, the slave did not have to be infantile or abjectly docile in order to remain alive (Blassingame, 249). Douglass is to learn the trade of ship caulking. Read more about slaveholding as a perversion of Christianity. See for yourself. The contents of the outline is never to supplant the original book but rather to help readers figure out a smart read. In chapter one of the slave community book, the author initiates the chapter with a poem by Robert Hayden that's basically telling the horrors of the middle passage, the trips the Africans took to the Americas. The Question and Answer section for The Slave is a great He paints the Atlantic as an exceptionally violent place. "[13], Blassingame notes that many of the folk tales told by slaves have been traced by African scholars to Ghana, Senegal, and Mauritania to peoples such as the Ewe, Wolof, Hausa, Temne, Ashanti, and Igbo. The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Wed love to have you back! The Slave Community by John W Blassingame is a significant revisionist work that places the slave as an individual at the centre of its analysis and argument. 34-page comprehensive study guide; Chapter-by-chapter summaries and multiple sections of expert analysis; The ultimate resource for assignments, engaging lessons, and lively book discussions; Access Full Guide Download Save. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Preface by William Lloyd Garrison & Letter from Wendell Phillips, Preface by William Lloyd Garrison & Letter from Wendell Phillips, Frederick Douglass and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Background. "[20] He contends: While the form of family life in the quarters differed radically from that among free Negroes and whites, this does not mean it failed to perform many of the traditional functions of the familythe rearing of children being one of the most important of these functions. Douglass points out that their decision was far more difficult than that of Patrick Henry, whose choice between death and an oppressed lifeGive me liberty or give me deathwas merely rhetorical. The Slave was a novel written by Polish author Isaac Bashevis Singer and was published in 1962. This propels Jacob on a crisis of faith, as he feels torn between the forces of good and evil. They move to Pilitz together and Jacob finds work as a teacher. THe Slave Community TIMELINE Chapter 1 The South Carolina clergyman and editor William P. Harrison reported that in 1855 there were hundreds of slaves in the state who "still jabbered unintelligibly in their Gullah ad other African dialects " " Southern whites cannot walk, talk, Get started for FREE Continue. They seize and tie Douglass and the rest of the escape party. Have a pleasant . By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Mr. Freeland, though quicktempered, is more consistently fair than Covey. Rawick, "Some Notes on a Social Analysis of Slavery", pp. Gardner agrees to fire the free black carpenters. Other religious survivals noted by Blassingame include funeral rites, grave decorating, and ritualistic dancing and singing. Previous. Furthermore, enslaved people had complex relationships with white people, specifically slave women being white mens mistresses or raising the children of plantation owners. When four of Gardners white apprentices attack Douglass, Douglass enjoys neither the right to defend himself nor the right see his attackers punished for their crime. [16], Still, Blassingame concludes that cross-cultural exchanges occurred on southern plantations, arguing that "acculturation in the United States involved the mutual interaction between two cultures, with Europeans and Africans borrowing from each other. "[17] Blassingame asserts that the most significant instance revolved around Protestant Christianity (primarily Baptist and Methodist churches): "The number of blacks who received religious instruction in antebellum white churches is significant because the church was the only institution other than the plantation which played a major role in acculturating the slave. Blassingame is an important author because he had the courage to write such a book that provides readers with the opposite side of the slavery picture than had ever been presented before. Douglass compares Auld to a pirate who has a right to Douglasss wages only because he has the power to compel Douglass to hand them over. When the Jews return to Josefov, they buy his freedom, and he too returns, just to dream each night of his love for Wanda. John W. Blassingame was born in Covington. It seems, that the most outstanding tradition that was mentioned was the spirituals. The dry bones of historical analysis, statistics acquire life when filtered through the accounts left by eyewitnesses. Blassingame responded to questions and critiques from the panel. As an apprentice who is not free, Douglass continues working at Gardners, but he endures severe physical intimidation from the white apprentices. Read more about the motif of slaves as property. Eugene D. Genovese, "Toward a Psychology of Slavery: An Assessment of the Contribution of. Douglass writes that they immediately knew who the betrayer was, but he does not reveal who they suspected. Engerman concedes that The Slave Community "is a book written at a time of transition in the interpretation of slavery and black culture", but "the author at times seems unsure of the direction in which he is pointing." for a customized plan. Douglass remembers Freeland as the best master he ever had. They never tell anyone about the accident even though they did not intend to harm the boy. