What is stratification?

1. What is stratification?

2. What is race? The idea that humans are divided into biologically-distinct “races” identifiable by Physical characteristics? Innate behaviors? NO!!!! This is being challenged by historians & anthropologists

3. Social Stratification • Prior to late 1700s, race was defined as • physical differences & behaviors associated with particular groups were believed to come from • Distinctive climates • Foods • Cultural practices • All associated with their geographic origins • While physical & behavior characteristics were understood to be inherited in part, it was also believed that overlong periods of time in new environments, these characteristics could change

4. Social Stratification • By late 1700s • Idea was that “races” have distinct, innate and unchanging differences • Concept of “race” emerged • in part out of the new scientific beliefs that all natural phenomena could be organized into fixed categories • In part because the Ango-Europeans desired to distinguish themselves as citizens (land-owning) from the growing numbers of free people of color in the new American nation

5. What is race? • Today, race is • The meanings that have been given to physical and cultural differences at particular historical moments • There is 1 race…… • the Human Race; the rest is classifications we use to group ourselves and others • The concept of distinct & unchanging “races” did not become common in the US until the late 18th Century (late 1700s)

6. Social Stratification • What is social stratification? • To stratify, or group people in a hierarchical format

7. Social Stratification • Ultimately, race is a way in which one group designates itself as superior and other groups as inferior • Although success in America is believed to be based on a meritocratic system • Meaning if you work hard, you succeed, a system where equality of opportunity exists, • the truth is, inequalities in the distribution of income, wealth, power and prestige reflect not one’s qualification of merit but one’s racial classification.

8. Social Stratification The crucial issue is not the equal treatment of those with equal qualifications per se, but rather, the access of minority group members to the qualifications themselves. Stratification, for our purposes, means grouping people and only certain groups having access to the resources they need

9. Culture Culture • The customary beliefs, manners, art, music, food, language and the items commonly used by a particular group can all contribute to defining a culture.

10. Ethnicity • Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language.

11. How does America group its citizens? 2. What is the person's race? • White • Black or African American • American Indian or Alaska Native (write in tribe) • Asian Indian • Chinese • Filipino • Japanese • Korean • Vietnamese • Native Hawaiian • Guamanian or Chamorro • Samoans • Other Pacific Islander (write in race) • Other race (write in race) This census acknowledged that "race categories include both racial and national-origin groups."

12. Slavery……just in the South? • Today, we often think of slavery as a Southern institution • Long thought of as the birthplace of the anti-slavery movement • New England has a more complex history of slavery and slave trading than many realize

13. A few minor details.. • The transatlantic slave trade was history’s first great global industry • Spain, Portugal, Britain, France, Holland & Denmark all traveled to the African coast to load their ships with slaves • The risks were great • Storms, pirates, disease & rebellions • But profits were great as well • Must of the wealth of modern nations flows, either directly or indirectly, from the trade in human cargo: slaves

14. Triangular Trade • Colonial North American ships began participating in the slave trade as early as the 1640s • Slave ships originated in New England • Landscape was unsuitable for farming • Mercantilism (English economic policy) barred colonists from trading with other countries • Navigation Acts required colonists to trade only with other British colonies or Britain itself

15. Triangular Trade, cont. • Since most household goods had to be bought from England, colonists always in debt to England • New Englanders looked to sea for their livelihood

16. Triangular Trade, cont. • Upon arrival in the new world, labor shortages existed everywhere • Looked to Native Americans as first source of slaves • High mortality from war & disease • Moved on to Africans • Built the flourishing Caribbean sugar industry • By the 18th century, world demand for sugar was so great, and potential profits so immense • Planters considered it economical to work slaves to death and then import more

17. Triangular Trade, cont. • Caribbean planters • Quit producing food & necessities • Making too much $$ on sugar • Had to import it • Slave trade brought great wealth • Sailors • Rope making, iron forging, candle manufacturing & carpentry all slave dependent • Distilling rum

18. Triangular Trade • Developed Triangular Trade, cont. • Sugar & Molasses carried from Caribbean plantation colonies TO • New England where colonists distilled it into rum, then shipped it TO • Africa where it was exchanged for slaves WHO • Were carried back to the Caribbean to produce more sugar • Some Africans were brought back to New England • By 1755, more than 13,000 slaves were working in NE • Especially important to people in Rhode Island • 2/3rds of their shipping fleet was engaged in the slave trade

19. Triangular Trade • http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/applications/imaps/maps/g5s_u3/index.html

20. Triangular Trade • Slave trading worked like the stock market • Slaves sold in the Caribbean for 8 to 10 times the amount paid in Africa • New Englanders invested in the trade • Average working people could buy shares for very little money and thus try to build up their wealth

21. Destination for slaves on RI ships, 1700-1787

22. New Englander’s View of Slave Trade • Most English colonists viewed slave trading as a respectable business • MA & RI Governors • MA Judges • Pres of Yale • Prominent clergy members • Most whites did NOT regard it as a moral problem

23. New Englander’s View of Slave Trade • Most New Englander’s believed in a hierarchical society • Some people have power & some do not • Accepted servitude as normal • Expected servants & slaves to be obedient • Religious justification • Believed their religion was only valid one & all who did not accept would perish in damnation • Argued that enslaving Africans was to save their soul

24. Why did West African merchants participate? • Culturally & linguistically diverse • Noticeable religious differences • Islam & traditional religions • Could be distinguished based upon occupation • Some Africans sold other Africans into slavery • No unity • Slavery existed in Africa before Europeans ever travelled there • Much less harsh, however • Typically ransomed back to family

25. Why did West African merchants participate? • Europeans traded guns for slaves • African Kings and Chiefs used these guns to gain/maintain power over other tribes • In 1723, NE introduced Rum • Group Project • Clock Buddy 11