1. Mercantilism & Slavery Mr. Owens

2. Essential Questions:
What impact did British attempts to pursue mercantilism and strengthen its direct control over the American colonies have?
What were the causes and characteristics of the development and expansion of the African slave trade in the British colonies?

3. Mercantilism
Mercantilism: Dominant European economic system in 17th Century – self-sufficient kingdoms
Empires compete through favorable balance of trade = export manufactured goods, import wealth (gold/silver)
Colonies exist to benefit the mother country
Highly government regulated economy
“Navigation Acts” ( )
Trade only on English or colonial-built ships
All goods imported to colonies must first travel to English ports
Specified goods (tobacco) from colonies could only be exported to England (eventually includes most goods)
Effects: NE shipbuilding prospered, military protection, but limited colonial manufacturing, higher prices for English imported goods
Some goods prohibited to export from colonies: Woolen Act (1699, Molasses Act of 1733 banned import from French W. Indies
Colonists resented acts over time
led to smuggling of Dutch & Spanish goods, & corruption
MA Bay had charter revoked in 1684 due to rampant smuggling

4. British West Indies
British colonies in the Caribbean: Antigua, St. Kitts, Jamaica, and Barbados
From over 2/3 of English emigrants to the Americas settled in Barbados – aristocratic plantation owners dominated
Sugarcane plantations for sugar and rum: labor intensive African slaves, by late 17th Century 4x as many slaves as whites – harsh slave codes
Slave revolts and threats from Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese caused many to settle on mainland colonies.

5. Barbados Isle inhabited by Slaves
And for one honest man ten thousand knaves
Religion to thee’s a Romantic story
Barbarity and ill-got wealth thy glory
All Sodom’s Sins are Centered in they heart
Death is thy look and Death in every part
Oh! Glorious Isle in Villainy Excel
Sin to the Height – thy fate is Hell”
anonymous planter

6. Rise of Slavery Increased demand for slaves
Less migration from England—wages increasing there
Dependable work force—large landowners disturbed by political demands of small farmers & indentured servants.
Cheap labor—tobacco prices fall, need large numbers of unskilled workers for rice & indigo
Slave Laws (Slave Codes):
1641 MA 1st colony to recognize “chattel slavery” (ownership of human being as property) of “lawful” captives or for life
1661 – VA children of slaves become slaves too. Raping a slave wasn’t illegal, but marrying her was.
1664 – MD baptism did not free slaves, women forbidden from marrying African-American men
Effect on population:
By 1750: 50% of Virginia, 66% of South Carolina populations are slaves
Racism & white supremacy becomes widespread

7. The Atlantic Slave Trade

8. Resistance to Slavery
Slaves resisted in various ways: most commonly by attempting to ran away, some by sabotaging tools or refusing to work hard, some formed maroon communities.
Stono Rebellion: 1739 in South Carolina – Spanish Florida promised freedom to fugitive slaves, 20 slaves revolted from one plantation, Joined by 80 slaves – SC militia battle – 44 slaves and 25 whites killed - Largest slave revolt during the colonial era

9. Triangular Trade
Triangular Trade: New England merchants gain access to slave trade in the early 1700s
Rum (& guns) brought to Africa, exchanges for slaves
Ships cross the Middle Passage, slaves trades in the West Indies.
Disease, torture, malnourishment, death for slaves
Sugar brought to New England
Other items traded across the Atlantic, with substantial profits from slavery making merchants rich
By 1713 Jamaica producing more sugar than Barbados & became wealthiest & most important colony in English empire