Methods to Discover Archaeological Sites

Methods to Discover Archaeological Sites What are the main methods used to discover archaeological sites in the landscape? Critically assess the pros and cons of the methods you identify using relevant examples. The archaeologist uses a range of techniques to actively discover and locate archaeological sites within the landscape; these methods are non-invasive and non-destructive and fall into four broad categories: Desk Top Surveys †¢ Surface Surveys Geophysical and Geochemical surveys †¢ Aerial Surveys (Grant et al, 2002. p5). In addition to these, some sites may be discovered by chance, for example when quarrying, dredging and peat cutting or simply out in walking in the landscape. These broad categories all complement each other and the most relevant methods in each case will depend on the terrain of the area being investigated and the resources and time available for investigation. Also, the questions being asked and the degree of accuracy required will have an effect on how these techniques are used (Greene. 1991. p54). Desk Top Surveys: The desk top survey is office based and uses existing documents such as maps, historical documents, previous archaeological records, pictures and literature, all of which can all provide hints and references to archaeological sites. Maps can be used to locate sites, and are among the most basic resources available to the archaeologist. Early 16th century maps are not always to scale but can be very useful, Ordnance Survey started publishing maps in the early 19th century and, by analysing a succession of maps of an area, much can be learnt from the changes in use of the land and buildings. (Grant et al, 2002. p8). Old tithe maps and terriers, usually found amongst the deeds and papers relating to the ownership and management of estates and properties, may offer insight about forgotten sites (Barker, 1993). Although the majority of early records have not survived, there is still a wide range of available which the archaeologist may find of value. Legal records, including wills and cou rt records, can provide boundaries of ownership and clues to the functions of buildings. The Domesday Book and other tax records and tithe awards can identify the economic use and boundaries of land, Pictorial records such photographs paintings, and engravings, and descriptive accounts written in books, diaries and travelogues can all be of value. Of particular interest is the work of William Stukeley (1687 1785), an accurate and observant recorder who travelled extensively throughout Britain, and William Camden (1551 1623),whose thorough and detailed descriptions were published in the first general guide to the antiquities in Britain, ‘Britannia in 1585 (Greene pp24 27). These records can be freely found in museums, libraries and private collections and may offer a rare record of an archaeological feature. Details of any previous archaeological excavations, finds and previous survey results are all held in local SMR and national NMR offices and can offer insight into possible sites for exploration. There is often much truth hidden in the legends and stories of antiquity and a study of these may provide a clue to a forgotten or place. Most traditions and myths are founded on real people and places which, over time, can become exaggerated and unbelievable. (Grant et al. 2002. p8). By sifting the embellishment from these legends the archaeologist is often left with a helpful factual narrative. This is a cheap and effective way of gleaning information, but it can be time consuming. During interviews with local residents in Kythera, Greece a vast amount of anecdotal information was generated on the use of the landscape of the island, its abandonment and reuse, and the connections between people, villages and churches which all helped to place archaeological work into context (Johnson Wilson. 2003). The desk top survey is of particular value where investigations are part of the planning process to ascertain whether there are likely to be archaeological remains which could be lost or threatened as a part of the building and development of the land. (Grant et al 2002. p6). Many historical records are free to access and can be found in libraries, museums, County Records and Archives Offices, on the internet, at Local and National Sites and Monuments Records offices and in private collections. Surface Surveys These are visual surveys which seek to find traces of possible sites and are carried out, most usually, on foot. A surface survey can be systematic or unsystematic, although the most commonly used, is a systematic approach (Renfrew Bahn. 2008. p78). The purpose is to make a survey of archaeological finds within an area to determine if they might point to past human activity (Lynch. 