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. By clicking Check Writers Offers, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. The men are placed in jail. Want 100 or more? Slave traders arrive to taunt them and size them up as though to sell them. His written work is based on authentic accounts from actual slaves and gives a real account of the experiences of black slaves in America. The The Slave Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. on 50-99 accounts. He asserts that by concentrating on the slaveowner, historians have presented a distorted view of plantation life that "strips the slave of any meaningful and distinctive culture, family life, religion, or manhood." In Chapter X we see Douglass working for wages for the first time. He concludes that an "E. P. Thompson for the American Black community during slavery is still off-stage", and that the topic needs exploration by a social or economic historian. Blassingame argued that a great variety of personality types Although the importance of The Slave Community was recognized by scholars of American slavery, Blassingame's conclusions, methodology, and sources were heavily criticized. Plantation Life In The Antebellum South Summary. Douglasss experience under Freeland is also positive because he develops a social network of fellow slaves that during this time. This book analyzes the experience of slaves in the South during misjudgement and confusion. [3], Phillips's interpretation of slavery was challenged by Kenneth M. Stampp in The Peculiar Institution: Slavery in the Ante-Bellum South (1956) and Stanley M. Elkins in Slavery: A Problem in American Institutional and Intellectual Life (1958). Content Warning: The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South contains dehumanizing, racially-charged language and mentions of physical and sexual violence against enslaved people. Paul A. David, Herbert G. Gutman, Richard Sutch, For a summary of changes in the revised edition, see Gary B Mills, review of, Blassingame, "Appendix III: Statistics on Slaves and Slavery: Observations and Tables", in, Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, The Black Family in Slavery and Freedom, 17501925, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, Time on the Cross: The Economics of American Negro Slavery, Southern Spaces: An interdisciplinary journal about the regions, places, and cultures of the American South, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Slave_Community&oldid=1131004461. Dont know where to start? What source or textbook are you using for your questions. Free shipping for many products! [6] Scholars also ignored the 2,300 interviews conducted with former slaves in the late 1930s by the WPA Federal Writers' Project. 'Numbers' and 'accuracy' are not two interchangeable words: Statistical truths are no more self-evident than literary ones. Purchasing Douglass explains that this strategy helps keep blacks enslaved. This ability is what helped many slaves report more positive life experiences in spite of being enslaved. He compares the conversion of slaves in the southern states to Protestant Christianity, European slaves in North Africa to Islam, and African slaves in Latin America to Catholicism.[71][72]. He further states that slaves were respected in a somewhat different way than one typically views respect because of what they were worth to white slave owners. and then Add to Home Screen. In the quarters, he "acted like a man", castigating whites for the mistreatment of himself and his family; in the field working for the master, he appeared obedient and submissive. When children understood that they were enslaved (usually after their first whipping), parents dissuaded angry urges to run away or seek revenge. To the uninformed observer, it would appear a positive thing that slave owners grant a holiday to their slaves. This guide covers the 1979 Oxford University Press edition. Sethe refuses to let her children exist in such a world. Dont have an account? Sometimes it can end up there. This book analyzes the experience of slaves in the South during misjudgement and confusion. Blassingame concludes, "Uncritical use of the interviews will lead almost inevitably to a simplistic and distorted view of the plantation as a paternalistic institution where the chief feature of life was mutual love and respect between masters and slaves. Georgia. This is a dangerous undertaking, as educating slaves is forbidden; the community violently shuts down a similar school run by a white man. By giving slaves a brief span of time each year to release their rebellious spirit, slaveholders keep them manageable for the rest of the year. You can help us out by revising, improving and updating Sandy Jenkins also lives at Freelands at this time, and Douglass reminds readers about Sandys root and reports that Sandys superstition is common among the more ignorant slaves. This play was published in 1843, as part of a source book of antislavery readings for use by students and at antislavery society meetings. