Quotes about Slave Ships

Read each quote closely in pairs. Do three things:

1. Underline the name of the person who wrote/said each quote, who they were (slave, surgeon, etc.), and who the audience of the quote might have been.

2. Circle any words that you do not understand3. Underline any emotionally charged (negative or

positive) words. (You might also want to write a N or P above words that you underline).

Writing Workshop:PEET Paragraph

Point: Make an argument: What do you think the conditions were like on the slave ships?

Evidence: What is your main reason for thinking this? Take at least two pieces of evidence from quotes!

Elaboration: Explain your evidence further. How does your evidence support your point/argument? Does it matter who said the quote? Who the audience was?

Tieback: Conclusion: Tie it back to your point! No new information.

Writing Workshop: Example

I think that the slave ships in the 1600s to 1800s had fair conditions for the slaves. I believe this to be true because, as slave ship owner James Penny said in 1792, “when they [slaves] come upon deck, there are two men attending with cloths to rub them perfectly dry, and to give them a little cordial.” He also added that on the slave ships, the slaves were supplied with pipes and tobacco and were able to play and listen to music. Since he owned a slave ship, he would have known what the conditions were like. Therefore, the slave ships in the 1600s and 1800s probably had decent conditions for the slaves.

Essential Questions

1.What did the Brown family of Providence have to do with the slave trade?

2.Today, should Brown University publicly recognize the Brown family’s involvement in the slave trade?

The Brown FamilyJohn Brown’s house circa 1918 John Brown House (and museum) today

Who were the Browns?● The Brown family of Providence was a prominent business

family beginning in the 1600s.● Four brothers of the Brown family, Nicholas, John,

Joseph, and Moses joined together to form a single family company in 1762, called the Nicholas Brown and Company.

● By 1764, The company owned and invested in many businesses such as numerous ships, a candle factory, a rope factory, a new iron foundry, and more.

← John Brown

Nicholas Brown → Moses Brown →

Why did the Brown’s join the slave trading business?

1. They WERE businessmen!2. The Brown’s candle and iron businesses were struggling.

● Their first involvement in slave trading came in 1735 and again in 1759. Both times, they sent out one ship to trade goods and slaves, hoping to improve their businesses.

The Slave Ship, Sally

● In 1764, Nicholas Brown and Company sent three ships to meet in the Caribbean. Two of them were to sell horses and other goods. The third, the Sally, was to sail first to West Africa to buy slaves.

Finding a Captain for SallyIt was difficult to find a captain because many did not want to risk being the captain of a slave ship:1. High death rate due to disease2. Pirate attacks3. Slave uprisings4. Had to be experienced to know what locations were most

profitable.

The Brown’s make a bad business decision…

● An experienced slave-trading family warned the Browns not to use a stranger to the African trade for a captain

● ...and the Brown’s decided to choose a family friend, Esek Hopkins, who had no experience in the slave trade, to captain their vessel.

The Voyage● The Sally left

Newport for Africa on September 10, 1764

● Captain Hopkins was to engage in any trade that would make a profit, and then return with a healthy cargo of slaves to the Caribbean, sell them, and return to Providence.

The Voyage● On November 10, 1764, the Sally arrived in West Africa● Captain Hopkins visited several African leaders to

develop relationships with them.● For nine months, Hopkins sailed along the African

coastline, complaining in his log book of the fierce competition for slaves.

● It took him nine months to fill his ship with captives, which was twice the average amount of time.

● On August 20, 1765, Hopkins bought his last slave. Overall, he purchased 196 slaves; he had already sold 9 to traders on the African coast and 20 had already died.

The Slave Rebellion● The death toll continued when, on the eighth day out to

sea, the slaves rose in rebellion.● Hopkins suppressed the uprising by firing on the

slaves, killing 8 and wounding several others.

“ ...The Number of his men being reduced by sickness, he was obliged to permit some of the slaves to come upon Deck to assist the People. These slaves continued to release the others and the whole rose upon the People, and endeavored to get Possession of the vessel; but was happily prevented by the captain and his men, who killed, wounded, and forced overboard [many] of them, which obliged the rest to submit.”

- Newport Mercury,

November 18, 1765

The End of the Voyage● According to Hopkins, the surviving slaves were “so

disspirited” that “some drowned themselves, some starved, and others sickened and died.”

● In all, 88 slaves died during the Middle Passage.● The Voyage was a disaster in every sense. It was an

economic disaster for the Brown family and a disaster for the lives that were lost.

Quote from the Brown Family to Captain Hopkins

“We need not mention how disagreeable the news of your losing...88 slaves is to us and all your friends, but yourself continuing in health is a great satisfaction to us, that we remain cheerful…”

- Brown brothers to Esek Hopkins

November 16, 1765

The Aftermath

● Following the disaster of the Sally, three of the brothers- Nicholas, Joseph, and Moses- never again participated in the slave trade.

● Initially, this was because they did not want to risk another financial disaster. However, their views shifted eventually.

● The fourth brother, John, continued activity in the slave trade and he invested in at least four other voyages.

Primary Sources

● Slave Ship Book● Timeline