2006). A grid is normally laid out on the ground to aid mapping and a team of walkers go over each area on the grid, recording sites and finds. The overall record of the types and scatter of the artefacts found can give a good idea of the age of a site and its possible previous uses (Adkins et al 2008). Fieldwalking is an effective and relatively cheap way of surveying land and has a vital place in the discovery of archaeological sites. Once the finds are identified and analysed, the data can also help to provide information about the date of a site and its possible functions. Results are generally more reliable where the region is walked repeatedly as a long term project (Renfrew Bahn. 2008. p 79). It does have some limitations in that different fieldwalkers may have differential types of collection across the same sight. Fieldwalking works best on arable land, but needs to be carried out at times in the arable cycle when vegetation is low. (Grant 2002). Tesserae found during field walking at Rowler Manor in Croughton, Northamptonshire led to the discovery in 1991 of a Roman Villa along with a mosaic pavement (Dawson, 2008) Geochemical and Geophysical Surveys The activity of humans significantly alters the geochemical composition of soil, and the archaeologist can use chemical testing to determine areas of alteration to the soil by human activity. The most common geophysical test is phosphate analysis. This chemical is present in most living things and the presence of domesticated animals, people and plants in a landscape will increase the concentration of phosphates in that landscape. Areas of high saturation of phosphates can then be explored further to ascertain the significance of the activity (Renfrew Bahn. 2008. p105). At Plas Gogerddan, Ceredigion in Wales, geochemical analysis was used to determine that burials on this Early Christian Burial site could be identified using phosphate analysis and possible grave sites of further burials were recorded (Murphy 1992). Geophysical surveying has developed considerably over the last few years and is used with great success in archaeological site prospection. There are two main methods of geophysical surveying, these are electrical resistively and magnetometery (Bowden 1999. p 120). Resistivity surveying involves passing an electrical current through probes set into the ground, and is based on the ability of sub-surface materials to conduct that current, Generally, higher resistance features such as buried walls have a limited moisture content and infilled ditches and pits which retain moisture will give lower readings. (Reference) The technique is especially suited to the discovery of stone structures. Its success is affected by local geology and also the weather conditions. Very dry or very wet conditions, as well as variations in the temperature can affect the quality of the results as they affect rate of flow of the electric current. The resistivity equipment is heavy to use and the survey can take some time to complete, but this is a cost effective method of survey. Magnetised iron oxides are present in the soil and past human activity alters and redistributes these, creating stronger and weaker responses which can be detected as magnetic anomalies. It is very portable and good for rapid surveying of land. The results produced can be very detailed and they are very useful for identifying buried ditches, pits, kilns and hearths. (Reference) The subsoil of the land can influence the results; the most responsive soils being are chalks and limestone. Igneous subsoils are the most difficult to investigate with this technique and the results on clay soils can be erratic. Resistivity and magnetometry techniques were used in karstic terrains in County Cork, Ireland, which identified the position of a previously unknown cave (Gibson et al, 2004). A number of newer techniques including Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are also available and becoming popular tools for the archaeologist. GPR was developed for use in defence and engineering. It is an expensive process and is of greatest value where buried deposits are close to the surface of the soil. It has the benefit that it can take readings through tarmac surfaces, and therefore is useful in urban environments (Grant et al. 2002). GIS is a powerful computerised mapping system with the ability to analyse quantitative data, which is useful for plotting scatters of finds and test hypothesis. GIS was effectively used at Tel Shiqmona, Israel, to conduct coastal and marine surveys and to evaluate the potential of Maritime trading with the Phoenicians (Breman. 2003) Aerial Surveys The use of aerial photography was pioneered by O G S Crawford, an Archaeologist and Observer in the Royal Flying Corps during Word War 1. Crop marks, soil marks and shadow marks all cause patterns which can be observed from the air. Most aerial photographs for archaeology use are taken at an oblique angle which give better views of a site, although they do distort the perspective. It is important to include a landmark in the photographs in order to provide a fixed point for mapping a site (Riley 1982). Aerial Photograph of Crook Laithe Settlement, Linton, Yorkshire This technique is most effective on arable land and upland areas, least effective on heavily ploughed land and ineffective on heavily built up areas and land with plastic covering over crops. Aerial photography is valuable to the archaeologist and an immense number of archaeological discoveries have been made using this method (Riley, 1982). In a survey in Augacatel, Mexico, where heavy jungle prohibited the economical use of ground surveys, 25 photographs were taken revealing up to 63 possible man made structures (Matheny, 1962) The weather conditions are important and photographs are best taken when the sun is low in the sky (early morning or evening) on a clear day, as the shadow marks will show up best under these conditions (Adkins 2002). The costs of flying are expensive, but since the equipment and film are comparatively cheap and large distances may be covered in one flight, this is an effective and crucial technique to employ in archaeological prospection. In addition to