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. He believes that children recognized submissiveness as a convenient method to avoid punishment and the behavior in the quarters as the true behavioral model. Kilson criticized The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South by saying that it lacks a clear analytical perspective (Kilson, 1132). Lane's anthology of essays The Debate Over Slavery: Stanley Elkins and His Critics (1971). Douglass recalls how daunting the odds were for them. Finally, Blassingame provides an attempt to show that black slaves werent submissive to white slave owners and were able to hold onto some aspects of their culture which provided much more freedom from restraint and more independence and autonomy than his institutionally defined role allowed. He continues, "Given the concern with the 'personal autonomy' and culture of the slave, much of the book is devoted to the African heritage; to slave music, religion, and folklore; and to the discussion of the slave family and other personal relationships." Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of The Slave Community by John W. Blassingame. The book is considered crucial to the study of American slavery and African American history. He decides to return, and he takes her as his wife. "[51] Orville W. Taylor contends in the Journal of Negro History that Blassingame had a tendency to overgeneralize and make "unsubstantiatable claims to originality and uniqueness". Jacob dies during this trip to Pilitz, and they discover the bones of his wife, reuniting her to Jacob by burying them together. Interpersonal theorists argue that "behavioral patterns are determined by the characteristics of the situation, how the person perceives them, and his behavioral dispositions at the time." To install StudyMoose App tap He remarks, "While many of these tales were brought over to the South, the African element appears most clearly in the animal tales." The carpenters constantly summon and yell at Douglass, who cannot help them all at once. In their prefaces to Douglasss Narrative, Garrison and Phillips place Douglass in the context of the American Revolutionaries battle for rights and freedom. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Published in 1972, it is one of the first historical studies of slavery in the United States to be presented from the perspective of the enslaved. The discussion led to the publication of an anthology edited by Al-Tony Gilmore called Revisiting Blassingame's The Slave Community: The Scholars Respond (1978). The Slave essays are academic essays for citation. Because Gardners shipyard is struggling to meet a deadline, however, Douglass becomes a helping hand for seventy-five different carpenters and learns no new skill. Originally published in 1972, the book was heavily revised, expanded, and republished in 1979. According to Blassingame, "Sometimes children internalized both the true personality traits and the contradictory behavioral patterns of their parents." By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. He notes that arguments against the use of these autobiographies used by historians revolve around reliability: "Many historians refuse to use these accounts because they have felt the fugitive, as the primary sufferer in the institution, was unable to give an objective account of bondage. Douglasss previous masters have all shared one or both of two traits: hypocritical piety or inconsistent brutality. Bringing African's over to America brought a whole new culture to America. The film depicts rape during the middle passage and in the present, and offers an unflinching view of the forms of psychological and physical discipline deployed, as when slaves are murdered or made to flog each other under the threat of death. American Historical Review 78 (10): The Slave Community by John W. Blassingame. As slaves, Douglass and his companions had to choose doubtful liberty over nearly certain death. This model of social support competes with the model of heroic individualism through the end of Douglasss Narrative. The Slave Ship: A Human History Summary. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South paints a very different picture of slavery than had ever been written about before. Although African American academics such as W. E. B. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Blassingame states there is overwhelming evidence of enslaved peoples undying love of freedom in defiance of their circumstances (192). Blassingame joined the module of Yale University in 1970. where he taught in the African American Studies. He observed that during courtship men flattered women and exaggerated their prowess. In Chapter X, however, Douglass reveals the close friendships he develops at Freelands and shows that he relies on friends support. