WesternCiv105Ch18Lec7

Summary

This script delves into the historical significance of the Seven Years War and its far-reaching consequences, including the American War for Independence and the French Revolution. It explores the Atlantic economy's reliance on agricultural products like sugar, tobacco, and cotton, which are deeply ingrained in our culture today. The discussion also touches on the darker side of this legacy, the slave trade, and how it was intertwined with race, leading to a distinct and more brutal form of slavery in the West. The script challenges the notion of 'good' versus 'bad' slavery, emphasizing the unique and systemic racism that persists in Western society, and acknowledges the ongoing struggle against it.

Takeaways

• 📚 The Seven Years War is highlighted as a pivotal conflict with far-reaching consequences, including setting the stage for the American War for Independence and the French Revolution.
• 🌎 The Atlantic economy's exchange of commercial goods and slaves, particularly agricultural products like sugar, tobacco, cotton, rice, cacao, coffee, and the cultural impact they have on modern society.
• 🍰 The expectation of desserts with coffee or pie and the use of sugar in various foods are cultural norms that have roots in the historical trade of these commodities.
• 🚬 Tobacco and caffeine, initially viewed with suspicion due to their origins in non-Christian lands, became integral parts of Western civilization, as seen in the popularity of clay pipes.
• 🔗 The slave trade is acknowledged as a dark aspect of the legacy that facilitated the production and enjoyment of these goods, with slavery being equated with race during this period.
• 🏺 The transition from slavery based on various circumstances to a system that racialized slavery, particularly in the context of the Western world, is emphasized.
• 📈 The script points out the stark increase in the number of people enslaved, with 12 million people being put into servitude, indicating the scale of the slave trade.
• 🤔 The argument that not all historical figures of the time supported slavery is made, drawing attention to the contemporaneous abolitionists who questioned its morality.
• 🌟 The script suggests that racism is a legacy deeply embedded in the system, noting that it persists in contemporary society and has not been fully resolved.
• 📘 The discussion on the differences in the practice of slavery across cultures and the unique aspects of Western slavery that made it particularly severe is a key point in the script.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Seven Years War in history?

The Seven Years War is an important conflict that has far-reaching repercussions, setting the stage for significant historical events such as the American War for Independence and the French Revolution.

How did the Atlantic economy impact the exchange of commercial goods and slaves?

The Atlantic economy facilitated the exchange of agricultural products like sugar, tobacco, cotton, rice, cacao, and coffee, which became integral to Western culture, but also involved the dark side of slavery.

What is the cultural impact of products like sugar, coffee, and cotton?

These products have become staples in Western culture, with their consumption being so ingrained that they are often taken for granted, despite their origins in the exploitation of others.

How did the consumption of tobacco and coffee change over time?

Initially seen as bad due to their origin in non-Christian lands, tobacco and coffee eventually became incorporated into the everyday habits of Western civilization.

What was the role of clay pipes in the cultural practices of the time?

Clay pipes were commonly used in taverns, where people would buy them, snap off the part smoked by the previous user, and smoke them with a pint of beer, reflecting a cultural practice of the time.

Why is the Western form of slavery considered particularly severe?

Western slavery is considered severe because it was tied to race, leading to the largest shipments of human beings for agricultural demands, and it was seen as a permanent and fatalistic condition unlike other forms of slavery.

How did the concept of slavery change with the transition to the New World?

In the New World, slavery became equated with race, creating a distinction from the old world view where slavery was not inherently tied to race or skin color.

What was the role of Bacon's Rebellion in shaping American attitudes towards slavery?

Bacon's Rebellion played a significant role in shifting the focus in the United States from indentured servitude and white slavery to a system that emphasized race, leading to a focus on black slavery.

How has racism, as a legacy of slavery, impacted contemporary American society?

Racism, as a legacy of slavery, is deeply embedded in the system and continues to impact American society, with issues of discrimination and accusations of racism remaining unresolved.

What was the stance of abolitionists during the time of the founding fathers?

Abolitionists, who were against slavery, were also people of their times, questioning the morality of slavery, indicating that not everyone in the West accepted it as morally justifiable.

