Dbq: American and Muslim Slaveries

Dbq: American and Muslim Slaveries

Document-based Question:

American and Muslim Slaveries

Slavery is as old as the world's first civilizations. Two important slave movements were the one across the Sahara Desert and another along the East African coasts of the Indian Ocean, both of which terminated in slave markets in the Muslim world. The subject of slavery is viewed in contrast by different parts of the world. Narrowing to the topic of slavery in the Americas and the Muslim states, it is apparent that the two regions contain mostly different opinions as to whether slaves exist for sheer labor or that slaves are humans just like you and me. What is similar between the facts that Muslims view their slaves religiously with more compassion than that of the Americas, who view their slaves as crudely as "horses"? From a total of nine documents, they can be categorized into three groups. Documents 5, 6, and 8 contain statements that support slavery. Documents 2, 3, and 7 sway towards the idea against slavery, and the idea of treating slaves more humanely. Lastly, Documents 1, 4, and 9 are observations, or data concerning slavery.

Many parts of the world had no problem with slavery. Africa was the origin of slavery; the Muslim states also had a variety of slaves in their area. The minds of foreign visitors to the Muslim states were very crude. Documents 5, 6, and 8 express pro-slavery ideas. Document 5, a letter from the Turkish Grand Vizier Mustafa Reshid pasha to the Governor of Tripoli (Libya) in 1849 C.E. wrote of his thoughts of slavery. Well aware of the Holy Law permitting slavery, he still let it be known that it "requires that slaves be treated with fatherly care." This statement shows his consideration towards the subject of slavery and the way they are treated, because it was also quoted that "those who act in a contrary or cruel manner will be condemned by God." From Document 6, David Gomes Jardim, Brazilian doctor, from his report on Plantation Diseases and their Causes to the Medical Faculty in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, in 1847 C.E., gives his story regarding a farmer and his slaves on the plantations. He talks of the exaggerated death rate among the slaves working the plantations, for the farmer replies that it does not matter to him because he would only need them for one year to grow sugar or coffee. Jardim shallowly agreed to the farmer's statement, for he adds that even with a high death rate for slaves, the farmer still made a considerable profit. This situation is ironic, for David Gomes Jardim is a doctor, who would be known to care for their patients' lives, yet from Document 6, shows no consideration for the high numbers of deaths of slaves working the plantations. In Document 8, J.F. Keane, an English visitor