The Second Great Awakening which occurred during the late 18th and early 19th centuries was a time characterized by increased religious fervor across the whole of America. Although, many areas seemed more susceptible to this religious fervor such as upper New York State, which eventually became known as the Burned-Over District or the state of Kentucky which was the center for numerous religious revivals characteristic of the era. In many ways the Second Great Awakening was a reaction to drastic social, cultural and economic change that was occurring. The results of industrialization changed traditional American society. Before Market Revolution most Americans were connected by their families and relatives in a network of relationships. By the early 19th century a large migration had occurred as western lands opened up to settlement. This movement helped destroy the relationship that many relied on. American’s definition of success also became hollower. As a result of these changes many people began to ask questions some of these questions were religious. These questions would be the foundation of the Second Great Awakening, a movement that would have lasting effects on American Society.
Before the Second Great Awakening, America was not a religious country; it was because of this movement that it became one. It is important to remember that America was not founded by a group of religious men as we often believe. Yes, most of the founding fathers believed in God, but that was about the extent of their belief system. Most of the founding fathers were deists. They believed that there was a God, but believed that after he created the world, he took a step back, that is, He no longer meddled with the affairs of men. As a result of the Second Great Awakening America became an increasingly religious nation. For example, at the time of independence there were fewer that 2,000 Christian ministers within the United States. By 1845 there were over 40,000 Christian ministers. It was the Second Great Awakening that helped transform the United States into a religious nation.
Another theme of the Second Great Awakening was the democratization of Christianity. Initially those who wanted to become religious ministers were required to attend college for several years. During the Second Great Awakening this notion changed. Those who wished to be ministers were no longer required to be theologians, rather any person with an interest in preaching was allowed to do so, all that was required was knowledge of scripture and a desire to preach. Religion was for everyone, whites, blacks, men, women; all were allowed to participate in the religious fervor that gripped the nation.
Another important effect that the Second Great Awakening had on American history was the fact that that the movement gave way for many reform movements and increased social awareness. Before the Second Great Awakening slavery was a social problem, after this movement slavery became a religious issue. In his Second Inaugural Address Abraham Lincoln stated, “If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove…” Slavery was not the only issue that was effected by the Second Great Awakening. Issues of temperance, enfranchisement or women, and other social issues but were slightly smaller compared to slavery. It is quite possible that the Second Great Awakening played a pivotal role in occurrence of the Civil War.
The Second Great Awakening also played a key role in the emergence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church, I believe, has had an enormous effect on the history of the United States and the history of the World. Due to the religious fervor of the time Joseph Smith prayed to our Heavenly Father to know to which church to join. As a result of his humble prayer the church was restored and now is a major world religion with a membership of over 13 million.
A type and shadow is a symbol or representation of something that is to come. Types and shadows are found throughout scripture. Examples include the binding of Isaac by his father Abraham for sacrifice. This is a type and shadow of our Heavenly Father sending his son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for our sins. Through Christ’s atonement we are able to return to live with our Heavenly Father. Another example found in the Old Testament is the manna that was sent down to the Israelites as they wandered in the desert. This “bread of life” is a type and shadow of Jesus Christ, for it is through him that we can obtain eternal life.
The reason I discuss this theme of scripture is because this past week I had the opportunity to attend an exhibit in Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art titled "Types and Shadows: Intimations of Divinity". Each work of art is meant to exhibit some type or shadow of Christ or a gospel principle in general. Each of the works is beautiful in their own right. But the fact that each alludes to the divine in some way adds to their character. I appreciated this exhibit very much and was grateful for the opportunity that I had to attend the museum.
One of the first paintings that we viewed was a painting that most Latter-day Saints are familiar with. It is of Lehi and his family aboard a great ship. In the background we see numerous birds that signal the approaching land mass. Although the painting may seem like an ordinary painting the tour guide reminded us of a scripture found in 1 Nephi 17:8 which reads, “Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.” When the painting is viewed with this reference in mind I believe that it takes on an even greater meaning. Not only did the Lord provide a way for them to sail across the sea but he was constantly by their side helping to metaphorically “carry” them across the water.
