Slavery Comes to the New World

When does it begin? 1619 the first Dutch ship brought 20 Africans to the New World to be indentured servants. 1641 John Punch, a runaway indentured servant is first to be documented as “slave for life”. In the South the need for more laborers fuels desire for slavery over the more costly and less controlled indentured servants. Eventually slavery dies out in North due to small farm communities and specialty trade economy of this region

Labor Source – Africa Most historians now agree that at least 12 million slaves left the continent between the fifteenth and nineteenth century, but 20%-30% died on board ships. Thus a figure of 11 million slaves transported to the Americas is the nearest figure historians can produce.

Who was captured? Males -- puberty through signs of aging Females -- the same age also sought Victims were: often prisoners of war captured and sold from enemy tribe those convicted by tribe for crime or debt and as slavery grew this included kidnapped victims taken from raids

The First Passage Captured slaves walked across Africa to the coast where they were then shipped to the Americas Chained together to walk from 60 – 400 miles 20%-30% did not survive the trek, left to die on the trail On the trek there were additional slave raids to add to the line

The Middle Passage The journey at sea from Africa to the Americas Lasted 30-45 days in very cramped conditions Travelled about 3,000-4,000 miles 30% would die by suffocation, starvation, disease

Arrival in the Colonies Sold into slavery for the highest price Slaves status is “property”, not protected by law, change African names by owner, given owner’s last name

Impact on Africa It has been calculated that by the 1800s, Africa’s population was cut in half due to the slave trade.