George Washington's Impact on Black Relations
             During the Colonial Era there was much debate regarding slavery. The north was primarily against slavery while the south was economically dependent on slavery. When colonist started to settle North America they had come from England for religious and political freedom. Many were subsistence farmers (raising just enough food to survive on, with perhaps a little surplus to sell or trade). There was no need for slaves. Later, in Virginia indentured servants were being used by land owners. These people could not pay their own way to the new world, so land owners would pay their way to the new world and the indentured servants would work four to seven years without pay for the person who paid their passage. Later, in the 1600's, fewer indentured servants were coming to the colonies and planters were in need of workers. To solve the problem, planters adopted slavery. Under this system, workers belonged to their owners for life. Plantation owners from the south began buying slaves from Africa in large numbers. There were also some slaves in the northern colonies but, most of the colonist in the north were still subsistence farmers. Religious convictions did not condone one man owning another man or his family for life. When George Washington was born in 1732 slavery was already over one hundred years old. "In 1743 George Washington inherited ten slaves at his fathers death (Washington Post)." By the time of his own death he owned over three hundred slaves. George Washington's plantation, Mount Vernon, was in Virginia, and it still stands today. Virginia was considered a southern colony during this time. Although George Washington did own slaves there are many documented accounts of him expressing his disapproval of slavery. George Washington had owned slaves from the time he was eleven years old. He did not start speaking out against slavery until later in life and during...