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
The land is flat, and receives a great deal of sun and heat, suitable conditions for the seemingly endless plantations. Charleston subsequently became a logical seaport for the importation of slaves from Africa, once they had endured weathering in the West Indies and the horrors of the transatlantic trip. 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. Far worse, however, was the psychological damage it left with the plantation owners in the colony. The major southern seaports, such as Charleston, South Carolina, were right on the way from the West Indies to the Northern Colonies and New England. The transatlantic movement of African slaves quickly grew into a thriving industry in the colonies. After this 3,000 mile dreadful journey crammed into a dirty ship, slaves were desensitized and demoralized, leaving them in perfect condition for the white plantation owners to abuse them. This problem, paired with the growing fears of plantation owners that their former indentured servants could rebel, caused all upper class whites to search for a new outlet of workers. Although a lengthy voyage, the two coasts (Eastern and Western Atlantic Ocean) were connected by a straightforward one-way trip with no obstacles along the way. From the year 1607 all the way through 1775, blacks became more and more prevalent in a society which is still working hundreds of years later to fully eliminate the reverberations of the evils of slavery. Upon the royal crown revoking the Royal African Company from its monopoly on the overseas slave trade, the industry broke loose. 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. The triangular trade made for an easy and time-saving way for whites to transport the African slaves across the Middle Passage. Indentured servants, on the other hand, were freed after a certain period of time, therefore their labor wasn't as lasting as the slaves, whose children were also deemed property of their owner's. This land is comparable to that of the African West Coast, making the slaves acclimatized to the land of this foreign world.
Common topics in this essay:
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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,
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slaves outnumbered,
triangular trade,
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Acceptance Essays
