DOC Nazi Germany and the Jews; 1939-1945: The Years of Extermination by Saul Friedlander in History

Description

Throughout history; blame for the introduction of slavery in America has been squarely placed upon the slave traders who ravaged African villages; the merchants who auctioned off human lives as if they were cattle; and the slave owners who ruthlessly beat their helpless victims. There is; however; above all these men; another person who has seemingly been able to avoid the blame due her. The origins of slavery -- often described as America's shame -- can actually be traced back to a woman; England's Queen Elizabeth I.During the 1560s; Elizabeth was encouraging a Renaissance in her kingdom but also knew her country's economy could not finance her dreams for it. On direct orders from Her Majesty; John Hawkyns set sail from England. His destination: West Africa. His mission: to capture human lives.After landing on the African coast; he used a series of brutal raids; violent beatings; and sheer terror to load his ships. As the first major slave trader; Hawkyns's actions and attitudes toward his cargo set the precedent for those who followed him for the next two hundred years. In The Queen's Slave Trader; historian Nick Hazlewood's haunting discoveries take you into the mind-set of the men who made their livelihoods trafficking human souls and at long last reveals the man who began it all -- and the woman behind him.