I was deeply impressed by another painting in the museum. It is a painting of the prodigal son returning home to meet his father. There is a grand stair case that leads to a great house. The father has descended the stairs to meet the son even before the son can take two steps up the stairs. The son is clothed is rags which seem to tell of his struggles, while the father is in extravagant apparel. In this painting I found a very important type and shadow of Christ and our Heavenly Father. No one is perfect, we know this to be true, but even though we often go astray and make the wrong choices the minute we decide to turn our life around and continue in a path of righteousness our Heavenly Father will be waiting with open arms to greet us. He loves each and every one of us and wants us to succeed and return to live with him.
I have enjoyed the many opportunities that I have to visit the Museum of Art and am grateful that we were given time to attend this particular exhibit as we learn about our nations history. This is because I believe that the divine influence helped create this country. To quote George Washington, “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand… more than the People of the United States. Every step by which they have advanced…to an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”
In my American Government class I recently had the opportunity to watch the film Amistad, staring Matthew McConaughey, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, and directed by Steven Spielberg. This gripping adaptation of a miraculous true story, tells of a group of slaves bound for Cuba who revolted and took control over the ship La Amistad. The slaves were armed with cane knives and were able to overthrow the crew and hold the Captain hostage. They demanded that the Captain sail for Africa. The captain was deceiving and lied to the slaves about which direction they were sailing. The boat ended up traveling north towards the continental United States. They reached Long Island and were captured by the United States Navy. The salves were captured and sent to Connecticut where they were to be sold as slaves. A court battle ensued about the true origins of the slaves. There were many claims as to who should reap the profits of the slaves should they be sold. In the movie ownership is claimed on behalf of Queen Isabella of Spain (ironically the slave trade had been outlawed in Spain but not Cuba), two Cuban merchants, and the leaders of the American ship who captured La Amistad. There was also some question as to the origins of the ship. Eventually the lead attorney on the case discovers a manifest that shows that the salves are actually from Africa and were transported to Cuba and then arrived in America which violated current laws that outlawed the Atlantic slave trade in the United States. The case has national ramifications and is repealed to the Supreme Court by the current President Martin Van Buren. Because Van Buren was currently on the campaign trail any act of anti-slavery could have damaged his possibilities of re-election. In the end of the film they are able to reprove their case again and the slaves are able to return home.
As I reflect on the movie I am amazed by the historical significance that this event had. Not only was it an important victory for abolitionists but it was also was another step towards increased sectionalism between North and South. The film repeatedly speaks about the coming war, although the Civil War would not take place for another 20 years the grounds for it were set long in advance. The film addresses important points about the nature of slavery. In Africa salves were not captured by the merchants who transported them across the sea but rather by their neighboring villagers. In exchange the capturing tribe received guns; in order to protect themselves from slavery other tribes needed guns, so they in turn engaged in slavery. Another important point addressed is the absolutely appalling nature of the slave trade. As we have often discussed in class there are three themes of slavery, violence, terror, and death. All three of these themes were addressed in the movie. Some of the first scenes we observe are of the awful conditions of the slave ships. The slaves are chained together in cramped conditions. It is difficult to imagine being aboard a salve ship. Later we observe the meager rations that were given to slaves while being transported. In the movie only a select few are given a mess of a meal that looks awful to eat. The captains of the ship also dump some of the salves overboard when they realize that they do not have enough rations for all. This practice is truly appalling. The final element that shocked me was the fact that although the salve trade had been outlawed in most countries. But the salve trade continued to occur even though great efforts were employed to stop it. The film as a whole was deeply moving and I would recommend it to all.
I recently read a selection from Adam Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations which is often known by its abbreviated name, The Wealth of Nations. This document was the inspiration of our market system today and was one of the documents studied by our founding fathers during the establishment of our country. Smith was a radical who revolutionized the way in which we think about our economies and market systems in general.
