Nichols 1 Ashley Nichols
Third edition
AMH2010-02 Ms. Tarah Luke 2 February 2012 Analysis of Document 5-1 (essay #2) In document 5-1, “A Boston Broadside 1768,” of Reading the American Past, a young African American slave named Arthur gives an account of his life as thief and a rapist. His speech goes in depth about his crimes and the way he felt about committing them. The document is important to American history, because of its first-hand anecdotal truth about the life and treatment of slaves in New England during the 18th century. During this time, New England was a slave society, meaning there was a majority of slaves, whereas a society with slaves would primarily have indentured servants. Slave owners in New England generally owned a few slaves and worked on small farms, and were an investment not a piece of livestock. This document delves into Arthur’s short 21 years of living and sheds a light on the way he was treated and most importantly the way he felt about who he was and how he lived. It begins with Arthur’s upbringing in Taunton, Massachusetts; his owners were very kind and taught him how to read and write, giving him a brain and thoughts of his own. Seeking something more than labor Arthur ran away from city to city and lived a life of constant drinking, whoring, and stealing. In each new city his criminality recycled again and again; he was regularly sold from to new masters.
Nichols 2 This document reveals the hierarchy of a slave society: slaves, Indians, and squaws were viewed as inferior to the whites. The punishments that Arthur received for his crimes centered on excessive whippings; a white criminal would never experience such abuse. Arthur concludes his speech by warning slaves that although they seek freedom to do as they please that it’s not worth the physical and spiritual consequences. He was adamant about his repentance to God and the people he wronged. This document is an important personal story of a slave and his desire to be free and his conviction to do his duties as a slave, but more importantly his need for forgiveness for all his wrongdoings.
Word count: 344