I'm writing a novel based on a trade ship crew during the colonial era and there many adventures, what are some must knows of colonial era? I was thinking of having free african slaves in my crew but would that be historically accurate?
>>50134
Maybe not "free" slaves, but I'd say working off their slavery as a crew-hand.
>>50134
>going the inclusive, non offensive route
Please don't. Be accurate, be gritty, call them colored folk. Remember Mel's quote about his own character in The Patriot:
"I would have made him a slave owner. Not to just to please audiences is a cop-out."
>>50581
Please don't refer to Mel Gibson films when discussing history.
We need more information.
Where is it sailing between, what is the cargo, is it American, British, Spanish?
Do you have a rough idea of the specific years?
>>51444
Fuck off sugar tits
>>51989
it's an American trade ship, the cargo is actually spices and ivory that was gotten from Africa, I don't really have a specific year but late 1700s I was also thinking of having them contact some african tribe that had no contact with europeans.
>>50134
Don't put slavery, that'd be racist
>>52104
Ok, you'd be more likely to have slaves on the ship that are hired out by their master.
What spices come from Africa?
>>52179
I have no clue right now but the Horn of Africa was apparently a huge spice trade route.
>>50134
Go back to /lit/.
Also many pirate ships freed slaves they captured to join the crew, if you're interested. Perhaps use that as a contrast where the "criminals" respected modern human rights more than the "lawkeepers" (merchant ships and navy ships).
>>50134
Just sj.w my book up fa.m
Read "Two Years Before the Mast" by Henry Dana. It's a diary of his two-year trip on a sailing ship. He talks a lot about how common sailors were treated on merchant ships, and what their everyday lives were like.
Project Gutenberg link: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4277
>>52631
Better link with PDF download: https://archive.org/details/twoyearsbeforema02dana