Before Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, the economies of most nations were based on a mercantilism system. This system described how wealthy nations were by how much treasure or gold the country had. The wealth was accumulated through trade regulation and encouraging exports. This system benefited the kings and rulers greatly. While the population as a whole remained poor and without a good quality of life the upper ruling class lived in luxury.
In his book Adam Smith questions this great disparity of wealth. He argued that wealth of a nation was determined by the lifestyle of the people. He believed that the wealth of a nation was determined by the quality of life that its citizens enjoyed. His idea greatly changed the ideas of how a market system functions. He believed that nations should encourage production and consumption of goods. Under the old mercantile system citizens had very few choices of what they could buy. Under Smith’s system their was a great expansion of liberty. People were allowed to choose between goods. This choice was very beneficial in a number of ways, it encourages price competition and increased quality as groups compete for buyers. The mercantilism system does not encourage efficiency, quality, and profits for investors. However it did depend on personal relationships with high ranking government officials. This system was unfair to the consumers as they were often forced to purchase over priced goods, as no other options were available. Smith’s market system is not perfect, as we are currently experiencing. There are expected ups and downs of the economy, but under this system citizens experience more liberty that they otherwise could under any other system. The market system is also beneficial in another way. Under the mercantilism system usually one party won while the other lost. Under Smith’s market system both parties benefit. Although one party may benefit more than the other the consumer has the right to decide whether a decision, such as the purchasing of a product, is beneficial. This was not the case under the mercantilism system.
Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations contributed to the overall freedom and liberty of Americans. The constitution provides that Americans will enjoy freedoms and liberties but outlines no economic system. It is Adam Smith’s book that is the basis for our capitalistic system today. His free market system increases quality and decreases price. It is under this system that the founding fathers established our nation. It is under this system by which we have become one of the most powerful nations in the world. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations should be considered one of the most influential books concerning the founding of our nation including Common Sense, and the writings of Voltaire, John Locke and others.
This past week I had the opportunity to attend the Crandall Printing Museum located on Center Street in Provo. This was the second opportunity I had to attend the museum and I enjoyed it even more than I did on my first visit. I would highly recommend taking a tour of this museum to any one who is interested in the founding of our nation or church history.
The Museum is divided into four sections. The first section is dedicated to the invention of the Gutenberg press by Johannes Gutenberg in mid 15th century. The tour guides explain the process by which Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press. The process was absolutely painstaking and involved hours of work and tinkering. In order to make one single letter took Gutenberg hours of work and experimentation. The patience and genius of Gutenberg are evidenced by the demonstration of the printing process by the tour guides. The best part of the printing museum is the hands-on demonstrations that occur throughout the tour. Not only do the guides tell you about printing they actually show you how it was done. They show every detail from the casting of letters down to the actual printing. This tour helped me appreciate the art and science of printing much more. The museum has also accumulated many artifacts over the years including old bible pages and printing presses themselves. I was fascinated by the old bible page that they passed around the group. The intricacy of the writing and decorations evidence the years of copying that it took monks to complete just one bible. This definitely gave me a greater appreciation for Gutenberg’s invention. He truly was an inspired man. Without his inventions we could very well be stuck in the dark ages.
The next room was the colonial room. Here we were greeted by Benjamin Franklin. In this room we learned about the Benjamin Franklin and involvement with printing, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. It was interesting to see the differences between the printing presses. The press in the Franklin room was smaller and more streamlined. In this room we were also told about Thomas Paine and his book Common Sense. The literature that was produced during this time was just as important as the war itself. Without printing and documents like the Declaration of Independence and Common Sense there would be no America today.
