Slavery in the American Colonies

Headright System and Indentured Servitude What was it? Why was it needed? How did it work? What was it like to be an indentured servant? Who actually benefited? The headright system stated that every new arrival paying their way could get 50 acres of land. Shortage of labor. Crops such as tobacco were very labor-intensive, so by 1617 the Virginia Company instituted the headright system to address this problem Wealthy planters would pay other peoples’ passages in return for several years of indentured servitude. Planters would get free labor and land, and servants would ultimately get their freedom and their own plots Generally lower class people who came in hopes of advancement They had tough lives – had to survive diseases and tough work conditions Courts protected against excessive abuse But in the 1670s the price of tobacco began to decline and land became harder acquire so some colonies dropped the requirement that servants receive land afterwards. Who actually benefited: Prospect of large landholdings lured wealthier people to move to the colonies. It also allowed established planters to get land and labor at once.

The Introduction of African Slavery Why did planters begin to rely on African slavery? How planters justified slavery Slavery in the South Slavery in the North Need for cheap labor source Indentured servants were reluctant to go to the Chesapeake – no more land available English economy was improving so there was less interest in moving to the colonies Need to prevent more rebellions like Bacon’s rebellion Slavery had been practiced in Europe for centuries and European Christians believed it was okay to enslave “heathen” people. Racism against Africans had also been developing in England since the 1500s Africans were considered inferior Slaves became seen as a better long-term investment and were more easily recaptured Numbers of slaves rapidly increased during the 1670s Resulted in stricter laws because whites feared them Big planters owned slaves Yeomen farmers (the majority of southerners) could not afford slaves So slavery caused increased stratification in southern society Fewer slaves, mostly concentrated in New York and New Jersey

“Triangular Trade” What was it? How did it work? A. What was it? 1. The sale and transport of slaves → the exchange of stuff they made → and the food required to feed them. B. How did it work? 1. In order to get more stuff from England, New England sold food to the English islands, which needed to feed their slaves. 2. By the 1640s, New England was already indirectly dependent on slave consumption. 3. The islands consumed products from New England and then shipped molasses, fruit, spices and slaves back to colonial ports, where the molasses would be distilled into rum and sent to… Africa which provided slaves, who were sold by coastal rulers and bought by European slavers, in exchange for the rum and manufactured goods.

Legal/Government Support of Slavery 1670 Law By 1700 there were 25,000 slaves in the American colonies and by 1750 there were 100,000 slaves in Virginia, far outnumbering indentured servants. In some southern areas, slaves were beginning to outnumber whites. A. Law in 1670 formally established slavery by declaring "all servants not being Christians imported into this colony by shipping shall be slaves for their lives." B. By 1700 there were 25,000 slaves in the American colonies and by 1750 there were 100,000 slaves in Virginia, far outnumbering indentured servants. 1. Breaking of the Royal African Co. monopoly in 1697 opened the slave trade to competition, forcing prices down and increasing the number of slaves 2. In some southern areas, slaves were beginning to outnumber whites.

The End

Plantation Culture Size of plantations Over ___ of all blacks lived on plantations of at least __ slaves; over half lived in communities of __ slaves or more Family relationships ___________________ Creation of kinship networks and surrogate "relatives" unrelated to families Some were enormous (40,000 acres, hundreds of slaves) but most were small, self-contained communities Over ¾ of all blacks…of at least 10 slaves; …communities of 50… … Marriage not encouraged among slaves by owners Slaves attempted to construct strong families, though any member could be sold at any time

Plantation Culture Language development--Gullah (hybrid of English and African languages) __________________________________________ Work patterns On larger plantations slaves learned trades and crafts--blacksmithing, carpentry, shoemaking, midwifery Economically, plantations were often efficient and productive. Socially they achieved stability at the cost of human freedom and dignity Language development – Gullah Allowed connection with ancestry and conversations that whites could not understand Work patterns Most slaves worked as field hands House servants lived in better circumstances, but were isolated from other slaves on the plantation