What does the speaker suggest about the legacy of slavery and its impact on current generations?

The speaker suggests that the legacy of slavery is not resolved and continues to affect current generations, as evidenced by instances of racism and the use of derogatory terms.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Impact of the Seven Years' War and Atlantic Economy

The speaker begins by emphasizing the importance of understanding the Seven Years' War and its far-reaching consequences, including the American War for Independence and the French Revolution. They touch upon the Atlantic economy and the exchange of commercial goods and slaves, highlighting agricultural products like sugar, tobacco, cotton, rice, cacao, and coffee, which are deeply ingrained in modern culture. The speaker also points out the dark side of this legacy, where the enjoyment of these products came at the expense of others, particularly through the slave trade. They discuss how tobacco and caffeine, initially seen as negative due to their origins in non-Christian lands, became integrated into Western civilization. The speaker also addresses the broader implications of slavery, noting that while it was a global practice, Western slavery was distinct due to its racial implications and the large-scale transportation of slaves, which equated slavery with race.

05:00

📊 The Distinctiveness of Western Slavery and Its Legacy

In this paragraph, the speaker delves deeper into the concept of Western slavery, arguing that it was not just a practice but became equated with race, which was a departure from how slavery was traditionally viewed in many cultures. They discuss how slavery in Africa could be more integrated into society and less fatalistic compared to the chattel slavery experienced by Africans in the Americas. The speaker also challenges the notion that all societies practiced slavery in the same way, using the example of Thomas Jefferson's views on the integration of slaves in society versus the racial distinctions made later. They mention Bacon's Rebellion as a pivotal event that contributed to the shift from indentured servitude to race-based slavery in the United States. The speaker concludes by emphasizing that racism is a legacy deeply embedded in the system, which continues to affect contemporary society and politics, and is not a resolved issue.

10:02

🔍 Questioning the Morality of Slavery and Its Critics

The speaker addresses the common defense of historical figures like Jefferson and Washington by stating they were 'men of their times,' and counters this by pointing out that abolitionists, who were also 'people of their times,' questioned the morality of slavery. This paragraph serves as a transition, indicating that the speaker will further explore this topic in the next lecture. The speaker's intent is to challenge the notion that the morality of slavery was universally accepted during the time of the founding fathers and to highlight that there were contemporaneous voices against it.

Keywords

💡Seven Years War

The Seven Years War was a global conflict that lasted from 1756 to 1763, involving most of the world's great powers at the time. It was significant for its impact on European dominance and colonial territories, which is a central theme in the video. The script mentions understanding the repercussions of this war as crucial for grasping the historical context leading to other significant events like the American War for Independence.

💡American War for Independence

The American War for Independence, also known as the American Revolution, was a conflict that took place from 1775 to 1783, resulting in the United States gaining independence from Great Britain. The script highlights this war as a consequence of the Seven Years War, illustrating the ripple effects of global conflicts on national sovereignty and identity.

💡French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political change in France that had a profound impact on world history. The script indicates that the French Revolution will be discussed in detail later, suggesting its importance in understanding the broader historical narrative and its connection to the themes of power, governance, and societal change.

💡Atlantic Economy

The Atlantic Economy refers to the economic system that developed around the Atlantic Ocean, involving trade and commerce between Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Caribbean. The script discusses the exchange of commercial goods and slaves as part of this economy, emphasizing the interconnectedness of global trade and its impact on cultural and economic development.

💡Slave Trade

The Slave Trade was the transatlantic commerce in which millions of Africans were forced into chattel slavery in the Americas. The script addresses the dark side of the Atlantic Economy, highlighting the Slave Trade as a significant and morally reprehensible aspect of history that shaped cultural and economic outcomes, with lasting repercussions.

💡Agricultural Products

Agricultural products mentioned in the script include sugar, tobacco, cotton, rice, cacao, and coffee. These commodities were central to the Atlantic Economy and are deeply ingrained in modern culture. The script points out that these products, now taken for granted, have a complex history tied to the exploitation of labor and the development of global trade networks.

💡Cultural Legacy

Cultural Legacy refers to the lasting impact of past events, practices, and beliefs on contemporary culture. The script discusses how the consumption of agricultural products and the practice of slavery have become ingrained in Western culture, shaping modern habits and societal norms.