these techniques, some sites are discovered quite by chance. In 1985, a farmer found a number of bones and a small round lead object on a sandbank in Orkney. After showing his finds to an archaeologist, this lead to the discovery of a Viking boat burial (Towrie 2010). Whilst digging a well, some peasants unearthed fragments of terracotta, which lead to the discovery of arguably, one of the most spectacular discoveries of the 20th century, The Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang in China (Tianchou 1996). The high cost of archaeological excavations mean that it is important for the archaeologist to know where to dig in order to avoid expensive mistakes. The techniques outlined above all assist the archaeologist in the discovery of sites in the landscape, so that future excavations can be carried out in the most cost and time effective manner. ‘It is remarkable how much can be revealed about a site without excavation (Greene 1991. p 42). References Adkins, R L and Leitch, V. 2008. The Handbook of British Archaeology (revised edition). London. Constable Robinson Ltd. Barker, Philip. 1993. Techniques of Archaeological Excavation. 3rd Edition. London. B.T. Batsford Ltd. Bowden, Mark (Ed.). 1999. Unravelling the Landscape. An Inquisitive Approach to Archaeology. Stroud. Tempus Publishing Ltd. Breman, J. Journal of GIS in Archaeology. Volume I. APRIL, 2003. Marine Archaeology goes Underwater with GIS. Dawson, M. 2008. Northamptonshire Archaeology. Vol 35 2008. Excavation of the Roman Villa and Mosaic at Rowler Manor, Croughton, Northamptonshire p 45 93 Gibson, P.J. Lyle P., George D.M. Aug 2004 Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v. 66, no. 2, p. 35-38. Application of resistivity and magnetometry geophysical techniques for near-surface investigations in karstic terrains in Ireland. Grant, J. Gorin, S. Fleming, N. 2002 The Archaeology Coursebook. London, Routledge Greene, Kevin, 1991. Archaeology. An Introduction (Revised Edition). London, B T Batsford Ltd. Johnson, I Wilson, A. Journal of GIS in Archaeology. Volume I. APRIL, 2003. Making the Most of Maps: Field Survey on the Island of Kythera Lynch, Tim. Nov 2006, British Heritage; Vol. 27 Issue 5, p52-54, 3p Matheny, R.T. American Antiquity, Vol. 28, No. 2 (Oct., 1962), pp. 226-230. Value of Aerial Photography in Surveying Archaeological Sites in Coastal Jungle Regions Published by: Society for American Archaeology Murphy, K. (1992) Archaeological Journal, Vol 149, pp. 1-38. Renfrew, C Bahn, P. 2008. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. (5th Edition). London, Thames and Hudson Ltd. Riley, D.N. 1982. Aerial Archaeology in Britain. Aylesbury, Shire Publications Limited. Tianchou, Fu (ed.) 1996. The Underground Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Beijung. New World Press Towrie, Sigurd: 2010. The Orkney Jar. http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/scarboat/index.html [accessed 8th March2010]

Largest Pressure Groups Essay

To what extent are the largest pressure groups the most successful ones? Some pressure groups are more powerful than others as some succeed while others fail. Success in pressure groups is defined by how they affect government policy, their agenda-setting power and how well they can change people’s ideologies. Large groups mean that they have more members. This in turn leads to more donations. Chequebook groups tend to get most of their finance from their members, for example Greenpeace get 90% of their income from their members. This means that large groups tend to be wealthy. Being a wealthy group means that they have financial and economic power. For example, major corporations such as are the main source of employment and investment in the economy so the government will seek their cooperation. For wealthy groups that aren’t business groups will possess financial strength to employ professional lobbyists and public relations consultants. However, it is the wealth not the size of the pressure group that makes them economically powerful and the biggest pressure groups are not always the most economically powerful. The CBI is more economically powerful than TUC despite the TUC having seven million members. This is because although some groups may be small, they can exert influence through their policy expertise and specialist knowledge. Another good part of being a large group is that they can claim to represent public opinion. NSPCC is an example of this as they ensure that their membership levels stay above one million. This means that governments are most likely to listen to them because their members can have an electoral impact. However having good leadership can be a more direct form of influence than having many members. Having a high profile leader, such as Peter Tatchell of OutRage!, can help as they have some political skills, political contacts and have developed media and presentational skills. Lastly, the government’s views are a very important part. A group may very well be large and wealthy, however if the government doesn’t sympathise with their aims, then it will be very difficult for them to influence policy. For example, Greenpeace are very large and wealthy but the government rarely listen to them. In conclusion, there are different factors that determine how successful a pressure group is. However, large groups tend to have a significant amount of wealth, so whether it is the size of the group or other factors that should be accredited to its success can be argued.

