America’s Long Struggle Against Slavery

Overview

Witness the centuries-long fight against the institution of slavery from the western coast of Africa to the plantations and battlefields of America.

Course Details

This comprehensive course explores the complex history of the fight against slavery, tracing its roots from the 15th century to the end of Reconstruction in 1877. Throughout 30 engaging lectures, you will discover:

• The foundations of slavery and resistance in Africa and America.
• Key figures and events that shaped the anti-slavery movement.
• The evolution of societal attitudes and legal frameworks regarding slavery.

Professor Richard Bell guides you through a narrative that highlights resistance, oppression, and the ongoing struggle for justice, offering a well-rounded perspective on American history.

Video Lessons

1. Understanding the Fight against Slavery (25 min)

• An overview of resistance among enslaved Africans in the 17th and 18th centuries.

1. Origins of Slavery in the British Empire (26 min)

• Explore the roots of slavery that emerged from the British trading economy.

1. Opposing the African Slave Trade (26 min)

• Resistance strategies against slave capture and trade.

1. Shipboard Rebellion and Resistance (29 min)

• Examine revolts and resistance aboard slave ships.

1. A Free Black Family in Colonial Virginia (25 min)

• The dynamics of slavery and freed status in the Chesapeake.

1. Quakers and Puritans Join the Fight (29 min)

• The contributions of Quakers to the anti-slavery movement.

1. Thomas Thistlewood’s Plantation Revolution (25 min)

• Control tactics used against slave populations in the plantations.

1. Phibbah Thistlewood: Sleeping with the Enemy (29 min)

• A case study exploring women’s roles in resistance.

1. Slave Insurrections in the 18th Century (30 min)

• Analyzing major slave uprisings, focusing on the Stono Rebellion.

1. Maroons: Those Who Escaped (27 min)

• The lives and struggles of runaway slaves who formed maroon communities.

1. Three Quaker Activists (29 min)

• The influence of early Quaker activists on the anti-slavery movement.

1. Slavery in the War for Independence (27 min)

• Black participation and the impact of the Revolutionary War on slavery.

1. Taking Slavery to Court (28 min)

• Early legal challenges against slavery in northern states.

1. Charles Pinckney’s Counterrevolution (27 min)

• The pro-slavery measures embedded in the Constitution.

1. The Haitian Revolution (27 min)

• Insights into the only successful large-scale slave revolt.

1. Founding the Free Black Churches (28 min)

• The role of churches in supporting the black community post-Revolution.

1. The Second Middle Passage (27 min)

• The domestic slave trade and shifts in the early 19th century.

1. “Our Native Country”: Opposing Colonization (30 min)

• The debate about African American relocation to Africa.

1. David Walker, Nat Turner, and Black Immediatism (27 min)

• Radical figures who pushed for immediate abolition.

1. William Lloyd Garrison’s “Thousand Witnesses” (26 min)

• The shift towards more aggressive abolitionist strategies.

1. Surviving King Cotton (24 min)

• The realities faced by slaves in the cotton economy.

1. Roger Taney: Nationalizing Slavery (30 min)

• The legacy of Chief Justice Taney’s decisions regarding slavery.

1. Frederick Douglass and Aggressive Abolition (24 min)

• Douglass’s writings and activism for abolition.

1. Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman (31 min)

• The impact of literature and direct action on the anti-slavery movement.

1. The Black Heart of John Brown (27 min)

• The complexities surrounding John Brown’s raid and legacy.

1. The Slaves’ Experience of the Civil War (25 min)

• How enslaved individuals viewed the Civil War.

1. US Colored Troops: Those Who Served (25 min)

• The contributions and challenges faced by black soldiers.

1. Fighting Slavery after Emancipation (25 min)

• Post-war struggles for justice and equality.

1. Slavery by Another Name (17 min)

• Understanding the concepts of freedom after the Civil War.

1. Fighting Modern Slavery (22 min)

• Contemporary issues surrounding slavery and human trafficking.