Slavery from 1607-1775
Between the years of 1607-1775, slavery in the southern colonies underwent tremendous growth. Clearly, there were three main factors which influenced its rapid increase in prevalence in these agricultural colonies. The original reason for the institution of slavery was primarily based upon economic reasons. White plantation owners needed a replacement for the indentured servants, who were rapidly becoming quite inconvenient. Closely tied to the economic reasons were the social motives of white plantation owners for African slaves. African slaves were already somewhat weathered in their homeland. Once in the New World, the social ties of the blacks actually aided in their population growth. Lastly, geographic reasons, such as the triangle trade, and simple cross-Atlantic voyage made African slavery a viable option. In 1619, the first slaves made the torturous journey across the Atlantic from their homes on the coast of Africa to an unknown land; Jamestown, Virginia. This infamous year marked the start of three centuries of inhumane slave trading, on a three-part route known as the triangular trade. The primary reason for the importation of African slaves was due to the growing disadvantages of white indentured servants
Closely linked to the economic reasons outlined, the social implications of the time, between 1607 until the eve of the American Revolution, also played a critical role in the exponential expansion of slavery. Since the "would be" indentured servants from England were gaining enough wealth to sustain life in their homeland, they opted to stay with family where countless generations before them had been living. Meanwhile, on the west coast of Africa, from present-day Senegal to Angola, tribal battles were raging, throwing many African natives into the captive hands of their enemies. The victors in these tribal wars sold the prisoners to the white foreigners arriving on their coast. These Africans were the perfect replacement for the troublesome white indentured servants, because the to-be slaves where already accustomed to the tortures of the daily life of intense physical labor since their capture. Once in the southern colonies, slaves were treated horrifically, causing their population to unite. Soon after the mid-1680's, when black slaves outnumbered white indentured servants for the first time, laws forbidding the teaching of a slave to read or write became a crime in a number of colonies. Slaves were viewed simply as property, and were treated accordingly by their white owners. By 1750, slaves outnumbered whites in South Carolina by a two to one ratio, attesting to the swift growth of their population. Since the slaves could never conjure up enough men to hold a substantial rebellion, their
Some common words found in the essay are:
, Senegal Angola, West Coast, Bacon's Rebellion, African Company, Atlantic Ocean, Jamestown Virginia, South Carolina, American Revolution, William Berkeley, indentured servants, african slaves, plantation owners, southern colonies, white indentured servants, white indentured, slave population, white plantation owners, white plantation, economic reasons, indentured servants england, slaves outnumbered, triangular trade,
Approximate Word count = 1021
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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