Discuss how African-American religious traditions, both indigenous and acquired, interacted with the institution of slavery. What were the positive and the negative effects of these interactions?

Student’s name: Tutor: Course: Date: How the African-American religious traditions interacted with the slavery institution Introduction African-American religious traditions may be regarded as the ways of living by Americans as well as Africans with regard to spiritual aspects. Slavery on the other hand may be viewed as the situation whereby individuals were forcefully attained and required to offer labor services to their masters. Individuals in slavery were not allowed to enjoy freedom but were instead misused and handled inhumanly. However, slavery brought about a situation whereby considerable interactions were experienced among Americans and Africans. Americans as well as Africans initially had varying religious traditions which were based upon varying beliefs. However, their interaction brought about a situation whereby some religious tradition aspects were exchanged among them, such that Americans as well as Africans acquired various religious tradition aspects from each other. This implies that Americans ended up learning as well as acquiring certain religious tradition aspects from Africans, and Africans ended up acquiring some aspects from held religious traditions by Americans. This exchange highly influenced the ways through which individuals especially the Africans perceived slavery. The African-American traditions, which were religious in form, either acquired or indigenous, interrelated with slavery institution hence impacting upon it in considerable ways. African-American religious traditions and the slavery institution The various ways through which the African-American religious traditions interacted with slavery institution may be highlighted as follows. For instance, through the interactions of African-American religious traditions, it is apparent that Africans ended up acquiring substantial information bits concerning Christianity from Americans (Southern 21). This was a new religion to Africans and they ended up learning considerable aspects from it which highly changed ways through which they perceived themselves and their existing relationship with Americans whom they served in slavery. Due to Christianity influence, slaves realized that they also held similar rights to those held by their masters. It therefore dawned to them that the mistreatment which they were often exposed to was in opposition to Christian values. This served as awakening call for them to rise and demand for the various rights which they had long been denied (Chineau 2). For example, owing to the fact that Christianity supported equal treatment among all individuals, it is apparent that it highly challenged slavery. This implies that African-American religious traditions highly discouraged slavery existence hence highly shook the slavery institution. It is apparent that antislavery feelings were realized due to the experienced interaction amid African-American religious traditions (Lewis 14). This brought about resistance attempts towards slavery by Africans. Sources have pointed out that European Americans highly feared slaves’ introduction towards Christianity. This was because they realized that Christianity particularly within evangelical form gaining prominence supported the realization of antislavery feelings. Their fear was that slaves exposed to Christianity freedom would start demanding for freedom from slavery as well. The vivid experiences regarding some Christians at the time of revivals concerning Great Awakening during the period from 1740s to 1750s brought about slavery resistance realization. For example, a slave owner regarded as Hugh Bryan from South Carolina was mired by the experienced religious enthusiasm after the visit of Whitefield within the year 1740 (Connor 1). The mission held by Whitfield was to offer important information bits to individuals concerning slavery harms and reasons as to why slavery was undesirable and had to be discouraged. He also attempted to influence the slaves hence encouraging them to grow considerable resistance towards slavery. African individuals who were held slaves within America ended up acquiring Christianity aspects and developed the idea that they had no difference amid them and their masters hence they attained some resistance towards slavery. Through the interactions of African-American religious traditions, Africans who were held slaves ended up gaining knowledge concerning the enjoyed freedom by Americans. Christianity encouraged individuals to confess committed sins and accept God’s salvation so that they would attain freedom (Young 15). They further realized that freedom from the enormous problems associated with slavery was essential so that they would benefit from freedom attainment just like the American individuals did. Freedom attainment meant that they would be freed from slavery. Africans held as slaves were therefore highly influenced by held religious traditions by American individuals and they ended up seeking considerable changes with regard to their lives so that they would realize freedom attainment (Eyerman 181). The attained religious tradition aspects from Americans by Africans steered the occurrence of a situation whereby the Africans desired American living ways as governed by their religious traditions and were determined to attain freedom from the various slavery problems and enjoy freedom attainment. Through acquiring of some of the held religious traditions by Americans, Africans ended up realizing that they were entitled to care and justice from their masters (Raboteau 7). During the time, slaves were generally forced to carry out desired duties by masters and were not allowed to benefit from human rights provision. In addition to this, they were misused and were inhumanly handled. The African slaves were therefore enlightened by the acquired religious traditions from Americans and ended up changing ways through which they perceived their masters as superiors and justified to offer them undesirable treatment. This contributed to their boldness to begin acting in opposition to the maltreatment as well as injustices which were practiced upon them by slave masters (Bradley 33). It dawned to them that they had the responsibility of fighting towards justice attainment and also benefits from enjoyed human rights by Americans. Slavery institution was therefore highly challenged by the experienced interactions concerning African and also American individuals who ended up influencing each others’ living ways. Some sources have however pointed out some challenges which were experienced by Africans due to being influenced by held religious traditions by Americans (Southern 22). Although the attained influence motivated individuals towards resisting slavery, it is clear that teachings appeared to support slavery although encouraging masters to offer desirable treatment to hel...