10.1 Origins and growth of slavery in America

Slavery in colonial America evolved from European practices and the need for labor in the New World. Initially, indentured servitude was common, but as demand grew, African slavery became entrenched. The first recorded African slaves arrived in Jamestown in 1619.

The growth of slavery was tied to plantation agriculture and colonial economies. As European indentured servants decreased, enslaved Africans filled the labor gap. Slave laws stripped rights from the enslaved, making it a hereditary status. Regional differences in slavery emerged based on dominant crops and economic activities.

Origins of slavery in colonial America

• Slavery in colonial America had its roots in European practices and the need for labor in the New World colonies
• The institution of slavery developed gradually over the course of the 17th century, eventually becoming a central part of the colonial economy and society

European precedents for slavery

Top images from around the web for European precedents for slavery

• 

  A21b atlantic slave trade b | howard_morland | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Atlantic slave trade - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:African slave trade.png - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  A21b atlantic slave trade b | howard_morland | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Atlantic slave trade - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for European precedents for slavery

• 

  A21b atlantic slave trade b | howard_morland | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Atlantic slave trade - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:African slave trade.png - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  A21b atlantic slave trade b | howard_morland | Flickr View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Atlantic slave trade - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Europeans had a long history of enslaving people, dating back to ancient times (Greeks, Romans)
• In the late Middle Ages and early modern period, Europeans enslaved Africans and Native Americans in colonies (Caribbean, South America)
• European nations, including Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands, were actively involved in the African slave trade prior to the English colonies

Indentured servitude vs slavery

• Indentured servitude was a form of temporary, contracted labor in which individuals worked for a set period of time (usually 4-7 years) in exchange for passage to the colonies
  • After the contract ended, indentured servants were granted freedom and sometimes given land or money
• Slavery, in contrast, was a permanent, hereditary status in which individuals were considered property and could be bought, sold, and forced to labor for their entire lives
  • Children born to enslaved mothers were also considered slaves

First African slaves in English colonies

• The first recorded African slaves in English colonies arrived in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 on a Dutch ship
• Initially, the legal status of these early African arrivals was ambiguous, with some treated as indentured servants and others as slaves
• As the demand for labor grew and racist attitudes hardened, the institution of slavery became more firmly entrenched in the English colonies

Growth of slavery in 17th century

• Throughout the 17th century, the number of enslaved Africans in the English colonies increased dramatically as the demand for labor grew
• The growth of slavery was closely tied to the development of plantation agriculture and the expansion of colonial economies

Transition from indentured servitude

• In the early 17th century, most laborers in the English colonies were indentured servants from Europe
• As the supply of European indentured servants decreased and the demand for labor increased, colonists increasingly turned to enslaved Africans
• The shift from indentured servitude to slavery was gradual and varied by region, but by the end of the 17th century, slavery had become the dominant form of labor in many colonies

Slave laws and codes

• As slavery became more entrenched, colonies began to pass laws and codes to regulate the institution and define the status of enslaved people
• These laws stripped enslaved people of basic rights, prohibited them from owning property or weapons, and outlined punishments for resistance or rebellion
• Slave codes also made slavery a hereditary status, ensuring that children born to enslaved mothers would also be considered slaves

Differences in slavery by region

• The nature of slavery varied by region, depending on the dominant crops and economic activities
• In the Chesapeake region (Virginia, Maryland), slavery was primarily associated with tobacco production on large plantations
• In the Carolinas, slavery was central to the rice and indigo economies, with large numbers of enslaved Africans working under harsh conditions
• In the northern colonies, slavery was less prevalent but still present in urban areas and some agricultural regions (New York, Rhode Island)

Slave trade and Middle Passage

• The transatlantic slave trade was a massive forced migration of Africans to the Americas, lasting from the 16th to the 19th centuries
• Millions of Africans were captured, sold, and transported across the Atlantic in a brutal and inhumane system that had devastating consequences for African societies and individuals

Triangle trade routes

• The transatlantic slave trade operated along a triangular route between Europe, Africa, and the Americas
• European ships carried manufactured goods to Africa, where they were exchanged for enslaved Africans
• Enslaved Africans were then transported across the Atlantic to the Americas, where they were sold for cash crops and raw materials
• These cash crops and raw materials were then shipped back to Europe, completing the triangle

African slave traders and kingdoms

• African kingdoms and traders played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade
• Some African rulers and merchants captured and sold enslaved people to European traders in exchange for goods (guns, textiles, alcohol)
• Major African kingdoms involved in the slave trade included the Ashanti, Dahomey, and Oyo empires in West Africa
• The slave trade had a destabilizing effect on many African societies, leading to increased warfare, economic disruption, and political upheaval

Conditions on slave ships

• The Middle Passage, the journey of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, was characterized by horrific conditions and high mortality rates
• Enslaved Africans were packed tightly into the holds of ships, with little space, ventilation, or sanitation
• Disease, malnutrition, and physical abuse were common, and many enslaved people died during the journey
• Those who survived the Middle Passage faced a lifetime of forced labor and oppression in the Americas

