Read the excerpt from the account of French trade agent Jean Barbot in the late seventeenth century and answer the question below.
"The insurrections of the Blacks are very frequent on board the ships... they are most difficult to keep under when they are near their own coast, where they still hope to make their escape."
Which of the following claims is best supported by the excerpt?
- AEnslaved Africans were generally passive victims who rarely attempted to challenge crew authority.
- BRebellions were deferred by captives until after they arrived in colonial American ports.
- Enslaved Africans demonstrated agency by actively organizing and staging rebellions during the Middle Passage.Answer
- DCaptives limited their resistance to covert, non-violent actions while aboard transport vessels.
Answer
Enslaved Africans demonstrated agency by actively organizing and staging rebellions during the Middle Passage.
The correct answer is supported by the writer's observation that shipboard insurrections were frequent, showing that enslaved Africans did not submit passively to their captivity but actively fought for their freedom.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Shipboard rebellions and active resistance during the Middle Passage demonstrate that enslaved Africans were not passive victims but agents of their own liberation.