Helping Students Use Textual Sources Persuasively

1. "It is usually easier to write a paper that uses all of only one short source on a familiar topic than to write a paper that selects material from many long sources on a topic that one must learn as one reads and writes" (38) This is very true. Most students are just looking to get the work done usually, not to learn something new. I think many college students have this attitude.
   
2. "It is easier to use whatever one likes, or everything one finds, than to formally select, evaluate, and interpret material" (38) This is also true. We tend to pick topics we are familiar with because we will not have to spend time looking up new research information. We can simply use our prior knowledge about things we already know and just build off of that instead of taking the time to learning something new. This is also an attitude I think most college students have.
   
3. "If we want students to learn to build original arguments from texts, we must teach them the skills needed to create divergent interpretations." (43) Some students probably often experience this because teachers are stressing to build arguments from sources, yet some are never taught thoroughly how to interpret text and use sources successfully.
   

5 User Friendly Points from CR

1. "I know that starting early will help ensure writing a better paper" (165)
2. "Have a real conversation with an imagined reader" (180)
3. "Push yourself with questions that really get you thinking about your topic and that might help you see it in a fresh way." (180)
4. "That is, you can write a research essay this week that doesn't use the f irst person or isn't autobiographical and still provides your readers with a strong sense of your presence as an individual writer and thinker" (183)
5. "One thing that will make it easier to get started is to write three leads to your paper, instead of agonizing over one that must be perfect." (186)

In class assignment

A question that was checked off on my comment sheet was “Are we doing this for economic gain?” This question could be addressed throughout my essay. Since we have a reliance on goods being produced in factories, we might look past the conditions within factories. For example, we know that Nike sneakers are made in sweatshops, yet since there is such a high demand to buy them, we don’t even consider where they are coming from. Maybe no one is taking a stance against this because of our reliance on the economic benefits of selling these sneakers.
Another question that could be addressed in my essay is “what about factories today was seen in slavery mills?” I think it would be interesting to see what conditions are being seen today that have been seen during slavery. For example, the verbal, sexual, and physical abuse that occurred in slave mills and on slave ships also occurs in present day sweatshops. It is interesting to see this parallel.


What are the similarities between the conditions during slavery compared to those in present day factories? In addition, is the reason we aren’t taking action against these conditions is because of our economic reliance on the goods produced?

The Research Log: A Jay Leno Approach

Project: Essay on Bury the Chains-Working conditions during slavery vs. Working conditions in present day

Citation: Chandrasekaran, Rajiv. “Indonesian Workers in Nike Plants List Abuses.” The Washington Post. 13 Feb. 2001: E1.

Date: 2/20/08

What Strikes Me Most:

This article was very interesting to me as I read it. I had heard about the different claims being made against Nike because of working conditions, but I was unaware of the specific actions that have been taking place in the factories. In present day, it is hard to believe that verbal, physical, and sexual assault is still occurring within the work place. What is harder to believe is that the treatment of the workers is extremely similar to that of the slaves who were working on plantations and mills. Just like the Nike workers, slaves were being verbally and physically abused daily and many women encountered sexual assaults as well. It’s shocking to see the same awful behaviors continuing over such a widespread time frame. One would think that we could learn from history, but apparently we haven’t. I wonder if we are choosing not to learn because of our reliance on the products being produced in these industries as opposed to simply not recognizing inappropriate behaviors within different workforces. I’d be curious to see how many Nike factories are still engaging in these behaviors. In addition, I’d be curious to see if people recognize these problems within the workforce, but still don’t do anything because of economical reliance and benefits.

Source Notes:

3 types of abuse in the workforce

-physical

-verbal

-sexual

30% subjected to verbal abuse

8% received unwelcome sexual comments

3.3% physically abused

Summary Pages 324-354

On pages 324-354 of Bury the Chains, Hochschild starts off by talking about how the West India Committee was trying to offer self-regulation instead of abiding by some laws that Parliament was trying to pass. The public was waiting for “immediate abolition” (324) and felt that that was what needed to be done. Elizabeth Heyrick was apart of this public who wanted immediate abolition and published a pamphlet and setting out to organize another sugar boycott. Hochschild also talks about other women activists including Sophia Sturge and Lucy Townsend who were involved in the quest to abolish slavery. John Smith was a Protestant missionary to the slaves and helped organize a rebellion on the nearby plantations. Unfortunately, John Smith was later put on trial and killed. His death caused quite a stir among the public and once again, the empathy of Briton’s grew.