💡Tobacco and Caffeine

Tobacco and caffeine are substances that were initially seen as exotic and potentially harmful but were eventually integrated into Western society. The script uses these substances as examples of how cultural habits can evolve and be influenced by global trade and the exchange of goods.

💡Slavery and Race

Slavery and Race are deeply intertwined in the script's discussion of the Western world's historical practices. It points out that slavery was equated with race, particularly in the context of the transatlantic slave trade, leading to a racialized view of slavery that persists in contemporary society.

💡Bacon's Rebellion

Bacon's Rebellion was an event in the early history of the Virginia Colony that had implications for the development of racial slavery in the United States. The script suggests that this rebellion is significant for understanding the shift from indentured servitude to race-based slavery, highlighting the complex dynamics of power and labor in colonial America.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. The script discusses racism as a legacy of historical practices, such as slavery, that continues to affect contemporary society. It emphasizes that racism is not a resolved issue and remains embedded in various systems and social interactions.

Highlights

The Seven Years War is an important conflict to understand due to its far-reaching consequences.

The aftermath of the war would lead to significant events like the American War for Independence and the French Revolution.

The Atlantic economy was characterized by the exchange of commercial goods and slaves, including agricultural products like sugar, tobacco, cotton, rice, cacao, coffee, and others.

The cultural impact of these products is so ingrained that they are often taken for granted in modern society.

The dark side of this legacy includes the exploitation of others to produce these goods and the establishment of slavery.

Tobacco and caffeine, initially seen as bad due to their origins in non-Christian lands, became integrated into Western civilization.

The slave trade was a part of the legacy, with slavery being a global practice not exclusive to the West.

Western slavery is distinguished by its racial component, which was not the case in all forms of slavery worldwide.

The demand for agricultural production led to one of the largest shipments of human beings in history.

In Africa, slavery could be a result of tribal battles or a loss of social status, but it was not inherently racial.

The transition to racial slavery in the West created a lasting problem that is still relevant in contemporary American politics.

Racism is a legacy embedded in the system, and its resolution is an ongoing issue, as evidenced by current social dynamics.

The lecture points out that not all historical figures supported slavery, as abolitionists were questioning its morality at the time.

The lecture will cover more details on the topic in the next section.

