Answer:
The authors use historical evidence to support their claim by:
1) Using a primary source to show that a song was spreading the idea of equality across the Caribbean. The passage quotes a song being sung by slaves in Jamaica, which expresses the idea of equality and suggests that the idea was spreading among the enslaved population.
2) Using a secondary source to show that the British secretary of war opposed involuntary servitude. This information is used to demonstrate that the idea of ending slavery was not universally accepted, and that even high-ranking officials in the British government were opposed to it.
Step-by-step:
In the passage, the authors of "Sugar Changed the World" use historical evidence to support their argument that the idea of equality spread among the enslaved population in the Caribbean and that this idea was a source of fear for the English.
One piece of evidence that the authors use is a primary source, a song being sung by slaves in Jamaica, which expresses the idea of equality: "One, two, tree, All de same; Black, white, brown, All de same; All de same. One, two, tree, All de same!" The repetition of the phrase "All de same" emphasizes the idea that all people are equal, regardless of their race or skin color. This primary source supports the authors' argument that the idea of equality was spreading among the enslaved population in the Caribbean.
The authors also use a secondary source to support their argument: they mention that the British secretary of war opposed involuntary servitude. This information is significant because it shows that even high-ranking officials in the British government were opposed to ending slavery, demonstrating that the idea of ending slavery was not universally accepted. This secondary source underscores the tension and conflict between the proponents of slavery and those who were calling for abolition.
Overall, the authors use different types of historical evidence to support their argument that the idea of equality was spreading among the enslaved population in the Caribbean, and that this idea was a source of fear for the English. By using primary and secondary sources, they provide a rich and nuanced understanding of the historicalcontext and the different perspectives and attitudes towards slavery and equality in the Caribbean and Europe during that time period.
Hope this helps!