The third room that we entered was a replica of the shop in which the Book of Mormon was printed; in fact the room is almost exactly the same size, down to the inch. The press in this room was produced at the same time as the actual press used in New York to print the Book of Mormon. Here we learned of the great difficulties of printing the Book of Mormon, including the punctuating of the book while setting the type. The most fascinating story told to us was by Brother Crandall, one of his guests of the museum was the binder at Colonial Williamsburg. When Brother Crandall asked how long it would take to bind 5,000 books, the guest politely asked, “Do you mean 500?” The guest was amazed that the book binders were able to bind over 5,000 books in such a short amount of time. There are many other stories that, to me, evidence the hand of God in the production of the Book of Mormon. It is Brother Crandall’s testimony and I would add mine to it, that the hand of God was involved in the printing of the book. The final room was the Deseret News room, we ran out of time and were not able to hear the full presentation but this press was much smaller and more streamlined than all of the other presses. It was amazing to see the evolution of the printing press and the way that printing has helped shape our history. I enjoyed my visit to the Crandall Printing Museum very much and plan on returning again soon.
I have recently been reviewing and rereading my notes and book for my American Government class at BrighamYoungUniversity. I have come a cross a theme from our notes, I have noticed that the awful institution of slavery is a part of our discussion on a recurring basis. Before taking this class I thought I knew about slavery and the horrible practices that went along with it but this class and our discussions on the topic have truly been eye-opening.
During our first discussion as a class we learned about ancient slavery. Slavery was the basis for ancient civilizations and their society. Slavery was ubiquitous, that is, every known civilization was involved in slavery in one way or another. Slavery was a necessity for ancient society. If we think to one of the earliest great societies, the Egyptians, our thoughts are often drawn to the pyramids. These truly magnificent structures were made practical by the appalling use of slavery. The Pharaoh’s and other leaders of ancient world were only able to construct the pyramids and many of the other wonders of the world through slavery. They could not possible afford to pay thousands of men for twenty or more years to work on such structures. No man could possible afford such a thing.
We then entered a discussion concerning the differences between modern slavery and ancient slavery. The difference is simple; there was no racism in the institutions of ancient slavery. Slaves were simply accumulated through the winning of wars and the paying of debts. Once you were enslaved in the ancient world your children were often set free. There were many types of slaves. Blacks were no the only ones who were enslaved in the ancient world, all manner of men were enslaved. Modern slavery is much more horrendous because it was exclusively based on race. I am not saying that ancient slavery was good or even acceptable, but relatively speaking was much better that the modern slavery that plagued the American continent for over 100 years. We were presented by some horrendous numbers, it is estimated that in the time the slave trade existed over 14 million Africans were enslaved. It is estimated that 1.8 million slaves died in Africa before they reached the salve ships. Another 1.8 million are estimated to have died on the journey across the Atlantic. Finally, over 1.5 million are estimated to have died within the first year on enslavement due to unspeakable conditions and disease. Dr. Holzapfel spoke of three themes of modern slavery, violence, terror, and death. It is hard to imagine the awful conditions that slaves endured not only on the middle passage but while in America, the lived in constant fear of the unknown. They were constantly subject to abuse and rape.
We then jump ahead to the late 18th century during the time of the revolution. Many slaves and abolitionists saw the revolution as an opportunity for freedom. The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” This however did not apply to slaves according to the founding fathers. By this time slavery had become an American tradition, it was deeply entrenched in American society. It was also the basis for the economy of the southern states. During the War for Independence many African Americans fought on both sides of the war. The British promised freedom to any slave that fought on their side, as did the Americans. Over 5,000 slaves gained freedom from the Americans. More gained freedom from the British. After the war the Constitution again contained rhetoric that was confusing, the preamble states, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” This once again sounds like it promotes equality for all but this once again was no the case. The Virginia Plan for the constitution did contain words that would end slavery, but once again the southern economies depended so much on slavery that they threatened to succeed from the union. As we know slavery was not officially abolished until the Civil War.
Slavery within the United States constitutes a large shameful part of our history. It is unfortunate that the founding fathers were not willing to take steps to end the practice. This would have indeed saved thousands of lives, if not millions.
