History

Chapter 11

 QUESTION 1: How does Norcom’s letter suggest the interconnections between the fate of Native Americans and the opportunities open to white migrants to Mississippi?

 Narcom’s suggested that people moving to the land Mississippi have high probability of becoming rich. Narcom stated that he had seen most men ranging from 5- 100 men who are not able to buy basic things such as shoes (p.25). He also noticed that there some individual who move to Mississippi already rich.  He viewed that individuals venturing into cotton business get a lot of wealthy quickly.  Due to large plantation many people can be employed to work in those farms, thus, the Indians can benefit and get more profits by selling the lands to the rich people.

QUESTION 2: Why do white southerners feel that it is important to show that the Bible sanctions slavery?

Southerner had great farms for plantations and therefore they needed slaves to work in their large plantations, their economy depended highly on plantation of cotton.  White southerners stayed together in small village and they needed slaves to work in their larger farms.  People from the Northern part viewed that slaves is not accepted by God and therefore it is evil. Many people in the community were Christians and they used to attend churches, and they believed the Bible as true word of God. The white had strongly believed that slavery act was not bad and that it was accepted by God. They argued that slavery has been there since the creation of human being. They believed that Bible is a true word of God and it has not indicated that slavery is evil. Also, they interpreted that even in the Bible it was not condemned, for example, they viewed that Abraham a servant of God had several servants which is not different with what white southerners had at that moment (p.218).

QUESTION 3: What aspects of buying and selling of slaves does Northup single out for condemnation?

He condemned how he was drugged, beaten, kidnapped and sold as slave to work in plantation farm. Northup condemned living conditions of slaves in the south. Slaves were brutally beaten; he once reported how a female slave named Patsey was brutally beaten for visiting a neighbouring plantation without permission (p.221). Also, young people were beaten for not following instructions. Slaves were not allowed to learn how to read and write and they were not allowed to carry out any business without permission. They could not keep livestock and they were not allowed to move during the night. Also, he condemned raping of women slaves by the slavers holders.

QUESTION 4: What light does Northup’s account shed on the biblical arguments in defence of slavery in document 70?

 Solomon Northup was not happy with the idea of him together with other slaves working for southerners as slaves.  He believed that God will release them, and that the God is helping them to endure difficult situations. Contrary, the southerners were against this idea and they believed the opposite. Northup stated that slavery is immoral and evil and it is accepted by the God (p.224).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

 

Chapter 11:  voice of freedom N.D. Pp. (212-225)