Material from Text connected to my essay

On page 365, Hochschild makes a comparison between ending slavery and ending present day issues like war, the gap between the rich and the poor, and the assaults on earth, air, and water. Once again Hochschild is making a comparison between slavery and a present day issue and it's working. He says "None of these problems will be solved overnight, or perhaps even in the fifty years it took to end British slavery. They will not be solved at all unless people see them as both outrageous and solvable" (365). He makes an excellent point about people not taking a stance to solve a problem unless they see a reasonable way to find a solution. For my topic drawing on the comparisons between slavery and present day sweatshops, I find it being a similar situation. If people thought of a feasible way to go about eliminating sweatshops and the goods produced in them without economically suffering, it could happen. But since there is such a reliance on the goods produced and people may not see this as such a burning issue in society, not as many people are going to stand up against it. I agree with Hochschild's point that unless people see issues as very important and likely to be solved, they aren't going to be as likely to stand up against it.

Chapter 21 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 21 of Bury the Chains, Hochschild opens the chapter with the duel that is occurring with William Witt and George Tierney in Putney Heath. James Stephen re-enters the chapter and is described as “one of the empire’s leading maritime lawyers” (301). Because of Stephen’s knowledge of the world of international commerce, he became and influential member in the abolition movement. Due to his maritime knowledge, Stephen played a role in organizing the Foreign Slave Trade Act which would cut off two-thirds of the British slave trade. Luckily, the low turnout rate at the debate at the House of Commons helped pass the act without any problems. The next stop for the act was the House of Lords and luckily, the support of the public was still against the slave trade and after gathering a petition with an adequate number of names, the bill passed. As growing support for the antislavery movement continued and flourished, a bill abolishing the slave trade passed in both houses of Parliament in 1807. Unfortunately, despite the abolition of the slave trade, the slaves in the Caribbean islands were still slaves.

Chapter 18 Summary

In Chapter 18 of Bury the Chains, Hochschild opens the chapter by bringing us to St. Domingue, the island that was a French colony that brought about some of the most notable slave rebellions. After Vesuvius erupted, the slaves started to rebel by running through the plantations and towns and lighting everything they could on fire, especially any sugar crops. All of a sudden, the number of white people being killed increased drastically and the world was in shock. Since St. Domingue was such a profitable colony because of its rich soil, abundant sugar crops, and coffee crops, the destruction of everything was a harsh reality for people to face. Despite the destruction in these colonies, France and Britain decided to go to war over them. Unfortunately, Britain lost more than they would gain from that war because of Toussaint L'Ouverture’s ability to raise a strong force of the slaves to fight against them. Many British men became ill while fighting and suffered from malaria and yellow fever. Unfortunately, the British were not succeeding in their efforts to win against France and decided to withdraw from the war.

Reviews of BTC

In The Boston Globe review from "Up From Slavery," Brookhiser did an excellent job of providing a summary as to what the book is about. Brookhiser was able to capture the main story lines within the book while offering his own critique. Brookhiser was able to mention the sequence of events on a more brief level, while incorporating the main figures that were influential to this movement. I liked that I could find out exactly what was going to happen in the book through his summary, but nothing extreme was given away.

It was interesting to find Brookhiser pointing out Hochschild’s obvious dislike of Christianity. This was something I noticed as well as I have been reading. Not only did Brookhiser point this out, but our classroom discussion in previous weeks pointed out the same flaw. Hochschild has made mention of Christianity in almost any place applicable thus far in the book. Whether Hochschild was intentionally trying to bash Christianity or trying to hide it behind his story line, his dislike of Christianity is apparent. In Hochchild’s book, he pays much more attention to details when describing certain main figures that were apart of the abolition movement. In these instances, he has been focusing on the Christianity of either Newton or Wilberforce. As I read, I am able to pick up on where Hochschild is incorporating the Christianity aspect. Going beyond offensive, it just seems so excessive when it comes to the descriptions of certain characters.