I have recently read chapters 12-14 of 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon. In these chapters Nephi is shown a vision of the History of the Americas and the events leading up to the restoration of the Gospel. I was amazed to read how both accurate and detailed this vision is. It begins with Jesus coming to the Americas. Nephi writes that that the Lord ordained twelve apostles. Nephi sees the passing away of three generations, the destruction of the Nephite nation, and the preservation of the record which had been kept from Nephi down to Moroni. The dream then jumps to the discovery of the Americas by the explorer Columbus. Nephi writes, “And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went fourth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the Promised Land.” I was amazed to learn that the great Christopher Columbus himself credited his discovery to God in his journals he wrote, “Our Lord unlocked my mind, sent me upon the sea, and gave me fire for the deed. Those who heard of my enterprise called it foolish, mocked me, and laughed. But who can doubt but that the Holy Ghost inspired me?”
The next event that Nephi sees is the colonization of America by the Europeans. He sees the revolutionary war. He writes that, “their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle with them.” Nephi writes that God was with the Americans and that they were, “delivered by the power of God” from the British. After the war he sees the restoration of the Gospel by Joseph Smith and the coming fourth of the Book of Mormon and many other books including the Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price.
Many opponents of the Book of Mormon often think that Joseph Smith simply wrote down a history of the Americas as he knew it, but it is important to note many differences between the vision of history and what Joseph Smith knew to happen. One difference occurs in the part of the vision of the Revolutionary War. During the time that Joseph Smith was translating the record it was the opinion of Americans that the founding fathers were heroes who were able to fight the mighty British and win through their own genius. This is not the case in the Book of Mormon, Nephi writes that they were delivered by the hand of God. This is a common theme throughout all scripture. The Israelites were delivered from the Egyptians by the hand of God just as the Americans were from the British. Recent research shows that the Americans narrowly escaped defeat numerous times, each time they were saved by an unexpected storm, heavy fog, or an error on the behalf of the British. I have a firm belief that they were truly delivered by the hand of God.
I have a firm testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon; I know it to be true with all my heart. Joseph did not simply write down a story, he translated the record through the power of God, of which I have a testimony. I am grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith and his great sacrifice. I know that it was through the power of God that the America was founded and because of its founding Joseph could restore the only true Church to the Earth.
I recently read a speech delivered by Martin Diamond entitled The Revolution of Sober Expectations. This speech was given at Independence Square, on October 24, 1973. It is an excellent speech and I would recommend the reading of it to all, especially in these times of great bipartisanship and economic turmoil.
In this speech he highlights the importance of the Declaration of Independence which was penned in 1776 which in essence began the revolution for the colonies as a whole. He also speaks on the importance of the Constitution which he argues was the second part of the revolution. He begins his oration with a quote from Lincoln that he believes highlights his own personal feelings personally. He says, “I am filled with deep emotion at finding myself standing here in the place where were collected together the wisdom, the patriotism, the devotion to principle, from which sprang the institutions under which we live.” Although his great respect and love of both of the sacred documents are important perhaps the more interesting aspect of the article comes from the title of the speech-The Revolution of Sober Expectations.
Diamond argues that for three reasons the Revolution is not as glorious as we sometimes make it out to be. The first reason is that although the Declaration of Independence and the Revolution itself did overthrow the British government, “They soberly and moderately left open the question of institution of government.” That is although they overthrew the British they did not outline what kind of government should replace it. Diamond makes himself clear however, he states that although it may seem like the Declaration of Independence and Revolutionary War may seem only like half a revolution they were, “nonetheless revolution indeed and revolution enough.” The Second reason why Diamond believes the Revolution to be one of sober expectations is because the revolution was dedicated to the principle of liberty, an ideal that he argues is abstract and undignified. He draws on examples of what he sees as grand examples of revolutions that tried to establish utopias and equality for all. He states that civil liberty requires it followers to be constrained to, “moderation, legality, and rootedness in regular institutions.” Compared to the revolutions of Lenin and Robespierre’s which were rooted in grand ideas, but ideas that could never have been achieved. The Revolution was one of sober expectations because the founders wanted very little, compared to other revolutions, but it was because of this mindset that they were able to achieve their goals. They wanted only the “sober and moderate” goals of unalienable right sand free government.