Colonial slave life and culture

• Despite the brutality of slavery, enslaved Africans in the colonies developed rich cultures and communities that drew on African traditions and adapted to the realities of life in the Americas
• Enslaved people found ways to resist their oppression, maintain family and social ties, and preserve elements of their African heritage

Types of slave labor and skills

• Enslaved Africans in the colonies performed a wide range of labor, depending on the region and the needs of their enslavers
• In the Chesapeake and the Carolinas, most enslaved people worked in agriculture, cultivating crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo
• Enslaved people also worked as skilled artisans (blacksmiths, carpenters), domestic servants, and in maritime trades (fishing, sailing)
• Many enslaved Africans brought valuable skills and knowledge from Africa, including agricultural techniques, metalworking, and medicinal practices

Family life under slavery

• Despite the challenges and disruptions of slavery, enslaved Africans strived to maintain family and kinship ties
• Enslaved families faced the constant threat of separation through sale, but many found ways to preserve family bonds and pass down cultural traditions
• Enslaved women played a central role in maintaining family and community life, caring for children, and passing on knowledge and skills
• Enslaved people also formed extended kinship networks and communities that provided support and solidarity in the face of oppression

Resistance and rebellion

• Enslaved Africans resisted their oppression in various ways, from small acts of defiance to large-scale rebellions
• Daily forms of resistance included working slowly, feigning illness, breaking tools, and running away
• Some enslaved people sought freedom through escape, either temporarily or permanently (maroons, Underground Railroad)
• Slave rebellions, while rare, were a constant fear for enslavers and a powerful form of resistance for enslaved people
  • Notable rebellions included the Stono Rebellion (1739) in South Carolina and the New York Slave Revolt (1712)

Economic impact of slavery

• Slavery was a central driver of the colonial economy, providing the labor that fueled the growth of plantation agriculture and trade
• The wealth generated by enslaved labor flowed to colonial elites and helped finance the development of colonial infrastructure and institutions

Slavery in the Chesapeake tobacco economy

• In the Chesapeake region (Virginia, Maryland), slavery was closely tied to the cultivation of tobacco
• Tobacco was a labor-intensive crop that required significant numbers of workers, and enslaved Africans became the primary source of labor on tobacco plantations
• The growth of slavery in the Chesapeake was gradual, but by the end of the 17th century, enslaved Africans made up a significant portion of the population

Slavery in South Carolina rice production

• In South Carolina, slavery was central to the rice economy that developed in the coastal lowlands
• Rice cultivation required specialized knowledge and skills, and many enslaved Africans brought expertise in rice farming from West Africa
• The harsh conditions of rice plantations, including the prevalence of malaria and the demanding labor, led to high mortality rates among enslaved workers
• By the mid-18th century, South Carolina had a black majority population, with enslaved Africans outnumbering white colonists

Slavery's role in colonial wealth

• The labor of enslaved Africans was a major source of wealth for colonial elites, particularly in the southern colonies
• Plantation owners and merchants profited from the sale of cash crops produced by enslaved labor (tobacco, rice, indigo, sugar)
• The wealth generated by slavery helped finance the development of colonial cities, ports, and infrastructure
• Slavery also played a role in the growth of northern colonies, with many merchants and investors profiting from the slave trade and the processing of slave-produced goods

Slavery and the American Revolution

• The American Revolution brought the contradictions between slavery and the ideals of liberty and equality into sharp relief
• While the Revolution inspired some to question the morality of slavery, it did not lead to widespread emancipation, and slavery remained a central institution in the new nation

Contradictions of slavery and liberty

• The Declaration of Independence's assertion that "all men are created equal" and have the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" stood in stark contrast to the reality of slavery
• Many of the founders and leaders of the Revolution, including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, were themselves slaveholders
• The continuation of slavery after the Revolution highlighted the limits of the Revolutionary ideals and the deep-seated racism that pervaded American society

Slavery and the Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence did not explicitly mention slavery, but its language of equality and natural rights had implications for the institution
• Some abolitionists and enslaved people saw the Declaration as a promise of freedom and used its language to argue against slavery
• However, the Declaration's signers did not intend for it to apply to enslaved Africans, and the document did not have any immediate impact on the legal status of slavery

Abolition and manumission efforts

• The Revolutionary period saw a growth in anti-slavery sentiment and efforts to abolish or limit the institution
• Some northern states, such as Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, passed gradual abolition laws or judicial decisions that ended slavery
• Individual slaveholders, moved by Revolutionary ideals or religious conviction, sometimes freed their slaves through manumission
• However, these efforts were limited in scope, and the vast majority of enslaved people remained in bondage after the Revolution
• The Constitution, drafted in 1787, included provisions that protected slavery, such as the Three-Fifths Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Clause, ensuring that the institution would continue to shape American society and politics in the decades to come