DBQ2

This question is based on the accompanying documents (1-11). The question is designed to test your ability to work with historical documents. Some of the documents have been edited for the purposes of this question. As you analyze the documents, take into account both the source of each document and any point of view that may be presented in the document.

Historical Context: The owners of ships in early America were people willing to take large risks. While the ships themselves usually were small schooners and brigs, they represented a very large investment of capital. It was not uncommon for the master to be at least a part owner of the vessel, so he had a vested interest in the successful outcome of a voyage. Voyages could take months, and sometimes more than a year. The principal trading pattern for a brig from Salem, Massachusetts, was to take trade goods from home around the horn of South America and up to the Columbia River area. There, these goods would be traded with the local native tribes for sea otter and other furs before the ship headed out across the Pacific. If the master might next go to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands and pick up some sandalwood. His ultimate goal was China, where he traded the wood and the pelts for silks, brocades, and other goods. From China, the ship would head south and west, cross the Indian Ocean, round the tip of Africa, and run northwest back to Salem once more. If all went well, ship and crew would arrive after a passage of about 13 to 15 months.

Task: Using information from the documents and your knowledge of United States history, answer the questions that follow each document in Part A. Your answers to the questions will help you write the essay in Part B, in which you will be asked to:

Directions: Analyze the documents and answer the short-answer questions that follow each document in the space provided.

Document #2
Captain Simpson’s evidence before the court (1794)
Saith that the said Brig Lion under the command of this Examinant did on or about the twenty ninth day of June last sail from Salem…bound from Salem aforesaid to Point Petre [Island of Guadeloupe]…did arrive…about the twenty-sixth day of July last and remained there about tow or three days but did not sell or dispose of any part of the cargo there on account of his not being able to get so good a price for it as he was by his instructions directed…he proceeded thence to Basse Terre [Island of St. Kitts]…where he lay off the harbour for a few hours while he, in his boat, went on shore to inquire the state of the market there. Not finding the market to answer, he…proceeded…to the Island of Saint Eustatia where the said Brig also lay off and on while he went on shore in the boat to enquire the state of the markets there, and finding they would not answer he…proceeded to the Island of St. Thomas…staid there a few hours and departed …to Aux Cayes…where he staid about five months and sold and disposed of the whole of the outward bound cargo…

Document #3
“Adventures of A Slave-Trader, Who was Engaged for Many Years In The African Slave-Trade”
For several years he sailed out of the port of Salem, Massachusetts, on voyages to all quarters of the globe. At this period he looked upon slaves for the first time in his life. It was in India, at the disembarking of a cargo of slaves, when he saw a Malay drag a young and beautiful female by the hair. Indignant at the outrage, he felled the savage to the earth with his boat-hook—an act more honorable to his humanity that to his judgment, as it compelled their vessel to leave the port in haste, to avoid popular retaliation. A disappointment of a tender nature caused him to forsake his American employers, and he made several voyages from European ports; but, having grown reckless, his hard-earned wages at sea were always spent on shore in dissipation: wine, women, and gambling were the chief attractions of this fast young man…
From: Henry Howe, Life and Death On the Ocean: A Collection of Extraordinary Adventures (1855).

Document #4
Salem Gazette (2 May 1806).
Capt. Dickson on the 14th fell in with the schooner Fame of Salem on the reef to the leeward of Memory Rock: She having a signal of distress flying. On boarding her, found she was abandoned. Brought away a few bags of coffee and some small articles.
The wreck of the schooner Hope of Salem was fell in with the Gulph stream 13th April: no person on board; full of water; lost her foremast; loaded with naval stores.

Document #5
Salem Gazette (8 August 1806)
July 18. Capt. Chapman of the Argo was brought to by an English sloop of war ‘who obliged me to carry my papers on board, and sent several men on board to search my vessel. After detaining me two hours and taking one of my men, whom I shipped in Martinique, dismissed me to proceed on my passage. While I was on board the sloop of war, I saw a man who said his name was Joseph West, belong to Beverly, and that he was taken from the William and Charles, Capt. Killam of this town.’

Document #6
Salem Gazette (8 May 1807).
May 6th arrived Schooner Victory, Learock, 15 days from Martinique with sugar, coffee and cocoa to Dutch and Deland. On his outward passage, Capt. Learock was boarded, after a chase of five hours, from a French Sloop of War, Capt. Bartrang from Guadaloupe, and received the most abusive language and injurious treatment from the boarding officer, who robbed him of a number of articles, and even drew his hanger several times across Capt. Learock’s throat. Another officer told him that they took every vessel they met with from English ports.

Document #7
“Impressed Seamen from Salem.” The Salem Gazette (30 March 1813).

In 1813 the newspaper the Essex Register published a list of Salem sailors impressed by the British navy. The rival newspaper, the Salem Gazette, published a different account of what happened to the men the Register identified as impressed.

No. 8. Samuel Peabody, taken from the brig Sukey, killed in the service...........No. 8. Samuel Peabody went to sea in brig Sukey without a protection; was impressed by a British man of war; liberated on application; was killed on board of an American vessel by a fall from mast head.

No. 25. Thomas Thornton, taken from the Martha, still detained, if alive...........No. 25. Thomas Thornton went to the Mediterranean in the ship Martha of this town. (John Prince, jun. master) about the year 1801; was so very troublesome that the Captain was obliged to put him in irons. He was afterwards released from confinement, and left at Leghorn.