In The Nation, the review by Daniel Lazare included a well written summary of the events that occur in Bury the Chains. Lazare was able to give a summary while provoking questions at the same time in response to the summary. I do agree with the idea that this movement sparked a new type of politics. Lazare points out how Hochschild successfully makes a comparison between present day solidarity and the different movements going on during the time of slavery. I found this to be interesting because Hochschild is constantly comparing present day movements and/or issues to events occurring in the time period he focuses on in his book.

Lazare’s response to the modern changes in politics really made me reconsider my thoughts about the book thus far. He writes, “Yes, fliers, posters and such are now ubiquitous. But are individuals, or broad social forces, responsible for historical change? Are people like the twelve London activists whom Hochschild spotlights "causative," as the sociologists say, or are they bit actors who strut briefly upon the historical stage?"

After reading this, I realize that Hochschild does point out the twelve main men who started this movement. At the same time, these men would not have been successful had it not been for the support from others and society. So I am really now left wondering: did these individuals, or did society’s need for change in general provoke the start of the abolitionist movement? Were these twelve men as influential as Hochschild makes them out to be?

Chapter 15 Summary- BTC

In Chapter 15, the antislavery movement took flight all across Great Britain. This was a result of the efforts put forth by several key figures including Thomas Clarkson, Wilberforce, and the Quaker community. When the Industrial Revolution passed through Britain, post offices, newspapers, and new roads helped provide ways to spread information across the country. Granville Sharp started to help slaves take their m,asters to court to be prosecuted. The white lower class started to stand up for slaves, emphasizing their freedom. Naval impressment started to become an issue as well. Press gangs began seizing both sailors and innocent people in order to have them join their ships. As this naval impressment continued, Clarkson and Sharp were able to connect the press gang seizures to slavery. Both were equally unjust because of their foundation in capturing people and putting them to work.

Possible Essay Question

A question that I am interested in is how the conditions of the slave ships and plantations are similar to the conditions of present day sweatshops. The sugar plantations and sweatshop factories are both extremely unsafe places. A major danger includes working with heavy machinery or operating machinery without appropriate protection. Both the slaves and sweatshop workers include children and other workers who are either getting paid little to no money at all. Also surrounding this idea I find it interesting how people are aware of how horrible slavery is and how horrible sweatshops are, but since there is such a reliance on the goods they produced, no one person can make a difference alone. People seem to be recognizing that these problems exist, but nothing else is occurring beyond this point. Only a select few people are taking action against sweatshops and slavery, but unfortunately, the majority of people aren't doing anything.

Chapter 12&13 Summarys-BTC

On pages 167-174, Equiano starts to publish an anti-slavery book which helped the campaign across the world even more. After getting married, Equiano was so caught up in selling his books that his wife became second on his list of priorities. His book focused mainly on his own experiences with slavery which captivated his argument perfectly. Equiano’s book became a bestseller and really helps readers become familiar with the life of a slave and the impact of slavery on all aspects of society.

On pages 192-198, the sugar boycott began and was gaining popularity all over. The boycott was so influential that if people did use sugar, it was not slave-grown sugar. Sugar was the right product to boycott because of its widespread use in England. Clarkson also published the Abstract which just contained hundreds of descriptions of the conditions of slavery and what many slaves endured on their journeys within the Slave Trade that was read by many.

Chapter 11 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 11, King George III had finally become sane again and the plans to push anti-slavery bills were able to continue. When proslavery traders mentioned taking their business overseas, the need for this movement to become international grew even more. Clarkson was an influential member at the hearings as he showed his sample case of all of the African trading goods he collected. Clarkson gained help form James Phillips after creating a diagram to show how tightly packed the slave ships were and how unsafe the conditions were. After having this diagram published in newspapers and magazines, more people from around the world turned their attention to the issue of slavery. The picture spoke louder than words in some instances and really exposed people to the unfair life of the slaves. James Stephen also reappears as he takes a stance against slavery after trying to prosecute a white man who beat two slave children. James Arnold was also able to contribute to these meetings before the Council by giving a testimony grounded in all of the experiences he had had with slavery. In 1789, Wilberforce finally made his speech against slavery, but unfortunately once again, the bill was sent to the Commons and then was postponed. Clarkson set out to find more and new witnesses that could help him prepare for the next hearing.

