From as early as the mid 16th century Africans were being involuntarily taken to colonial America to provide labour as slaves as what came to be known as the 'slave trade'. It is believed that by 1775, the time of the American Revolution that slaves made up 1/5 of the American population, a figure that had risen to 1/3 by 1860. The demographics of the slave trade in the fact that vast numbers of Africans were being taken to America meant that there was definite and almost inevitable influence from African culture present in colonial America by 1860. Naturally African culture lived on in America through Afro-American salves. This culture was evolved and adapted over time as the slave population reproduced itself developing its own culture which held continuity with their ancestral African roots as well as holding continuity with colonial white culture from which emerged a hybrid society. A predominant example of this can be seen in religion, whilst many slaves adopted Christianity, a white religion, the presence of African influence in their religious practice is undeniable such as 'call and response' sermons as well as music and dance being common place. It can also be argued that African culture influenced colonial whites but the extent of this influence is open to debate. However, it is the hypothesis of this essay that African culture was heavily influential in three major areas of colonial life; the church, family and folklore. This influence was predominantly within Afro-Americans but colonial whites were also influenced by African culture to considerably extent but rarely acknowledged this. The colonial society that was born out of this period was symbiotic; a fusion of African culture with the values and principles of the 'old world' gained from European settlers in America.
             To answer this answer this question in its entirety it is important to understand the slave trade and the ethnic diversi...