Unit 1: From West Africa to the Early Americas (Ancient Times – 1763) Black People in Colonial America Notes 3 of 3

The Peoples of North America During the 17th and 18th Centuries African immigrants -> African-American People African-American Culture Takes Shape Africans- preserving their culture and sought strength through religion American Indians descended from Asians who 15,000 years ago migrated across a land bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska. Christopher Columbus thought he had landed near the “Indies” coined the term Indian

The People of North America North American Indians: spoke many different languages, lived in diverse environments, and considered themselves distinct from one another. Southwest: farming communities, pottery, astronomy and adobe towns Woodlands: social organization and large burial mounds. Could not resist British settlers' and would become slaves. Mississippian: extensive trade routes, division of labor and urban centers. Destroyed by climate change and warfare. Eastern: diverse variety of cultures, lived in towns, fished and hunted. Weakened by the diseases of settlers. Central American Indians: developed complex, densely populated civilizations with hereditary monarchies, formal religions, armies, and social classes.

Relationship between Black People and American Indians For the most part they found themselves in similarly oppressive circumstances. Often provided refuge to escaped slaves. Indians sometimes became slaveholders and helped crush black revolts. Some black men assisted in the Indian slave trade and helped defend colonists against Indian attacks

The Spanish Colonies Spain: Built a colonial empire in the Americas Mined gold and silver and produced sugar, tobacco, and leather goods Economy was dependent upon the forced labor of the Indian population later African slaves. So few Spanish led to some Africans and Indians (often of mixed race) to gain freedom and become tradesmen, small landholders and militiamen. Spanish, Indian and African cultures integrated to become a multicultural colonial society

French and Dutch Colonies France: Settled in “New France” or Canada Economy based on acquiring beaver pelts and other furs from American Indians Never more than a few thousand slaves many of which were Indian war captives. Once extended into the Louisiana region there were considerably larger numbers of Indian and African slaves. Dutch Settled in the region that would eventually become New York Under Dutch law slaves retained basic human rights

Africans Arrive in the Chesapeake Jamestown was the first successful British colony in North America After failing at finding gold, trading with Indians, and cutting lumber they began to cultivate Tobacco. Required predominately white labor until 1700. Africans arrive in Virginia and Maryland. From 1620-1670s black and white people worked and lived together. They were all unfree indentured servants. British settlers pushed by the ruling elite establish chattel slavery Slaves are legally considered private property By the end of the 17th century, almost all blacks were agricultural slaves.

Race and the Origins of Black Slavery Slave codes were enacted between 1660 and 1710 to control persons of African decent and exploit their labor. Slaves could not testify against white people in court, own property, leave their master’s estate without a pass, congregate in groups, enter contacts, or marry. Master’s were no longer subjected to felony charges for murder of a slave Slaves were reduced to the status of domestic animals

Bacon’s Rebellion Led by Nathaniel Bacon in 1676 Followers were mainly white indentured servants, former indentured servants, and black slaves that resented control by the tobacco-planting elite. Before biracial alliance could be realized, Bacon died of dysentery. His uprising convinced the colony’s elite that using white laborers who could eventually become free and have access to a gun would be dangerous.

Plantation Slavery, 1700 – 1750 By 1750, the majority of slaves work on plantations in the South: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia White people constituted the majority in tobacco colonies and a large minority in the rice colonies. Most white southerners did not own slaves. Low-Country Slavery Coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia where rice became the staple crop The region’s subtropical climate discouraged white settlement and encouraged dependence on black labor the way it did in the sugar islands. By 1740 slaves constituted 90 percent of the population in the region around Charleston and it became the leading port of entry for Africans during the eighteenth century.

‘The Origins of African-American Culture’ The second generation of people of African decent did lose their parents’ native language and their ethnic identities. African Americans did kept key parts of African Culture Importance of Extended Family African Religious Ideas African Music (the Banjo) Folk Tales, Proverbs, and Riddles Great Awakening (1730s) Christian religious revival in the colonies Offered salvation to all who believed in Christ, and preached to black people as well as white people. Many African-Americans converted to Christianity

‘The Origins of African-American Culture’ African-American Culture Impacted White Colonial Culture Language (Speech Patterns) Food (W. African Traditions) Work (The Gang System) Architecture (African-style Woodcarvings)

Slavery in Colonial America Northern Colonies Fewer Slaves and Less Oppressive than in Southern Colonies Why? Religious Views Cooler Climate Plenty of White Workers Diversified Economy Not reliant on Slave Labor Because the conditions encouraged rapid assimilation there was less of an opportunity to preserve African heritage.

Slavery in Spanish Florida & French Louisiana St. Augustine Florida Spanish monarchy regarded the settlement as a military outpost The number of slaves in Florida remained small and black men served more frequently as soldiers than as fieldworkers. When the British took over many slaves and white inhabitants fled to Cuba New Orleans, Louisiana Black people served militarily until 1731 when they out numbered white people in the colony. Some worked on plantations growing tobacco and indigo Most lived in the port city where they became skilled artisans, lived away from their masters, became Roman Catholics, and gained freedom. This intermingling of races and the sexual exploitation of black women let to a social gradation system based on the amount of white ancestry a person had.

Slavery in Colonial America Many Blacks Resisted Slavery in Different Ways Work Partially Destroy crops or mistreat domestic animals Try to Escape Rebel Against Owners Kill Owners Slaves resisted not as part of an effort to free all slaves but instead to force masters to make concessions within the framework of slavery.