Comments: Using pictures of what the slave ships looked like and how cramped they were was a really good strategy to use to persuade others to join their cause. Images can speak louder than words sometimes and in a picture as detailed and horrifying as the one presented, no words are necessary to get a message across to others. This definitely proved to be an effective strategy and like the book mentioned, it was not like others could show pictures of slaves being happy on slave ships.This technique really helped their cause gain more support and raise awareness around the world about the conditions of the slave vessels.

Chapter 9 Summary- BTC

In Chapter 9, William Wilberforce became an influential speaker at the House of Commons speaking on behalf of the anti-slavery movement. As more support was needed, pamphlets and books were translated into many different languages and sent all across the world. Hand-delivered letters were also given out in London in order to serve as a “fundraiser” to gain support. A significant supporter of this movement was John Newton. Newton had sent out an apology letter confessing all of his experiences and knowledge with the cruelties of slavery which was quite useful for evidence to support this cause. Testimonies given by Falconbridge were extremely detailed and helped those unaware of the cruelties of slavery to get a grasp of what the conditions were really like. Another significant moment occurred when Sir William Dolben helped pass a bill limiting the number of slaves that could be placed on a ship and required a death list of both slaves and crew members. Just as the movement was becoming overwhelming, all bills sent to Parliament were put on hold because of King George’s illness.

Comment: While reading this chapter, I was shocked for two reasons. The first reason was because Newton re-entered the story in general. The second reason was because of Newton’s change of heart and his apology letter. I could not believe he finally came to terms with the horrors he witnessed and that he was willing to give accounts of his experiences for evidence. It was interesting to see Newton in such a new and positive light after having such negative feelings towards him from the previous chapters.

Chapter 8 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 8, Clarkson was able to gain the support from the Quakers in order to go about his plans to abolish slavery. While writing letters to gain support from others in England, the Quakers followed strict rules for writing letters which was not an issue once Granville Sharp took it upon himself to personally sign all of them. As more support came from the Quakers, a serious question needed to be addressed, “Were they going to agitate only for abolition of the slave trade, or for the emancipation of all slaves?” (110) The decision was to abolish the slave trade which would eventually cause owners to treat slaves better or provide them with a better chance of gaining freedom. Clarkson decided to gain firsthand experience of what occurred on slave ship by going onboard. Before going onboard, Clarkson was able to find out the ways captains of slave ships would persuade men to become sailors on board and how they would be treated once on the ship. He was also able to meet two doctors, Falconbridge and Arnold, who were both willing to give firsthand accounts of their experiences on board by keeping journals. Clarkson becoming a well known figure all throughout London, many of the slave traders and seamen did not like him and even tried to kill him. Luckily, he was able to escape and continue to gain support all throughout England.

Comment: I found it really interesting to see the tactics that slave ship captains and owners would use to persuade sailors to come onboard. Alcohol and innocent men who were unfamiliar with the trade seemed to be the most effective methods mentioned. I liked how Clarkson inquired as to how more sailors become recruited even after so many horror stories have been told by other sailors. It was logical to realize that if sailors were being tortured and others were hearing about it, that no one would want to go onboard. Through false "advertising" and the effects of alcohol, it was easy to see how so many men had a warped perception of what they were getting into.

Class Comment from Curious Researcher

The checklist with 16 points about writing research papers brought up some good class discussion. I found the point about "you can use your own experiences and observations as evidence" interesting. This is only because within the classes that I have had to take within the Education program, all of the professors stress tying in personal experiences or experiences from the field placements in order to help support your point. I think depending on what classes you take, the topic of the course, and the type of professor you have, their outlook on incorporating personal experiences may be different. In classes where the information may be more straight forward, it does not seem unreasonable for a teacher to not ask for personal experiences. In classes where the information being taught is very relatable to life experiences, sharing experiences to support claims should be encouraged.

