Unit name | Bristol and Slavery (Level H Special Subject) |
---|---|
Unit code | HIST30078 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
Unit director | Dr. Stone |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
‘The bricks of Bristol are baked in the blood of slaves.’ This quote from an eighteenth century annalist sums up one of the most controversial debates in Britain’s (and particularly Bristol’s) economic history – how significant was the contribution of exploited African slaves to the growth of Britain’s economy and society? This unit takes an innovative approach to assessing this impact, and slavery’s ongoing legacy. Previous studies have sought to trace the destination of slave derived wealth, naming names of great institutions and individuals which benefitted from this blood money. Using the city of Bristol as a case study, however, we will take the opposite approach, tracing how and why the city developed in the era of the slave trade from the ground up, and then assessing the role which slavery played in this. We will look at the growth of trade and industry in the city, as well as the gentrification and ‘Urban Renaissance’ which Bristol experienced in the eighteenth century. We will also consider the extent to which Bristol can be used as a case study for the impact of slavery on Britain as a whole, and finally examine the much contested question of how slavery is remembered and commemorated today. Engaging closely with material in the local archives and Bristol’s own special collections, the unit forms an ideal accompaniment for those undertaking dissertations focused on local research.
By the end of this unit, successful students will be able to demonstrate:
Classes will involve a combination of class discussion, investigative activities, and practical activities. Students will be expected to engage with readings and participate on a weekly basis. This will be further supported with drop-in sessions and self-directed exercises with tutor and peer feedback.
1 x 3500-word Essay (50%) [ILOs 1-6]; 1 x Timed Assessment (50%) [ILOs 1-6]
M. Dresser, Slavery Obscured: The Social History of the Slave Trade in Bristol, (Bristol, 2007).
M. Dresser and P. Ollerenshaw (eds.), The Making of Modern Bristol, (Bristol, 1996).
K. Morgan, Bristol and the Atlantic Trade in the Eighteenth Century, (Cambridge, 1993).
K. Morgan (ed.), The Bright-Meyler Papers: A Bristol-West India Connection, 1732-1837, (Oxford, 2008).
D. Richardson, Bristol, Africa, and the Eighteenth Century Slave Trade to America, Bristol Record Society (4 vols Bristol, 1986-1996).
R. Stone, ‘The Overseas Trade of Bristol in the Seventeenth Century’, Unpublished PhD Thesis (University of Bristol, 2012).