Transcripts

so I hope you found that helpful that

crash course on the Seven Years War I

think it really is an important conflict

to understand the repercussions of more

than happy you know needing to

understand all the nitty-gritty of it

and i think the crash course did a good

job of doing that um in this section

here just this goes without saying that

we're also going to see as I was

mentioning that the consequence will end

up being an American Civil War I mean I

sorry american war for independence and

a french revolution that will be

discussed in great detail and you'll be

watching a great documentary on for

several chapters later um and then i'll

be talking about haiti as well now the

atlantic economy exchange of commercial

goods and slaves so we're talking about

agricultural products for someone i just

talked about this sugar tobacco cotton

rice cacao coffee these are all things

that we take for granted right this is

the starbucks life this is the you know

i mean we we all are wearing cotton um

rice dishes you know super burrito

chocolate and tobacco products

especially I mean tobacco products not

as much now but but but especially in

the past it was majorly being used and

even now is still a major product um and

so um you know what are the consequences

of that it's basically our culture and

you know you almost take it for granted

that desert should have a cake and you

know coffee or pie and coffee ice cream

again all these things using of sugaring

you saw in the

the textbook it kind of discussing that

section and I hope you realize it also

that unfortunately there's a dark side

to the legacy of getting the production

of these things into our lives at the

expense of others but um you know now of

course everybody gets to enjoy a cup of

coffee right um and so again you know it

was interesting as it was discussing how

um tobacco and caffeine coffee came from

non Christian lands and was seen as a

bad thing and eventually it's just going

to get incorporated into just the habits

of Western civilization clay pipes you

could get at all these taverns there's

there several in Columbia town in

California by the way I shouldn't say

several if you dig in the dirt it

doesn't take long to find clay pipes at

the bar you'd have a long stem you would

buy a clay pipe and snap off the part

someone smoked before and smoke it with

a pint this was a again part of what we

brought into our culture that we take

for granted now now the slave trade we

all know that slavery has been a part of

this legacy and I think that now you

know you you you have certain political

strands that want to say look the whole

world did slavery we shouldn't be

beating ourselves up in the West about

you know doing slavery okay um well it

is true that slavery was a world

practice and it's true that slavery was

practiced in Africa it's true that the

Islamic world was a part of

the slave trade as well and so um yeah

yeah it's not just the West but if you

read the chapter I think it really

pinpointed some distinctions to be made

just as like not every clone 'i'll not

every european country did colonial

isn't the same not every society did

slavery the same and on one hand I don't

want to compare and contrast say oh

there's good slavery verse bad slavery

but there is definitely slavery's that

what you could call worse and i think

that western slavery you could put it on

that level why why would i say this it's

not just about being politically correct

self-deprecating you know the liberal

commie agenda to try to undermine you

know Western identity okay um look this

demand for agriculture first of all

created some of the largest amount of

shipments of human beings I mean so

we're talking about you know massive

global transportation of slaves okay

slaves in Africa might become slaves in

the middle of tribal battles or Wars or

someone loses their position and they

get integrated into a household as

slaves over time their children are

going essentially be integrated into

that culture society maybe even be parts

of the family but it's gonna it's going

to be different and it's going to not

necessarily be so fatalistic you being a

black African in black Africa doesn't

identify you inherently as a slave ok so

the colored black doesn't mean sleep

what's going to happen in this

transition is that slavery is going to

be equated with race and you know if you

look I teach this in my US history 101

class southern intellects even prior to

the US of war they made very

sophisticated arguments sophisticated

meaning they fought through what they

wanted to say about slavery and they

said

first of all there's no contradiction

between slavery and democracy because

Greece and Rome were slaveholding

societies and they they had slaves and

they came up with the idea of a

democratic republic so there's no

contradiction between notion of a

democratic republic and slavery they're

right on that unfortunately so that's

that's a complicated aspect we did not

take for granted when we hear the term

democracy now Thomas Jefferson and his

notes to Virginia pointed out that in

this societies these were of a similar

race and that slaves could be integrated

into society as a whole like I just said

but then he then tries to basically say

but the black African is different and

they can never really mix with us they

could never do well on their own and so

what he does is he drop you drop it

makes a wedge between the old world view

of slavery and a new modern one which is

to say that that non white Europeans are

incapable of being integrated this is

not really what slavery was saying

before and a majority of world cultures

okay and in fact bacon's rebellion has a

lot to do with in the United States

switching from white and black slavery

indentured servitude into focusing on

race over fear of unification of lower

classes that might Ghana went over your

head take a look at Bacon's Rebellion if

you get a chance if you want look at

this further but again there is a

difference and this does really create

all the way down to this day a problem

within even you know American politics

in the United States which is you know I

mean you think about how many movies you

talk about the

the Titans oh there's so many American

films about you know using sports or

something about discrimination in the

past and then you know finally a black

Americans get to be cassine as equal

Obama gets elected as a first non-white

president and now everybody is accusing

each other of racism well why because

racism is a legacy it's already been

embedded in the system it's not like

African Americans now bringing up racism

are reinventing anything it's never

really left okay and it hasn't left him

being resolved my daughter has friends

and she's been there and the parents

used the n-word with all seriousness and

um you know I hate to break this news to

people here but this is not this is not

resolved issue and and so anyhow I just

wanted to point that out okay so here's

a art world there's a depiction of dying

slaves the other aspect of this is that

look at these numbers you see the

increase okay we're talking about 12

million people put in servitude not

everybody in the West thought it was

okay that's the other thing so sometimes

I hear this and I'll do respect to our

founding fathers people say well

Jefferson was a man of his times you

know Washington was a man of his time

well weren't the abolitionists the

people who were against slavery at that

time also people of their times right it

wasn't as if nobody was questioning the

morality of slavery and so I want to

kind of touch on that a little bit i'm

going to move on to the next lecture

kind of covering this a little bit more

detail