Service Industry vs Manufacturing Industry in the UK

The market in which organisations find themselves is continually changing. On the other hand, trade and investments are growing rapidly and overtaking the world output and there is increasing integration of the world economy. Multilateralism is constantly threatening and regionalism is stronger in Europe, Asia and America than ever before. This continuous structural change in world economies indicates the variations in the relative size of each sector which can be seen in terms of changes in output, employment and productivity. ECONOMY STRUCTURESEconomies can be divided into three categories: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. The primary economy includes all activities related to the extraction of natural resources e. g. mining, farming etc. The secondary economy includes activities related to the production of goods and processing of materials which have manufacturing as its major component. It also includes the construction sector and utilities sector. The tertiary sector includes b oth the private and public services such financial industry, health, defence and other services related sectors. http://tutor2u. net/business/gcse/external_environment_economic_sectors. tm accessed on 31st November 2009. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN Industry is defined as a group of firms producing similar products with boundary of an industry determined by a gap in the chain of substitutes. All sectors of the economy can be referred to as an industry but emphasis lay with the secondary sector which is widely regarded as the manufacturing sector. Roger Cox (2009) Concerns have been raised over the competitiveness and continued decline of Britain’s manufacturing base. This de-industrialisation has continually raised questions whether it can seriously damage the country’s wealth.The concerns about manufacturing have been reflected in trends in various statistical indicators especially the shift away from manufacturing towards services, the productivity gap between B ritain and its major international competitors. Malcolm Sawyer (2009) clearly stated that the value of manufacturing output in Britain has continued to rise slowly in the last half century, but the share of manufacturing in the total output is what has declined not the absolute amount. DE-INDUSTRIALISATION IN BRITAIN The trade balance in manufactured goods moved into deficit in 1983 for the first time since the Industrial revolution of the early 90’s.This could be attributed to the gradual movement of the economy from manufacturing to more service-oriented economies. This experience is not unique to Britain alone, over the period 1970 to 1990, the share of manufacturing in the national output declined in all major industrial nations while that of services increased. By 1990, the share of manufacturing in the GDP among major economies had declined with Britain coming sixth behind Japan, Germany, USA, and France. Mark C. & Corri F. (1998) De-industrialisation can be viewed in a number of ways: ?The decline in employment, in both absolute and relative terms. The decline in the share of national output contributed by the sector. ?The decline in the country’s share of world manufacturing output or exports. ?The failure due to poor export performance or increased import penetration to generate sufficient export to finance a full employment level of imports. Office for National Statistics ONS figures for the last quarter of 2008 shows a decline of 10. 4% lower than the figures from the previous year with output decreasing in 12 out of 13 sub-sectors. Significant decreases were recorded in the metal industries, transport industries and in machinery and equipments industries 11. 4%, 10. % and 9. 8% respectively. http://www. fundstrategy. co. uk/news/british-manufacturing-slumps/182454. article accessed 25th of November 2009. In Britain, the fall in the demand for labour is associated with a reduction in output until 1987 and probably a rise in the wage le vel relative to the price of other factors. The decline in manufacturing employment means that its share of total employment has also declined over that period of time with employment in the service industry sector growing at a faster rate. A growth rate of over 7% was recorded in the 1980’s in the service sector with manufacturing falling by over 20%.Shares of world trade in manufactures and deindustrialisation. (%) 195019601970197919901991 France9. 99. 68. 710. 59. 710 Germany7. 319. 319. 820. 920. 220 Japan3. 46. 911. 713. 715. 917 UK25. 516. 510. 89. 18. 69 USA27. 321. 618. 616. 016. 018 Office for National Statistics (1991), Monthly review of External Trade statistics. London Manufacturing’s problems began with the misguided notion that Britain should become a â€Å"post-industrial† economy: that we would focus on services and the creation of ideas, with other nations taking on the less attractive task of making the finished product.The results speak for th emselves. Manufacturing now generates just 13% of GDP, compared with 32% in 1970. John Rose, http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=3&hid=11&[email  protected]&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=35824528 accessed on 22 November 2009. In the period 1980 to 2000, the manufacturing base in Britain was on a steady decline. Government argued that the reducing contribution made by the manufacturing towards GDP will be made up for by the service industry but further researches shows that the assumption was misjudged.Figures show deficits on goods moving from +? 