Factors to the Rise of Slavery
The growth of the black slave trade was due to the decline of indentured servants, the need for a disease resistant workforce, and a workforce that was easily manageable; a combination of economic, geographic, and social factors. The New World at the dawn of American slavery, was at a rapid expansion rate. After years of hardship and meager harvests, landowners were finally making profits from crops that took many years to achieve. As more farmland was being planted, the need for more help was increasingly important. At first, most farmers had turned to white indentured servants from Europe, but the number of indentured servants declined due to increasingly better conditions back in England. Indentured servants concluded that the quality of life was better back in England
A slave could be kept for life instead of a few years, and the landowner was under no obligation to give a slave incentive like land. Due to the high price of slaves, normally, a landowner would buy a much cheaper indentured servant, but since they were in short supply, a slave was the better option. Landowners also needed people who were more resistant to diseases like smallpox or malaria. Landowners had to look for a different workforce. Previously, black slaves had been used, but only in small numbers. The social position of a slave was important as well. The slaves didn't work easy though. Many factors had to come into play to allow the growth of black slave trade, but the economic, geographic, and social factors just stated were some of the more important ones. The only way to keep the slaves working was to bring in fresh imports as exhausted slaves withered away, thus adding to the slave trade. Even Christianized slaves weren't freed, and many slave owners were wary of slaves becoming Christians, because of the worry that they would have to give them more freedoms. This allowed masters to officially declare a slave their property. Black slaves were hardier than the European indentured servants. In the south, conditions were hot and humid. Slaves, although more expensive, were more cost efficient compared to an indentured servant.
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