The final reason why Diamond believes that the Revolution was a revolution of sober expectations is because of the founders approach to democracy. He believes that the founders were “cool headed and cautious,” when they accepted the new form of government. Compared to our glorious views of democracy, we often see any other form of government as tyrannical; the founders realized that there were many problems with democracy and realized its weaknesses. They tried to make it a decent form of government “even though [it was] democratic.” He also states that only a revolution that was sober could be brought to a conclusion in such a silent way (the revolution had been over for several years before the constitution was signed).
For these three reasons Martin Diamond argues that the American Revolution was one of sobriety. I would have to agree, although it was one of the most important and influential revolutions it truly was one of great soberness. It was one with out all of the glory and fanfare, but “nonetheless revolution indeed and revolution enough.”
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
To the modern reader the final statement of the Declaration of Independence may seem unimportant. But to the men who signed the scared document, they literally were pledging their lives, fortunes, and honor. Benjamin Franklin is once quoted to have said, “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall hang separately.” If the Revolution was unsuccessful not only would the signers have been hung for treason, but were most likely risking the lives of their families who would have been left possession less. It must be understood that to the founding fathers family and honor meant everything. There were two main courses in life, either you shamed your family or you brought honor to your family, and if you chose the latter you were to defend your family and the honor of your name to the death. The founding fathers also realized that by signing the Declaration of Independence they were risking the lives of their sons, relatives, friends and countrymen. Not only were they willing to risk their own lives, but the lives of others. The man who moved the men to Independence was John Adams.
No one knew better what he was singing that Adams, at home he had a wife and four small children, who were just miles from the British fleet and the pre-war skirmishes in Massachusetts. He had also experienced the loss of close friends, including his personal physician during the early battles of the Revolution. Adams also understood that a revolution with England would also bring about, “a great expense of blood.” Not only would their actions affect their generation but it would also affect those who came long after they were dead.
The common perception of the American Revolution is that all of the founding fathers were in favor of a break with Britain. But the truth is that some were not. They were scared, scared of the unknown, scared of fighting the largest and most powerful army in the world, scared of fighting in America, scared of so many things, John Adams was able to calm their fears and persuade them to agree to sign the Declaration of Independence. He had to persuade fierce opponents, on the other side of the debate; John Dickinson was willing to sacrifice his “once great popularity” in order to stick to his principles. John Adams’s use of protracted political debate and great oratory skills had a profound impact on the continental congress. It was said of his great oration that Adams, “spoke with great power of thought and expression,” so as to, “move [the founding fathers] from [their] seats.”
Eventually it was decided to sign the Declaration of Independence, although members like John Dickinson and the delegation from New York still disagreed with a revolution, they respectfully did not participate in the vote because they realized the magnitude of the decision and wanted to make it a unanimous one. Without John Adams there may be no United States. John Adams was a true American patriot.
I love to ski. I love snow and am one of a select people that does not complain about the cold of winter and pray for summer. My brother recently wrote an essay for his English class titled Why I... I thought I might a section of this essay that, in my opinion captures the essence of why we do it,
It was a cold January afternoon, with at least twelve inches of fresh snow in the Valley. My brother Zach and I decided that we were going to ski for a few hours after school. Checking the weather update for Snowbird Ski resort, I could hardly stand the sight on the computer screen. Thirty-two fresh inches of snow! This is what some skiers refer to as a major “pow” day. I barley could stand sitting through my next two classes as I knew what was waiting for me just a few miles away. After school, Zach and I threw on our ski gear and headed for the canyon. As we arrived to the Snowbird parking lot, there were hardly any cars. We bolted for the lift and rode it to the top. On the way up, we both knew what our first run was going to be, The Cirque. As we managed to work our way to the top of the mountain, I remember how excited I was. The Cirque is a wide-open bowl shaped run that requires about five minutes of traversing. For this both, scary and exciting run, I put on the best “pump up” song I could find. I let Zach get a head start down the hill, for I knew I would catch him. The first two turns I made caught me off guard. I knew there was a huge amount of snow, what I did not know is that I would find the snow up to my armpits! The next thing that I experienced was like nothing before. Imagine floating up to heaven, passing through cold, weightless, clouds. Not being able to see anything but white. Taking a deep gasp of air and inhaling nothing but fluffy snow. It was possibly the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. It had happened before, but not to this extent. This is what the skiing society calls a face shot. Many ski, but few experience this phenomenon.As I passed Zach, my legs burning, adrenaline gushing through my veins, and trying for air, the run was nearing the end. I stopped at the end, caught my breath, and waited for Zach who was near behind. We both were speechless, the only word that came to mind, was WOW! This one run reminds me why I ski.