1. 3 billion to -? 30. 4 billion creating a ? 31. 7 billion deficit not covered by the service industry. This Industrial decline was accelerated by increased competition from cheaper imports and the outsourcing to low cost economies which saw a free fall in different high profile companies closing down, downsizing or relocating to low cost economies. http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail? vid=3&hid=11&[email  p rotected]&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bth&AN=35457939 accessed on 26th November 2009.John S & Mark S (2004) clearly states that the deindustrialisation in Britain has not being affecting the whole of the manufacturing sector, certain sectors mainly instruments and electrical engineering industries has witnessed a tremendous rise in production and they are among the fastest growing in the economy but industries like the metal industries have witnessed a substantial decline in their productivity. EMPLOYMENT FIGURES WITHIN THE INDUSTRIES This sector underwent a significant growth in the early 80’s in the EU during the post industrial phase of economic development.The doubts about manufacturing sector have been shown in various indicators with the shift to more service-oriented sector taking prominence. It has been argued that the decline in Britain’s manufacturing sector should not be a cause for concern but rather the offset of expansion of other sectors of the economy especially the Service industry. The service sector witnessed a rapid increase in employment with the financial sector gaining rapidly on the manufacturing sector. In 1971, the workforce in the manufacturing industry has shrunk by around 4 million with the service industry recording a growth of around 3. million. By 1994, while about 46 million people where employed in the manufacturing sector, about 55 million and 28 million people where employed in the private and public services sector respectively representing about 64% of the total employment figure within the EU. Andrew Taylor of financial times reported that over a century beginning from the first production in 1907 to 2007, the manufacturing sector employment figures has fallen from 7 million to 3 million while women not account to 23% compared to the 25% at the onset.The mining sector used to account for about three-quarters of the employment with figures about 837,000 but now employs around 10,000 accounting for j ust around 1% of the employment figures. The aerospace industry, a section of the service industry which was non-existent at the beginning of the century now employs about 100,000. Mark C. & Corri F. (1998) http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdf? vid=5&hid=9&[email  protected] accessed 1st December 2009.SERVICE SECTOR GROWTH IN BRITAIN In the post industrialisation era in EU, economies including the UK witness a boom in the service sector with significant growth in the financial services sector and the aerospace industries. Between 1979 and 1993, there was a rise from 7 to 13 percentages in service sector employment rate. In more recent surveys, the services industry across banking to airliners has shown growth rates in February that represent a five month high, as companies have raised their prices.This is a positive sign that suggests that the predicted slowdown as espoused by the Bank of England has yet to materialize. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply revealed tha t index prices are up by 1. 5 percent since September 2007 whilst the report also indicated that the economy has maintained its current momentum. http://www. investmentmarkets. co. uk/20080305-1705. html accessed on 23rd of November, 2009. The measurement of service industry depends on the way it is defined, either value or volume wise. Outsourcing has been a major component in promoting service sector.Manufacturing companies outsources most of its functions like finances, design and other little services to focus on its core competencies and all this in turn increases activities within the service industry and the employment figures reducing its manufacturing counterpart in correspondence. The rise of services is due also to changing economies within the EU, limited competitiveness of traditional industrial production. Financial Times. (2009) AEROSPACE INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN The UK aerospace industry (UKAI) remains one of the most successful sectors of UK manufacturing.In 2003, the UK AI accounted for 0. 6 percent of UK gross value added (GVA) and four percent of value added by the UK’s manufacturing industry as a whole. The UKAI is also one of the UK’s major export sectors, generating a trade surplus of just over ? 