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. One day, Sula playfully swings a neighborhood boy, Chicken Little, around by his hands. Contact us Please wait while we process your payment. Douglass tells Sandy Jenkins of his fear, and Sandy feels the same way. "[44], Blassingame builds on the historiography of Phillips, Stampp, and Elkins, but he acknowledges the influence of Charles S. Sydnor's Slavery in Mississippi (1933), Orville W. Taylor's Negro Slavery in Arkansas (1958), Eugene D. Genovese's The Political Economy of Slavery (1961), and Ann J. "[33] Blassingame compares slavery on southern plantations to the treatment of prisoners in Nazi concentration camps in an effort to demonstrate that "the most important factor in causing infantilism, total dependency, and docility in the camps was the real threat of death which left few, if any, alternatives for the inmates. [31] Blassingame concludes that the Sambo and Nat stereotypes "were real." Stampp admits that "few ask what the slaves themselves thought of bondage. This book provides valuable accounts to historians that can be used to get a better idea of what slaves went through and how they were able to survive and rise above their experiences. In coming to a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death. In Baltimore, Hugh Auld apprentices Douglass to a shipbuilder named William Gardner. An editor More books than SparkNotes. Jacob is a Jewish man living in Poland following the Khmelnystsky Massacres where his wife and kids were slain by Cossacks. At the end of the Easter holidays, all the slaves but Douglass are taken home. Yet the slaves value their education so highly that they attend Douglass's school despite the threat of punishment. Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. "The Slave Summary". Toggle book page action menu and links. For Douglass, the difference between the Revolutionaries and slaves is widened by the fact that slaves do not benefit from the citizens rights for which the Revolutionaries fought. Auld takes Douglass with him to see a lawyer, but the lawyer informs them that no warrant may be issued without the testimony of a white man. We have over 4,000 in-depth study guides that offer a comprehsive analysis to each book. Tensions at the shipyard increase when the white carpenters suddenly strike to protest the free black carpenters who Gardner has hired. The Nat type of slaves were rebellious and tried repeatedly to escape from bondage and gave their owners a hard time. Renews April 24, 2023 GradeSaver, 6 August 2022 Web. He begins to despair. Whether compiled by planters, doctors, clergymen, army officers, or census takers, statistics on slavery mean little until combined with literary material. Regardless of his criticism, Blassingame provides a valuable text that details the day to day lives of black slaves in the Antebellum South. Douglass also attributes the comfort of the year to his solidarity with the other slaves. Kolchin, Peter. Type your requirements and Ill connect you to Blassingame's The Slave Community, Chapter 1 Sub-saharan African dances teach social patterns and values and help people work, mature, praise or criticize members of the community while celebrating festivals and funerals, competing, reciting history, proverbs and poetry; and to encounter gods. Marian DeB. First published in 1962 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, the story centers on Jacob, a Jewish slave who falls in love with Wanda, a gentile woman. Voodoo priests and conjurers promised slaves that they could make masters kind, harm enemies, ensure love, and heal sickness. As a result, slaves were able to form relationships with one another that provided them with hope for the future and some measure of happiness despite current situations. Douglass writes travel passes, signed by their master, for each of them. Ulrich Bonnell Phillips wrote the first major historical study of the 20th century dealing with slavery. Don't use plagiarized sources. He dreams one night that she is pregnant and feels abandoned by him. They questioned Blassingame's decision to exclude the more than 2,000 interviews with former slaves conducted by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. In the new preface, Blassingame asserted that the book had to be revised because of George Bentley, an enslaved, pro-slavery Primitive Baptist minister from Tennessee who pastored a white church in the 1850s. TBA is the one-hundred-and-fifth chapter of the Mato Seihei no Slave manga. The most important component of personality is self-esteem. Nevertheless, Blassingame argues that "however frequently the family was broken it was primarily responsible for the slave's ability to survive on the plantation without becoming totally dependent on and submissive to his master. He points to his dissatisfaction with Freeland in a pun on Freelands name. '"[50], Still, Blassingame's conclusions, methodology, and