1636 158 America’s first slave carrier, Desire, is built and Bust of a Man is produced by Francis Harwood launched in Massachusetts. in Florence, Italy.

1641 162 Massachusetts becomes the first of many The Social Contract is published by Jean-Jacques colonies to legalize slavery. Rousseau, the French philosopher, natural rights theorist, and literary figure. 1652 The dutch establish a colony at the Cape of 15 Good Hope, South Africa. The American Revolution begins.

1655 16 studeNt HaNdout England seizes Jamaica from Spain. The declaration of Independence declares that Herakles and Hippolyta for Putting a Spin on Current Events “all men are created equal.” 1660 Virginiaabout Herakleslegalizes (Hercules slavery. to the romans) 183 The Greek hero Herakles played a major role in the art of classicalThe antiquity. American Identified Revolution by ends; the British Abouthis attributes—a 1680–1820 lionskin (a trophy from his first labor) and a club—Heraklesrecognize thehas remainedunited States as an independent Thea popularEnlightenment, subject for artistsa rational up to theapproach present day. to country. economic,The son of religious,Zeus, king ofsocial, the gods, and and political Alkmene, issues, a mortal woman, Herakles held a special promotesfascination a becausenonreligious of his supernatural worldview. strength. The most common18 story tells how Hera, the queen of the gods, drove Herakles mad. In a fit of insanity he“Thoughts killed his wife and and Sentiments children. on the Evil of Slavery“ 105As penance, Herakles had to perform twelve labors for Eurystheus,by kingQuobna of Tiryns—feats ottobah Cugoano is published. Theso Virginiadifficult that General they seemed Assembly impossible. declares: With the“All help of Hermes and Athena, Herakles completed the labors and became Greece’s greatest hero. Negro, mulatto and Indian slaves...shall be held 189 to Inbe Greek real andestate. Roman If art,any Herakles slave resist most frequentlyhis master... appeared performingThe French his twelve Revolution great begins with the storming correctinglabors. Beginning such slave, with Alexander and shall the happen Great, rulers to beidentified themselvesof the Bastille.with the hero,Church hoping property is nationalized. killedthat inhis suchstrength correction...the and divinity would master rub off shallon them. be Revived in the Renaissance, this practice continued into the 1600s, when the figure of Herakles was includedThe onInteresting a cabinet by Narrative André- of the Life of Olaudah free of all punishment.” Charles Boulle to glorify Louis XIV’s military victories. Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African is pub- lished in England and distributed in America. 120–30 about Hippolyta Equiano becomes a central figure in the aboli- Almost two hundred thousand enslaved Africans According to Greek mythology, Hippolyta was the queen of the tionistAmazons. movement The Amazons in England. are transported across the Atlantic ocean in were a group of women warriors who descended from Ares, the god of war. In order to British ships. further their race, the Amazons would visit the men in a neighboring190s tribe to have children. If they gave birth to sons, they would either kill or abandon them. British Caribbean colonies are populated by 140 In one myth, Hippolyta was kidnapped by Theseus, king of Athens,almost who halftook hera million as his enslaved people. Southbride Carolina when he visited passes the the land Negro of the Amazons.Act, prohibiting Because of Theseus’s actions, a great battle slaves from assembling in groups, wearing clothes between the Athenians and the Amazons ensued. 191 made from certain high-quality fabrics, and learn- A slave uprising in Haiti (Saint-domingue) is led ingIn to another read myth,or write. Herakles owners was charged are permitted with the task to of retrieving Hippolyta’s girdle (a belt that symbolized her authority as queen of the Amazons) andby giving Toussaint it to Admete, L’ouverture. the executedaughter slaves of Eurystheus. who attempt This was to Herakles’ run away. ninth labor. Hippolyta, who was impressed by Herakles’ muscles and lionskin, gave him her girdle without complaint. However, Hera disguised herself as an Amazon and spread rumors across the land that Herakles was trying to kidnap Hippolyta. As the Amazons mobilized and advanced toward Herakles’ ship, the hasty Herakles killed Hippolyta because he thought she had betrayed him.

BREAkING THE CHAINS, RISING ouT oF CIRCuMSTANCES

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