“OTHERS IN AMERICA” At one point, we were all “others” in America This is the story of how some of the others came to be here

EUROPEANS COME TO THE COLONIES England 1600’s – 90% of immigrants came from England ½ of these were indentured servants – poor immigrants who received passage to the colonies in return for working for 4-7 years in return. Prior to 1660 – religious persecution, political upheaval, high unemployment brought the English to the colonies After 1660 – things better in England – emigration from England slowed

SCOTS AND SCOTCH-IRISH Poorer than the English so many reasons to come to colonies Came in waves – 250,000 Scotch –Irish came to colonies during the 1700’s Came in search of LAND! Settled in mountainous back country and farmed on frontier land taken from Indians

GERMANS 100,000 German immigrants came to the colonies during the 1700’s Mostly Protestant PUSH factor – left Germany due to wars, high taxes, religious persecution William Penn – recruited Germans to come to Pennsylvania – found cheap land, plentiful food, and high wages! They kept coming!

RESULTS Turn to your table partner and discuss How did different groups of people coming to the colonies change the colonies they came to????

SLAVE TRADE Landowning colonists needed workers to raise crops English indentured servants helped to do this – but… we just said – English immigration slowed after 1660 So who filled the gap??

TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE By mid 1600’s colonies passed laws that supported permanent enslavement of Africans. Some laws said children of slaves would be slaves. Legal status changes promoted notion that slaves were inferior to whites Slaves seized in Africa by their fellow Africans – brought to port – transported to the Americas Triangular trade- slave traders went from Europe to Africa, traded goods for slaves. Then, the Middle Passage – enslaved Africans taken to the Americas to sell and then ships head back to Europe and Africa.

TRIANGULAR TRADE

MIDDLE PASSAGE Horror – is the best description “I was soon put down under the decks, and there I received such a salutation in my nostrils as I had never experienced in my life: so that, with the loathsomeness of the stench, and crying together, I became so sick and low that I was not able to eat, nor had I the least desire to taste anything. I now wished for the last friend, death, to relieve me.” From Olaudah Equiano – West African enslaved at age 11 At least 10% of enslaved Africans didn’t survive the Middle Passage

AFRICANS IN THE AMERICAS Slaves sent to auction upon arrival – families split up Slaves had different languages and tribal identities – forged new culture – African Americans Northern Slavery-  Slaves a small minority in the NE and Middle colonies  Served here as farmhands, dockworkers, sailors and house servants Southern Slavery  Many slaves in the south  Worked hard- fed, clothed and housed in minimal fashion to maximize profit  Worked raising tobacco, rice, indigo or sugar  Long workdays – supervised by overseer with whip

AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE Based culture on African traditions and situation in America Most adopted Christianity – some blended it with African religion Africans – many different traditions and cultures from their various homelands in Africa BLEND to create new culture

RUNAWAYS AND REBELLION Desire for freedom – inate Rebellions in islands and on mainland Americas Largest rebellion – 1739 at Stono, SC where 100 slaves killed 20 whites before defeated Maroons – those slaves who ran away and hid in swamps or forests Some fled to Spanish (who welcomed them to strengthen their own frontier against the British) or Native Americans Middle colonies and N.Eng – tried to fit into free black communities Some rebelled by working slowly, pretending to be sick, breaking tools, …

FREE AFRICAN AMERICANS Most enslaved for life Some freed – through earning money and buying freedom or master’s will, etc… but very few Freed African Americans – usually lived in cities Phyllis Wheatley – 1 st African American to publish a book of poems. Educated by her owner, John Wheatley. Colonial publishers refused to publish her book of poems – had to have it published in London. Set free by her master.