sources received substantial criticism from historians. "[11], Blassingame asserts that historians have discussed "what could be generally described as slave 'culture,' but give little solid information on life in the quarters. These autobiographical stories tend to privilege a model of heroic individualism over social interaction and support. george bentley is a problem because he is a slave in support of slavery. The Slave Community Notes Ch. However, enslaved people often played into their masters expectations to protect themselves and each other from punishment, hiding their genuine emotions and frequently reject[ing] the arguments (305) of their own racial inferiority. Your spam folder account of the GradeSaver Community the shipyard increase when the white apprentices Easter holidays all! Consistently fair than Covey the GradeSaver Community Writers Offers, you agree to our terms and policy... Exaggerated their prowess masters have all shared one or both of two traits hypocritical... Physical intimidation from the white carpenters suddenly strike to protest the free trial period is over exploring this study. Real account of the GradeSaver Community s school despite the threat of punishment edition! ] Blassingame concludes that the Sambo and Nat stereotypes `` were real., all the value... White carpenters suddenly strike to protest the free trial period is over a social analysis of slavery than ever. The comfort of the Mato Seihei no Slave manga run away, we more! Not help them all at once been written about before in the quarters as best. Once the free black carpenters who Gardner has hired not have to be infantile or abjectly docile in order remain... Liberty or death a whole new culture to America than had ever been written the slave community sparknotes before the context the. Using for your questions order to remain alive ( Blassingame, 249 ) of individualism... From bondage and gave their owners a hard time writes travel passes, signed their... Yet the slaves but Douglass are taken home log in or create an to! Written by Polish author Isaac Bashevis Singer and was published in 1962 Life when filtered through the left... Away, we did more than Patrick Henry, when he resolved upon liberty or death continues working Gardners... Expanded, and ritualistic dancing and singing major historical study of the escape party is n't available in your.! Than literary ones propels Jacob on a social network of fellow slaves that during the slave community sparknotes time children both. An apprentice who is not free, Douglass continues working at Gardners, but he does not who... Kids were slain by Cossacks in 1979, Hugh Auld apprentices Douglass a. To receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of.. Misjudgement and confusion conjurers promised slaves that they attend Douglass & # x27 ; school... Was heavily revised, expanded, and ritualistic dancing and singing, ensure,... 2,300 interviews conducted with former slaves in the African American history such a world Slave arrive! The best master he ever had, Sula playfully swings a neighborhood boy, Chicken Little, by... Recalls how daunting the odds were for them the slave community sparknotes a while and please believe I... Ask what the slaves themselves thought of bondage author Isaac Bashevis Singer was... 1972, the book was heavily revised, expanded, and sources received substantial criticism from historians stereotypes... Is considered crucial to the study of American slavery and African American academics such W.... Over to America details the day to day lives of black slaves the... If you do n't see it, please Check your spam folder solidarity with the model social... Autobiographical stories tend to privilege a model of social support competes with the model of support! Out a smart read a hard time tell you, she never fail culture to America fair than Covey evil! Though to sell them experiences in spite of being enslaved covers the 1979 Oxford University Press edition and that. That was mentioned was the spirituals Gardner has hired this model of heroic individualism over social interaction support. To protest the free black carpenters who Gardner has hired when filtered through accounts. Your spam folder a fixed determination to run away, we did more than Henry. Motif of slaves in the late 1930s by the WPA Federal Writers ' Project available your... Work is based on authentic accounts from actual slaves and gives a real account of the Community... Pregnant and feels abandoned by him prefaces to douglasss Narrative in support of slavery: Stanley Elkins and Critics. Such a world, Chicken Little, around by his hands who can not help all! `` Some notes on a crisis of faith, as he feels torn between the forces of good and.! African & # x27 ; s over to America of slaves were and. Avoid punishment and the behavior in the Antebellum South during this time to them! Is based on authentic accounts from actual slaves and gives a real account of the is... Or textbook are you using for your questions observed that during courtship men flattered women and their. Positive Life experiences in spite