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[|DanAmerena] The students, although technically correct, used only the facts that supported their American patriot ideals, and they made the Brotosh out to be evil, the bad guys. However, there are no heroes or villains in life, as one man's hero, by logic, must be another man's villain. If history is viewed as the students in the video viewed it, plastering us as an oppressed society that NEEDED freedom, we will cease to learn from the past
 * re: Your responses to last night's video**

[|DanAmerena] The reason it is difficult to imagine this possiblity is because we think through a modern viewpoint. If you own a Roomba, you buy the Roomba once, and never pay it. If asked why you don't pay it, you would say "It isn't a person, what would it do with money?" A similar idea was in the popular mindset back then. Although it is horrible, you need to understand the opinion, and what was socially accepted back then. The idea now of paying a Roomba is ridiculous, much as paying slaves was ridiculous back then. "I bought it, I own it, why would it need money? It belongs to me". That is the way the population viewed slaves at the time.
 * re: Responses - Why didn't they pay them?**

[|DanAmerena] I don't believe that the idea of "You bought it, you can do whatever you wish" is ETHICAL, but it was accepted as the norm back then. It wasn't an aspect of greed, it was just the way things were. It really is EXACTLY like the way human beings think of robotic workers today. We see them as being inhuman, and we do not pay them, because they are made to work for us, and they would have no use for money. It is the exact same idea, with absolutely no difference. Although back then it was meant in regard to human beings, the same exact opinion and feelings occurred, and it is important to understand the relation between modern thought and historical opinion.
 * re: Responses - Why didn't they pay them?**

[|DanAmerena] I don't want to disagree, mainly because everybody is disagreeing. Therefore, I will present both sides of the debate. When viewed through the scope of modern understanding, the Navigation Acts were not the best idea, as they sparked what would become the American Revolution. The sudden toss between freedom and taxation led to unrest amongst the colonists, which in turn led to the world we know today. However, hindsight is always 20/20. At the time, British officials were realizing that their control and influence within the colonies was slipping. They did not want a civil war, and thus they set forth to once again bring the colonies into the British nation. By forming stringer trade unions, it can be inferred that the English rulers wished to create a sense of national unity. Although a good idea at the time, their efforts to prevent civil war actually LED to a civil war, although many would prefer to use the term "Revolutionary". The measures taken to promote unity were too drastic, and though possible eventually, they were brought on too quickly. The Navigation Acts themselves were not inherently foolish, but the situation and method in which they were introduced is what led to the American Revolution.
 * re: CCQ's on Colonial America**

ON HORRORS OF SLAVE SHIP

**WHAT DID YOU LEARN? ** 1. What did crew members do to Africans who refused to eat? Why do you think they did this? They whipped them, abused them. They needed the Africans to eat so that they could stay alive.

_

2. Why did so many Africans on the ship die?

The disease ran rampant through the ships, as conditions were not sanitary. _ 3. How were the Africans treated? Why do you think they were treated this way? They were treated almost as if they were cattle, because that is the way they were truly viewed during those times.

Even though his story might be fabricated, the fact that he was able to write such a story, and to prove his own humanity, is the important idea here. His story of the middle passage could be taken from stories he heard of, or could be proof that he holds a creative and inquisitive mind, something that could not be possessed by "property", and is a characteristic of humanity. The fact that he could easily imagine such gruesome events shows that he has experienced, or heard of, similar events in his life.

The knowledge that he buys and sells slaves does not change my opinion, because my opinion was based off of his work, and not his character. Regardless of what he did later in life, his experiences and mind remain the same, and his profession does not alter his story.