Two User Friendly Points from The Curious Researcher

• Because procrastination is the enemy, this book was designed to help you budget your time and move through the research and writing process in five weeks. It may take you a little longer, or you may be able to finish your paper a little more quickly. But at least initially, use the book sequentially, unless your instructor gives you other advice.
  
• You'll discover your choice of possible topics suddenly expands. If you're not limited to arguing a position on a topic, then you can explore any topic that you find puzzling in interesting ways and you can risk asking questions that might complicate your point of view.
  

Chapter 7- BTC

In Chapter 7, when the American Revolution begins, the British were desperate for men to join the Army so that they could fight back against the rebels. In their time of desperation, they promised freedom to the American slaves if they left their rebel masters and joined the army. After the war was over, what would happen to all of these slaves? When George Washington met with General Carleton, problems arose regarding what would now happen with the freed slaves. There was disagreement about whether the slaves should be returned or whether their owners should just be compensated for them. When news of the Paris peace accord made its way to New York City, previous slave masters came to reclaim their slaves. When Carleton saw that this was happening, he realized that the only way to ensure the freedom of these slaves was to have them all relocate to another British territory, Nova Scotia.

This chapter did provide more historical background of what was going on with the slaves after the American Revolution. Unfortunately, this is pretty much all I walked away with after reading it. I feel like this chapter was a little disconnected from the previous chapter and Hochschild has not been clear enough as to what he is writing this book about.

Chapter 6- BTC

In Chapter 6 of Bury the Chains, Hochschild mentions how so many people living in Britain did not necessarily agree with slavery, but at the same time could not see a way of life without it. Dr. Peckard, who was the vice chancellor at Cambridge University, decided to challenge slavery by presenting an essay contest where contestants had to address Is it lawful to make slaves of others against their will? Thomas Clarkson, a former lower-ranking Latin prize writing contest winner, set out to win this essay. While Clarkson researched about slavery, he was astonished by what he was reading. Clarkson could barely fathom that the tales of slavery were actually true. After winning the essay contest, Clarkson decided that it was time for slavery to end. He decided that he wanted to publish his essay, but after finding out that a certain company only wanted to publish his work for a select group of people, Clarkson found help from a fellow Quaker friend who lead him to George Phillip’s printing shop on George Yard. The campaign that Clarkson and the fellow committee members took on was outstanding. The question left was, could this campaign take flight when Britons themselves did not have basic rights, but were fighting for the rights of others?

I really liked Hochschild’s point about how “disapproving of slavery was something very different from the belief that anything could ever be done about it.” This seemed to be the standpoint of many people at the time. Although people disapproved of slavery, they still realized that they were still so reliant on it. Because of their reliance, it would be unlikely to think that it would end. The comparison to a present day problem, in this case, global warming was an excellent analogy. Most people realize that global warming is a problem, but they also think at the same time, “it’s not like we can really do anything to change it because we are so dependent on driving.” There is recognition of the problem, but actions are not as likely to be taken.

Question from Ch.2&4 that is interesting

"As a reader, do you find it easier to get a full picture of slavery through a slave or from the perspective of a British sailor?"

I found this question to be extremely interesting. I would be curious to see how stories or images of slavery would change depending on who was telling the story. In order to get a better sense of what slavery actually "looked" and "felt" like, I think it would be important to read the story presented by a slave. Although I liked how Stephen was able to recognize the cruelty of slavery when he witnessed the execution of a few slaves when they were burned at the stake, I still think I would have been able to see the full picture clearer had more detail been given. I think the detail could have been provided through a slave because events like these affected their lives more than whites. Even though an execution could be an everyday occurence, whites were highly unlikely to respond to them in such a way that a slave would. Since slaves were actually experiencing the unsafe and horrible conditions, they would be able to help the reader really picture what they were saying.

