What methods did many enslaved african americans use to find their way north?
slaves used the Underground Railroad to escape to the North.
What does follow the drinking gourd mean?
The drinking gourd is the little dipper constellation, part of which is the North Star. Edit: I hear a song about it in my head - can't think of where it's from. . .
Anyone have a song about slavery?
I'm studying slavery and just how there's songs for science to study i need one for slavery. Some words that are included in the chapter are; 19th amendment, abolition movement, abolitionist, antebellum south, cotton farming, cotton gin, "cotton is king!", Frederick Douglas, economic factors of slavery, fugitive slave act, william lloyd, middle passage, plantation, racism, Second Great Awakening, elizabeth cady stanton, harriet stowe, suffrage, temperance, sojournor truth, underground railroad, etc. just any song that has to do with any other those abovee? thanks x (10 pt)
During slavery, did singing and poetry help the slaves communicate with each other as in code to aid in escaping dangerous situations?
Other Quora writers probably can answer this more fully.The story I know is that the folk song “Follow the Drinking Gourd” supposedly secretly told escaping slaves which way to go to find freedom.The Drinking Gourd was the Big Dipper, and the handle of the dipper points to the North Star, and freedom was North.It’s a lovely story, but it may not be true. The song was written long after the Civil War, long after the end of the Underground Railroad.There were clearly subversive thoughts in Christian hymns. The Israelites in captivity in Egypt land was understood as a reference to slavery, and the deliverance of them from Egypt was understood as a reference to freedom.The Christian idea that all people were made in God’s image was a message that fitted poorly with a slavery system. So reading the Bible, or listening to people read it out loud, or recite text from memory was a promise of freedom with the additional savor of God’s coming revenge on the sinners. It was understood that slave owners would be enjoying Hell.
How did African slaves keep there culture alive?
They followed the tradition of the West African Griot. Oral history through song and dance. You know the banjo, used in country music and bluegrass? That evolved from the D'jeli Ngoni, a West African stringed gourd instrument. In Brazil the slaves used Capoeira to keep their traditions alive. Capoeira has its roots in West Africa as well. Now almost all music in the Americas is African influenced in one way or the other. You know, I don't even have a drop of African blood in me but I'm in love with the West African culture. Its one of the most beautiful on the planet. Be proud of your heritage :D BQ: Amelie
If you were a slave in the antebellum South, would you try to flee? What if it required using violence against the slaveowner or his staff?
Ignoring the various false claims from "runaway slaves" [who sold their bilge on the speaking tour stages] and the recent bovine scat surrounding "12 years", Fewer than 1000 slaves ever attempt to depart their homes in a single year.Most returned home within a week after discovering that they were ill-suited to life on the run. They accepted the whipping and never tried again. Most of the whippings were actually administered with a cane to the bottom of the feet. Slaves were a valuable commodity and using an actual whip would produce scars that were easy to identify and thus reduce his value.The facts of the matter were that a repugnant to us as slavery is today, it was acceptable to nearly every aspect of the entire American culture. One of the more profitable undertakings of the 1840 to 1860 period was catching a runaway slave, $500 goes a long way. The easiest method was the "Underground Railroad" scam. A slave fleeing north was passed along from "station to station" and then suddenly found himself back in the south and in the hands of the professional slave catcher. Sold back to the catcher for a share of the reward by a phony "abolitionist".So would I flee? Nope. Three hots and a cot with a roof over my head. No bills to pay. Medical care and social security (you can't be freed or sold by law once you pass working age). Yes the work is a bitch but looking [from the modern perspective] at the crap the humane industrialist in the north put their work force through, not that shabby.