2. 5 billion in 2003, compared with manufacturing overall, which had a trade deficit. The UKAI provides direct and indirect employment in the UK for around 255,000 people. Although productivity levels in the UKAI are generally higher than the UK average, they Remain disappointing when compared to the industry’s main international competitors.However, there are signs that UKAI productivity growth is beginning to outpace these competitors. There are also evidences to suggest that there will be a further challenge for The UKAI as competition from emerging economies is growing. The growth of the United Kingdom aerospace industry illustrates the changing trends in globalisation, industrialisation and service delivery. From a virtually non-existent sector around a century ago, the UKAI has grown so much in the last twenty years and captured about 10% of the world market in aerospace and accounted for just over 4% of UK anufactured output and directly contributed just over ? 5. 5 billion to UK gross value added (GVA)1 in 2002. In 2003, the UKAI directly employed just fewer than 122,000 people, 0. 4% of total UK employment and 3% of total manufacturing employment. An additional 150,000 people have been estimated to be indirectly employed by the industry.UKAI productivity was ? 54,000 per head in 2001, 50% higher than the UK average and 35 percent higher than for manufacturing as a whole. http://www. publications. parliament. uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmtrdind/151/151. df accessed 27th November 2009. ANALYSIS OF THE MANUFACTURING AND SERVICE SECTORS A steady growth rate has been recorded in the service industry while the contribution to the overall GDP from the manufacturing industry has witnessed a steady decline in t he last few decades. This has been well documented from various researches carried out but a serious questions still arises from the performance of the service sector and its long term sustainability and effect on the economy.David Liston asked â€Å"what will the services industry be servicing if there is no hardware? The first priority should be to stop treating manufacturing as a relic of the industrial revolution. High-value-added manufacturing brings huge benefits. It penetrates the economy of the entire country, not just London and the south-east. It pays well but avoids bewildering distortions of income. It drives and enables a broad range of skills and stimulates the growth of services. In short, it creates wealth. Curmen P et. al (1997) The UK manufacturing sector continues to decline and the subsequent loss of exports has not been replaced by revenue from the service sector as the government had originally thought.At the same time, the ownership of UK companies by foreign ers is increasing and UK companies are continuing to relocate some of their labour intensive operations to low cost economies. The cost of compensating employees who are made redundant when a company in the UK closes is one of the lowest in the European Union. So for multi-national companies with surplus capacity, the UK factories may be selected for closure. There is also a tendency for companies to consolidate research and development in their home country with the consequence that it is lost from the UK.This decline in manufacturing was triggered by some factors: ?Changes in manufacturing and materials technology and consumption patterns which affected a lot of steel, coal ship-building and power generation industries. ?Obsolete and redundant plants and inadequate investment and financial assistance to replace them. ?Diverse and intense competition from low wage nations and newly industrialised economies. ?Resistance to change at all levels of production from management to trade unions. Adverse effect of Government policies both fiscal and monetary on industries. Particularly in high interest rates and fluctuating exchange rates. With David Liston’s question in mind and the fact that service industry has not been able to replace manufacturing industries effectively producing a cushioning effect for the drop in its GDP contribution slump which is evident by the facts below: ?The interdependence on manufacturing industry as shown in the case of the aerospace, further reduction in manufacturing output will adversely affect services output also. Technical progress in manufacturing offers greater prospects of high-wage jobs able to raise standards compared to part-time low wage in the services industry. ?For each 1% decline in export of Britain’s manufacture, an excess of 2. 5% rise in export in required in services to complement the effect. Some policies which cut across all concerned parties from Government to private market solutions have been f ormulated to help halt the decline in manufacturing. Some of which include: ? Britain’s macroeconomic and industrial policy Improved management in the industrial sector ?A reform of Britain’s institutions ?Greater accumulation of both human and physical capital ?Improved innovation to accommodate mechanisation http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/pdf? vid=5&hid=9&[email  protected] accessed on 1st of December 2009. CONCLUSION Divergent analysis from various stakeholders shows the variable effect of manufacturing and service delivery on the national income of Britain. A steady decline in manufacturing was evident and it coincided with the boom