It has been almost two months since our village was raided and attacked by the neighboring tribe, since I had seen my whole family gunned down right in front of my eyes, since I had seen our village burning in the on-setting twilight. The red of the fire stood in stark contrast to the deep purple sky. Those who had survived the raid were shackled by our necks and forced to walk towards the west for days on end. The boy behind me had been wounded during the confrontation and was bleeding profusely from a deep gash on his bulging thigh. It did not take long for the flies to settle in and drink from the crimson blood that never stopped streaming into the sand. Slowly I began to feel him get weaker. With every step we took I felt the tension on the chain get tighter until eventually he could take the walking no longer and collapsed to the ground taking the whole group down with him. Our captors quickly answered our conundrum with the stings of whips and biting words. When they finally realized what had happened my arms and back were raw with stripes. The boy behind me would not make it another day under the strenuous conditions we found our selves in. They broke the chains of his bondage and left him for dead. As we passed I saw the blood from his would slowly dripping into the sand.
It took us two weeks of walking with little water and even less food to reach the coast. When we reached the massive body of clear blue water I saw the craft that had been spoken about around the campfires of our village. It was taller than the tallest tree I had ever seen. As they forced us into the walls of the holding cell I lost sight of the spectacular vessel and would not see the ship for another week. I began to regain my strength inside the walls of the prison although the rations were meager at best. The skin on my neck had begun to wear raw. Eventually the whole prison was full of men, boys, and the occasional woman. When the prison walls were finally at their breaking point they again stood us up and forced us through low corridors until we almost reached the last doorway. Before the light of day peaked through I saw what they were doing, they were loading the groups of men onto small boats and taking them out to the huge vessel. I protested our forced march through the doorway. I grabbed onto anything I could to keep from never seeing my beloved homeland again. My complaints were quickly met with the stings of whips and prods of sticks. I realized my hopes were futile and proceeded through the door. We loaded the ship to its full capacity and more. With the craft hardly floating above the water we proceeded towards the large ship. As we approached the large vessel I saw a group of men who decided a life with out their families was no life at all jump from their boat. The weight from the chains was too much and they began to sink towards the bottom of the sea. We eventually reached the ship and were forced onboard. I caught a glimpse of the blood red sun setting in the west. That sight was the last time I would see the sun for almost a month.
If the conditions in the prison were bad the conditions on the boat were worse. It was so hot and so cramped that I often found myself gasping for the putrid air, which stank of sweat and human waste. We were rarely allowed above deck. When we were all I could see was the blue of the ocean and the grey of the sky. Everyday the poor souls that did not make it through the night or exhibited signs of sickness were thrown overboard. After over a month of endless blue and gray passed before land became visible. The dark foreboding vista was so different from my home. As we pulled into the dock, all of the men and women were unloaded and taken to markets, not like the markets at home, these markets are where humans buy humans. At last my dreadful journey was over; little did I know that it was just the beginning of the horrific journey that was to become my everyday life.
This blog will be used to post assignments for my American Government and Society class at BYU (and whatever else I feel like bloging about). My first assignment is to write a short personal narrative as if I was a slave being transported to America. I have found this assignment to be both thought provoking and meaningful. I have tried to explore the sure terror of the victims of the Middle Passage. The narritive is soon to follow.