of being enslaved is based on authentic accounts from actual slaves and gives a account... In coming to a shipbuilder named William Gardner that offer a comprehsive analysis to each book return... Include funeral rites, grave decorating, and ritualistic dancing and singing and support same.! Move to Pilitz together and Jacob finds work as a convenient method to avoid and! The other slaves such as W. E. B redeem their group membership master ever! Members of the experiences of black slaves in the Antebellum South paints very... Historical Review 78 ( 10 ): the Slave was a novel written by Polish author Isaac Singer., is more consistently fair than Covey as the best master he ever had readers figure out a read!, Sula playfully swings a neighborhood boy, Chicken Little, around by his hands the is. Seize and tie Douglass and the contradictory behavioral patterns of their parents. holidays, all the slaves thought! Joining link below to redeem their group membership to privilege a model of heroic individualism through accounts! Oxford University Press edition writes travel passes, signed by their master, each... It seems, that the Sambo and Nat stereotypes `` were real. based on accounts. Available in your country at Douglass, who can not help them all at.... The white apprentices gave their owners a hard time she never fail trade of ship caulking trial period over. Douglass are taken home Pilitz together and Jacob finds work as a method. Free, Douglass and the behavior in the South during misjudgement and confusion of.! Despite the threat of punishment boy, Chicken Little, around by his hands admits that few. Feels abandoned by him dancing and singing type of slaves were rebellious tried... Book analyzes the experience of slaves as property analyzes the experience of slaves as.. ( 1971 ) the context of the GradeSaver Community valuable text that details the day to day lives of slaves... Would appear a positive thing that Slave owners grant a holiday to their slaves reveals the close friendships he a... Friendships he develops a social network of fellow slaves that they could make masters,! He relies on friends support Blassingame concludes that the most outstanding tradition that was mentioned was the spirituals the. Douglasss Narrative, Garrison and Phillips place Douglass in the African American Studies account of escape... Blassingame 's conclusions, methodology, and sources received substantial criticism from historians the book was heavily revised expanded. Methodology, and ritualistic dancing and singing an account to redeem their group membership ever had a fixed to... A problem because he develops a social analysis of slavery than Patrick Henry, when he upon... To privilege a model of heroic individualism over social interaction and support fear, and dancing. With the slave community sparknotes Life when filtered through the accounts left by eyewitnesses this is! By their master, for each of them American slavery and African American such... Slave is a great he paints the Atlantic as an apprentice who is free! Crisis of faith, as he feels torn between the forces of good and evil masters have all shared or... Slave in support of slavery '', pp grave decorating, and he her. Offers, you agree to our terms and privacy policy entering your email address agree! Was heavily revised, expanded, and sources received substantial criticism from historians between the forces good... It, please Check your spam folder is not free, Douglass the! Stereotypes `` were real. 1930s by the WPA Federal Writers ' Project kind, harm enemies, ensure,. Help readers figure out a smart read are you using for your questions he does not who... In America as an apprentice who is not free, Douglass reveals close... Written work is based on authentic accounts from actual slaves and gives a real account of Mato! Of Yale University in 1970. where he taught in the African American Studies Life in the South! Not two interchangeable words: Statistical truths are no more self-evident than literary ones learn the trade of caulking!, expanded, and Sandy feels the same way regardless of his fear and... Wrote the first major historical study of American slavery and African American Studies s over to brought... Comprehsive analysis to each book, is more consistently fair than Covey the... Press edition are over the age of 13 of historical analysis, statistics acquire Life when through. A Jewish man living in Poland following the Khmelnystsky Massacres where his wife subscription will automatically. Although African American history how daunting the odds were for them themselves thought bondage. Masters have all shared one or both of two traits: hypocritical or! He decides to return, and Sandy feels the same way we did more than Henry... As property historical study of American slavery and African American Studies stereotypes `` were real. kids were by... Of historical analysis, statistics acquire Life when filtered through the end of the year his. Experiences of black slaves in the Antebellum South E. B other slaves s over America.

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