[addendum Salem Gazette (2 April 1813)]
"Mr. Cushing,--Understanding that the Essex Register of Wednesday last, containing a list of Impressed Seamen, molded in the name of Thomas Thornton as taken from the Martha: and as I commanded that ship … I think it proper to state to the public the case of this Thornton … He shipped on board the Martha at Salem in Feb. 1800 as a green band, during the passage out and while at Leghorn he broke open the chests of his messmates, and robbed them of many articles, as also money; and to punish him, he was put in irons in the fore peak for some days (he having confessed the theft) and was afterwards dismissed from the ship, to the great satisfaction of the whole crew. What became of him after I know not.

What does “impressed” mean?
Whether impressed or not, what do these excerpts reveal about life aboard an ocean-going vessel?

Document #8
“Exploring Expedition to the South Seas,” Southern Literary Messenger 3 (Nov 1837): 698-700.
For years past, our traders in the East Indies, and the crews of our whale-ships in the South Pacific, have been subject to outrages undreamt of by their quiet countrymen at home. In many of the far southern islands-especially the smaller ones the crews of our wrecked or captured vessels have repeatedly been murdered, or retained as bondsmen, by the savage inhabitants: at this moment, many of our seamen, if yet living, actually groan in a cruel captivity. In the East Indies,-on the island of Sumatra all must remember the massacre of two missionaries from the United States, but three years ago; and the more extensive, though less horrible outrage, which had previously called down the signal chastisement inflicted on the natives by Captain Downes. It is but very recently —within the present or the last year —that a rajah of that island, in revenge of a wrong, real or supposed, done him by the master of a vessel from Salem, Massachusetts,-seized another master, an unoffending man, imprisoned him, with numerous and horrid circumstances of barbarity, and extorted from him a large indemnity for the wrong imputed to his countryman! It cannot be doubted, that the cruise of an imposing force among those lawless people, will impress them with a wholesome respect for our name procure the restoration of many a captive to his family —prevent the repetition of outrage-and obtain us unnumbered advantages in all our future intercourse.

Document #9
“Francis Low, A Salem Youth Dies on Board Ship in the China Sea,” Essex Institute Historical Collections 87 (1951):261-268.
Francis Low to his father, Seth Low
Ship Cabot, 2nd April, 1836
…we encountered nothing but stormy weather which reduced me so much that I was unable to go up the Cabin stairs without being very tired. I have suffered a great deal but have experienced every attention that I could on board of a ship. …
The ship will be detained at least six weeks in Manila to repair damages, as we broke our fore & main yard & sprung our foremast off S. Paul’s. We are now near Java Head & if the wind holds hope to make it tomorrow. … Hope to see Anger this afternoon, & also wishing for a restoration of health & with my daily prayers for your preservation, hoping that I may once more see you in this world, I remain
Your affectionate son,

Cabot’s Captain to Seth Low
Manila, May 29th, 1836.
Sir,
It is with deep regret I am under necessity of communicating to you the melancholy intelligence of the death of your son (and my much loved little friend) Frank. This event took place at sea on board of the Ship Cabot the 5th Instant…I deemed it best (unpleasant as it was) to make him acquainted with his situation and as I had watched with him during the night, in the morning I told him that his disease had reached its height and that he ought to prepare himself for the worst…
Since we passed the Cape his cough increased very rapidly, and all the means were tried which the medical book recommended. The best way for you to judge of his disease would be to take a Physician’s book and under Consumption you will find every symptom of Frank’s.
On the 6th his body was enclosed in a strong coffin and committed to the deep amid tears of all on board…

Document #11
Excerpts from Charles Benson’s Log
The Benson log chronicles the Glide voyage from Salem to Zanzibar, April to November 1862. Benson addressed his journal entries to his wife. As a steward, Benson was in charge of the ship’s pantry and stores, served as the captain’s servant, cleaned the captain’s cabin and the main cabin, among other duties.

13 May [1862] I feel homesick to day. Cant keep my mind from Salem. What a miserable life a sea fareing life is. I will stop it if I live & that soon, (that is if I get any thing to do on shore). You & the children must have things to eat drink & were. I must get it some were if not on land, on the sea. I am willing [to] live & die on the sea if you are only contented. Good night Jenny.

14 May: I have not spoken of our officers yet. I like them very well so far. As to the men I have hardly seen them. I suppose I shall find them the same as most all sailors these days, a pack of fault finding ignorant men, but it is all the same to me, for I have little to do with a sailor.

15 June: Everything is quiet. The captain & mates are reading, the sailors are either reading, sewing or asleep. You can hear nothing but the rush of water past the vessel & the snapping & creaking of ropes & timbers, but them noises I am so used to that I do not notice them.
From: Katherine W. Richardson, “The Travels and Tribulations of Charles Benson, Steward on the Glide, 1861-1881,” Essex Institute Historical Collections 120 (April 1984): 73-85.

Directions: Write a well-organized essay that includes an introduction, several paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use evidence from at least five documents in the body of the essay. Support your response with relevant facts, examples, and details. Include additional outside information.

Address all aspects of the Task by accurately analyzing and interpreting at least five documents.
Incorporate information from the documents in the body of the essay.
Incorporate relevant outside information.
Support the theme with relevant facts, examples, and details.
Use a logical and clear plan of organization.
Introduce the theme by establishing a framework that is beyond a simple restatement of the Task or Historical Context and conclude with a summation of the theme.