How Do You Spell DRAPETOMANIA?

Pronunciation: [dɹˌapɪtəmˈe͡ɪni͡ə] (IPA)

Drapetomania, a term used in the 19th century to describe the supposed mental illness of slaves attempting to escape their captors, is a word with a complicated spelling. The first syllable, "drapeto," is pronounced with a long "a" sound and an emphasis on the second syllable. The second syllable, "mania," also has a long "a" sound and an emphasis on the first syllable. The word is spelled as it is pronounced, with a "d," "r," and "p" at the beginning, followed by "e," "t," "o," and "m," and ending with "a," "n," and "i," respectively.

DRAPETOMANIA Meaning and Definition

1. Drapetomania is a term that originated in the 19th century within the field of psychiatry and was used to describe a supposed mental disorder that affected enslaved Africans, particularly in the United States during the time of slavery. The term was coined by a physician named Samuel A. Cartwright in 1851, who believed that enslaved Africans possessed an inherent tendency or compulsion to escape from their bondage.

   According to Cartwright, drapetomania was believed to be a curable mental disorder. He classified it as a form of insanity, suggesting that the desire to escape slavery was an abnormal and irrational behavior. Cartwright attributed this disorder to an imbalance of the brain's "fitness for being governed" and recommended harsh measures, like whipping or amputation, as treatment.

   However, modern understanding and perspective regard drapetomania as a blatant example of pseudoscience and racism. It is now recognized as a deeply flawed notion, rooted in the oppressive environment of slavery, rather than legitimate scientific inquiry.

   This obsolete concept serves as a disheartening reminder of the deeply ingrained prejudice and discrimination that existed during that era. The use of the term "drapetomania" in contemporary discourse primarily serves as a stark reminder of the oppressive history of racism and a testament to the progress that has been made in combating such harmful ideologies.

2. Vagabondage, dromomania; an uncontrollable or insane impulsion to wander.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for DRAPETOMANIA

• srapetomania
• xrapetomania
• crapetomania
• frapetomania
• rrapetomania
• erapetomania
• deapetomania
• ddapetomania
• dfapetomania
• dtapetomania
• d5apetomania
• d4apetomania
• drzpetomania
• drspetomania
• drwpetomania
• drqpetomania
• draoetomania
• draletomania
• dra-etomania
• dra0etomania

Etymology of DRAPETOMANIA

The term "drapetomania" was coined in the mid-19th century by American physician Samuel A. Cartwright. The word is derived from two Greek roots: "drapetes", meaning "runaway", and "mania", meaning "madness" or "excessive desire". Drapetomania was a pseudo-scientific concept introduced by Cartwright to explain the desire of enslaved African Americans to escape or run away from their captors.