On the eve of the American Revolution; nearly three-quarters of all African Americans in mainland British America lived in two regions: the Chesapeake; centered in Virginia; and the Lowcountry; with its hub in South Carolina. Here; Philip Morgan compares and contrasts African American life in these two regional black cultures; exploring the differences as well as the similarities. The result is a detailed and comprehensive view of slave life in the colonial American South. Morgan explores the role of land and labor in shaping culture; theeveryday contacts of masters and slaves that defined the possibilities and limitations of cultural exchange; and finally the interior lives of blacks--their social relations; their family and kin ties; and the major symbolic dimensions of life: language; play; and religion. He provides a balanced appreciation for the oppressiveness of bondage and for the ability of slaves to shape their lives; showing that; whatever the constraints; slaves contributed to the making of their history. Victims of a brutal; dehumanizing system; slaves nevertheless strove to create order in their lives; to preserve their humanity; to achieve dignity; and to sustain dreams of a better future.
#300274 in Books James G Leyburn 1989-08-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x .89 x 5.98l; 1.15 #File Name: 0807842591377 pagesThe Scotch Irish A Social History
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A good history for those interested in the Scots-IrishBy W. E. MckinneyThis is an informative book; giving a lot of background information about the Scots and conditions in Scotland prior to the start of the Scots migration to the Belfast Plantation; their experience in the Belfast Plantation; and their migration to and settling in America. It was a good read; but more like a textbook. It supplements several other books I've read lately about the Scots-Irish and their impact on America.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful history bookBy PNWhat a great book! I'm new to this history; and I thought it was very nice to break up the history of the Scotch-Irish into 3 periods: when they were in Scotland a long-long time ago; when they were in Ireland a long time ago; and when they were in America before the Revolution. It really puts into perspective some of the early colonists who settled and then headed "out west" into PA; VA; and the Carolinas. I'm very happy about my purchase.One thing to note in the Kindle version; there is some amount of scanning issues; where the letters didn't exactly come out perfect. For example; "king" might look like "ling." It was the most distracting towards the middle of the book; but overall it wasn't too bad.Again; I would definitely recommend this book to someone interested in Scotch-Irish history.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Comprehensive story of the Scotch-Irish MigrationBy Michael K.Great story of the Scotch-Irish and their migration to the Ulster Plantation and then on to America. Leyburn gives not only a historical narrative but also the rationale for why people moved. This really helps to put things in context. It is a worthwhile read for those of Scotch Irish background. Only negative comments is that it is a bit dated so some of the words used are no longer politically correct in the current environment. But that is a minor point in the big picture.