The Transatlantic Slave Trade And The Middle Passage Essay

Perhaps nothing is more horrifying for any human being than to be considered and treated as a trading property that can be transported across the Atlantic Ocean, as experienced by a myriad of Africans in the past centuries. Black African men, women, and children became the innocent victims of one of history’s most abominable chapters of humanity, where the European people embraced such unbelievable cruelty and insensitivity. To forcibly be taken into captivity and be densely packed onto ships over a long period of time in a slave-trading voyage influenced their view of themselves as inferior beings who must do what was asked and shall never complain. Therefore, this essay argues that the condition on-board, as well as the inhumane treatments throughout the Middle Passage, served as a foundation that fostered fear and trauma upon an African slave’s life in servitude in the New World. The transatlantic slave trade was an economic system involving all the major European maritime nations, most notably the British North American colonies, which prevailed from the sixteenth century and went effectively unchallenged for three centuries. It was often known as the Atlantic Triangular Slave Trade due to its three-sided route in connecting the peoples and economies of three continents – Europe, Africa, and the Americas. A variety of manufactured goods from Europe were traded with an enormous number of people in Africa to be imported and work under a harsh labouring environment of theShow MoreRelatedThe Middle Passage And The Transatlantic Slave Trade1594 Words   |  7 PagesGray History 1301-155 June 22, 15 The Middle Passage During history there has been plenty of slave trade in different countries. They have traded different ethnicities, and each had a different means of use for these people. 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Other works such as Ring Shout, Wheel About The RacialRead More`` Beloved `` By Toni Morrison Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pages Distinguished African-American novelist, Toni Morrison, in her notoriously suspenseful anachronic masterpiece, Beloved, tells the story of a fugitive slave named Sethe who escaped from the Sweet Home plantation in Kentucky to Cincinnati, Ohio, a free state. She lives freely with her husband’s grandmother for twenty-eight days until the slave masters come to ca pture her. Frightened, she attempts to murder all of her children to prevent them from living a life of dehumanized servitude but only succeedsRead MoreThe Transatlantic Slave Trade Often Known As The Triangular1411 Words   |  6 Pages The Transatlantic Slave Trade often known as the triangular trade was described as the largest long-distance movement of people in all of history. The movement of Africa slaves to the Americas lastly for approximately four centuries and can be viewed as one of the first ideas of globalization . The ship would move from the Americas to Western Europe with raw materials, then to Africa with manufactured goods. Lastly, from Africa the Americas with African slaves. Thus the movement of overRead MoreSlavery During The Twentieth Century993 Words   |  4 Pagesof the Atlantic slave trade through contemporary Africa, reflecting the role of slavery in present day. The works unearth remnants of the past in order to locate African memories in lit erature and bring them forth from the margins of history. Each author originates from different geographical locations in Africa, which allows various forms of slavery to emerge in the narratives, representing slavery as continuing to haunt the African psyche. In tracing transatlantic slave trade literature, AchilleRead MoreThe Rise Of The Transatlantic Slave Trade1712 Words   |  7 PagesSecond Exam / Essay 1 The rise of the Transatlantic Slave Trade started with the helpless souls of Africans. Many people of this time would classify slavery as a natural order, state, or fate. They believed that people were either born as a slave or would later become one because it was their predetermined destiny or fate. Later, world cultures regarded POW’s as a natural state. POW stands for Prisoners of War, and is defined as a person who is captured and held by an enemy during war, especiallyRead MoreThe Age Of Exploration : John Winthrop1546 Words   |  7 Pagesthat God wishes that they yield their place to new peoples.† (Crosby, Alfred W.) The Age of Exploration, (and Exploitation) brought an era of racism, nationalism, and ideals of superiority to the New World. Initially a beneficial concept, promoting trade and discovery quickly took a turn for the worst following Columbus’ arrival to Hispaà ±ola. The arrival of Europeans brought the ideas of conquest and greed, rather tha n cultural diffusion and peace between the newly discovered Empires and the Old World