Comments on Chapter 2 and 4-BTC

My attention was particularly drawn to the following quote, “Stephen’s horror was all the greater because he knew that he himself had benefited from slavery.” It’s slightly comforting to know that Stephen was disturbed by the conditions he saw slaves encountering. It was also shocking to see him acknowledging that he was one of the many whites benefiting from the work done by slaves and feeling sorry for them. Unfortunately, this slight recognition was still not enough to motivate him to make a change or take a stance against slavery right away. This quote reminded me of Newton and his experiences with divine intervention. It was interesting to see that Newton experienced conditions like those of the slaves, but still never felt compelled to help them later on. Despite several encounters in his lifetime, not once was he compelled by God to take a position against slavery. It would be one thing had he just been profiting from the slave trade the entire time, but he actually experienced the maltreatment like the slaves did. One would think after such an experience that he would be more willing to take a stance against slavery, but he didn’t.

Chapter 4 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 4, Hochschild introduces us to a traditional sugar plantation with slaves working in the fields while whites enjoyed their great luxurious houses overlooking their estates. We are then introduced to James Stephen, who falls in love with his friend’s sister, Nancy. Even though Stephen promised himself to Nancy, he also ended up falling in love with Nancy’s close friend, Maria. Understanding that his actions were wrong, he considered himself a sinner and promised to marry whoever could not find another husband to marry. After promising to do this, he sets off to the Caribbean where he witnesses a trial accusing four black slaves of murder. After being shocked when hearing that these men were guilty, he was more surprised to witness their execution-being burnt alive. Stephen began to feel even worse because he know that he had benefited from slavery himself. We are then brought to Codrington, a sugar plantation and mill where slaves faced unsafe and tiring work. It was not uncommon to hear of the many deaths of these workers. Since sugar was such an important crop and so many Britons profited from it, it isn’t uncommon to find them not willing to abolish slavery.

Chapter 2 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 2 of Hochschild’s Bury the Chains, Olaudah Equiano writes about his experiences with slavery as both a slave and “free” man. Equiano was raised in present day Nigeria with a father who even owned slaves himself. After being seized by a gang, Equiano found himself on a slave ship trying to survive the unsanitary, unsafe, and cruel conditions along with many other slaves. The conditions were so bad on these ships that it was not uncommon to find slaves preferring death over slavery. After not being sold in Barbados to work on a plantation, he became Lt. Pascal’s personal slave for several years. When Equiano gained the position of Royal Navy seaman, Pascal sold him to Robert King fearing that he no longer had the right to keep him as a slave. After being sold numerous times, Equiano found himself secretly trading to save up money to eventually buy his freedom. Later in time, “Equiano found himself on board a slave vessel once again, this time helping Irving selecting slaves to be field hands (39).”

Chapter 1 Summary-BTC

In Chapter 1 of Hochschild’s Bury the Chains, John Newton was an Englishman whose involvement in the slave trade started at a young age and was not always easy, but he eventually was able to make a profit. After falling in love with Mary Catlett before departing on a trip, Newton kept a diary of all of his experiences on different ships involved in the slave trade. Newton was able to see the horrid conditions that most slaves faced when they were on board, but never showed his sympathy towards them even during hard times of his own. It was not uncommon to find Newton punishing the slaves or crew members on his ship for their rebellious plots against him. His life could have ended at several times, yet he was lucky enough to always walk away from his voyages alive. Newton learned the tricks of the slave trade by relying on mortality rates, time of year, and profits. Despite all of his contact with slaves, he never thought to rise up against it. Instead, he only profited from it.

Summary of Introduction-BTC

In the Introduction of Hochschild’s Bury the Chains, the collaboration of a few citizens helped launch the anti-slavery movement that began in London which was going to change the lives of many. Although the printing shop where these men met does not have a plaque representing its historic value, the events that took place at 2 George Yard represent a great accomplishment. The anti-slavery movement was both an astonishing and historical movement in England because of its rapid rate of success as a result of the support from the British citizens. The outlaw of slavery became such a priority that citizens were even willing to sacrifice the economical growth of England by abolishing the slave trade in order to protect someone else’s rights. Although many thought slavery would never be outlawed, the actions of a few men proved to all that the efforts of a few people can really end up making a difference that will last a lifetime.