Introduction

“The terrible transformation” refers to a period back in the 17th century, where enslavement of people was exclusively conducted on racial basis (Horne 2018).  Those affected were mostly African Americans residing in North America. During the period, a great shift was triggered affecting both the social and economic outcomes as the demand for cheap and quality labor increased. Most European nations became fully aware of the benefits that came with slave trade and countries like England copiously embraced the activity. Multitudes of people were imported from Africa into North America to work in the crop plantations. Tired of brutality and manipulation, the Africans later began a rebellion with the intention of ending the atrocious acts (Cosmo Learning 2017).

Thsi paper examines “the terrible transformation” to understand its main contestants, nature of the conflict, its cause and effects.

The Contestants and Causes of “The Terrible Transformation”

The contestants of the terrible transformation were mostly the African Americans and the Europeans settlers who initiated the slave trade.   The British originally came to America to conquer and rule, and at the same time take advantage of the treasures of the New World. A lot of alteration took place: slave trade was initiated; an act that socially and economically transformed the lives of the people living there. One of the changes that took place was the inception of an oppressive system that was hinged primarily on skin color.  Race was the key determinant of whether a person should be enslaved or awarded citizenship. For the Africans, forced enslavement was like an award they did not earn or deserve for that matter. It was something they were subjected to without their consent. The Africans were fighting against this brutality while the Europeans sought economic expansion and control. This conflict of interest triggered the terrible transformation (Horne 2018).

The Main Conflict about “The Terrible Transformation”

The primary reason why the Europeans travelled to Africa was to discover gold. During their search, they initiated slave trade with the intention of promoting agricultural productivity back in America. As slave trade activities intensified, Africans were abducted from their homes and forced to walk long distances before they were ultimately loaded onto ships for the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. This journey was a traumatic experience for most of them because of the immense exhaustion and inhumane treatment from their masters. As a result, most of them succumbed to illness and died before reaching the final destination (Horne 2018).

According to a research study conducted by Cosmo Learning (2017), the main conflict that resulted in the “the terrible transformation” was centered on the lives of the Africans in America. Racial profiling was the foremost driving force behind the transformation. From the perspective of racial discrimination, the African slaves were likened to animals judging from how they were treated.  As the number of African slaves increased in the British colonies, so did the vindictive acts. Slave codes were established: free movement of African people was restricted; African could no longer hold gatherings in group of three or more people; the slaves were treated like push-over’s; they were reduced to property and used as an overpass for economic gains (Cosmo Learning 2017). All these practices were dreadful enough to trigger conflict between the Africans and the British. That being said, the main conflict about the transformation was centered on the issue of racial classification which ignited all sorts of disparity between the whites and the blacks.

The Effects of “The Terrible Transformation”

From the foregoing, the effects of the terrible transformation can be classified into two broad categories; racial categorization and poor working conditions.

Racial Categorization; before more African slaves were imported into the British colonies, the whites also used to work in the plantations. Previously, the workers’ identification was based on religious affiliations which later changed to racial categorization. The difference in skin colour made the white workers appear more superior to the blacks because they were given more privileges (Horne 2018).

Poor Working Conditions; even after completing their working contracts, the African slaves were not guaranteed freedom like they had earlier been promised. The British made sure that they had full control over the blacks in the colonies by making them permanent slaves. In that case, the children of the African slaves were not exempted from going through what their fathers had gone through. Slavery was being carried down from one generation to the next. As a function of racial classification, poor working conditions made the Africans to view slavery as an iniquitous performance on their part as they were brutally handled.  Conflicts later began inform of rebellions against what they deemed to be unwarranted (Horne 2018).

Conclusion

“The terrible transformation” was the beginning of racism in America; a problem that has been carried on for generations. The economic gains derived from slavery and the colonial system justified the oppression of African slaves. On the other hand, the slaves believed they deserved better and began a revolution against brutality from their masters. Racial categorization and poor working conditions were some of the main issues that prompted the transformation These issues triggered conflict between the European settlers and African Americans.

Bibliography

Cosmo Learning. (2017). The Terrible Transformation, 1450-1750 (2/2). [Online]. Available at:< https://cosmolearning.org/documentaries/africans-in-america-1403/2/>(Accessed 27,January 2018).

Horne, G., 2018. The Apocalypse of Settler Colonialism: The Roots of Slavery, White Supremacy, and Capitalism in 17th Century North America and the Caribbean. New York, NY. NYU Press.

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