Mercantilism & Slavery Mr. Owens

1. Mercantilism & SlaveryMr. Owens

2. Essential Questions: • What impact did British attempts to pursue mercantilism and strengthen its direct control over the American colonies have? • What were the causes and characteristics of the development and expansion of the African slave trade in the British colonies?

3. Mercantilism • Mercantilism: Dominant European economic system in 17th Century – self-sufficient kingdoms • Empires compete through favorable balance of trade = export manufactured goods, import wealth (gold/silver) • Colonies exist to benefit the mother country • Highly government regulated economy • “Navigation Acts”(1650-1673) • Trade only on English or colonial-built ships • All goods imported to colonies must first travel to English ports • Specified goods (tobacco) from colonies could only be exported to England (eventually includes most goods) • Effects: NE shipbuilding prospered, military protection, but limited colonial manufacturing, higher prices for English imported goods • Some goods prohibited to export from colonies: Woolen Act (1699, Molasses Act of 1733 banned import from French W. Indies • Colonists resented acts over time • led to smuggling of Dutch & Spanish goods, & corruption • MA Bay had charter revoked in 1684 due to rampant smuggling

4. British West Indies • British colonies in the Caribbean: Antigua, St. Kitts, Jamaica, and Barbados • From 1640-1660 over 2/3 of English emigrants to the Americas settled in Barbados – aristocratic plantation owners dominated • Sugarcane plantations for sugar and rum: labor intensive African slaves, by late 17th Century 4x as many slaves as whites – harsh slave codes • Slave revolts and threats from Spanish, French, Dutch, and Portuguese caused many to settle on mainland colonies.

5. Barbados Isle inhabited by Slaves And for one honest man ten thousand knaves Religion to thee’s a Romantic story Barbarity and ill-got wealth thy glory All Sodom’s Sins are Centered in they heart Death is thy look and Death in every part Oh! Glorious Isle in Villainy Excel Sinto the Height – thy fate is Hell” - 1710 anonymous planter

6. Rise of Slavery • Increased demand for slaves • Less migration from England—wages increasing there • Dependable work force—large landowners disturbed by political demands of small farmers & indentured servants. • Cheap labor—tobacco prices fall, need large numbers of unskilled workers for rice & indigo • Slave Laws (Slave Codes): • 1641 MA 1st colony to recognize “chattel slavery” (ownership of human being as property) of “lawful” captives or for life • 1661 – VA children of slaves become slaves too. Raping a slave wasn’t illegal, but marrying her was. • 1664 – MD baptism did not free slaves, women forbidden from marrying African-American men • Effect on population: • By 1750: 50% of Virginia, 66% of South Carolina populations are slaves • Racism & white supremacy becomes widespread

7. S The Atlantic Slave Trade

8. Resistance to Slavery • Slaves resisted in various ways: most commonly by attempting to ran away, some by sabotaging tools or refusing to work hard, some formed maroon communities. • Stono Rebellion: 1739 in South Carolina – Spanish Florida promised freedom to fugitive slaves, 20 slaves revolted from one plantation, Joined by 80 slaves – SC militia battle – 44 slaves and 25 whites killed - Largest slave revolt during the colonial era

9. Triangular Trade • Triangular Trade: New England merchants gain access to slave trade in the early 1700s • Rum (& guns) brought to Africa, exchanges for slaves • Ships cross the Middle Passage, slaves trades in the West Indies. • Disease, torture, malnourishment, death for slaves • Sugar brought to New England • Other items traded across the Atlantic, with substantial profits from slavery making merchants rich • By 1713 Jamaica producing more sugar than Barbados & became wealthiest & most important colony in English empire