Slavery and Empire 1441-1770

Slavery and Empire 1441-1770 Chapter 4

Slavery & Empire • The development of the slavery system • The history of the slave trade and the Middle Passage • Community development among Africans Americans in the 18th century • The connections between the institution of slavery & the imperial system of the 18th century • The early history of racism in America

The Beginnings of African Slavery • Sugar & Slavery- • Spain and Portugal used African slaves to work their sugar plantations. Sugar and slaves were the centerpiece of the European colonial system. • West Africans- • Hundreds of different peoples lived on the coast of West Africa • They were sophisticated farmers • Local communities were organized by kinship

The African Slave Trade • Movement of Africans across the Atlantic was the largest forced migration in world history. • Africans outnumbered Europeans immigrants 6 to 1before the 19th century. • Started 15th century and ended around 1807 • 12 million Africans transported to America • Peak period- 1701- 1810 • Twice as many men as women were enslaved • Ages 15 to 30

The Middle Passage • The 2nd leg of the Triangular Trade….from Africa to America. 1 in 6 Africans died during the passage across the Atlantic.

The Middle Passage Top Deck Ship Blueprint

The Development of North American Slave Societies Society with Slaves Slave Society • Chesapeake- slavery was one of one form of labor Chesapeake after 1675- slavery was the dominant form of labor

North American Slave Societies • The tobacco colonies- In the Chesapeake region (18th century), tobacco was the single most important crop. The increase in tobacco demand corresponded with the increased demand for more slaves. • The lower south- generally states were slaves states from their beginnings.

African to African American • Families- the most important institution for the development of the African American community and culture. • Kinship was formed by slaves living and working together…..fictive kinship. • Culture- 18th century important to development due to high birthrate of country born African Americans. • Religion- The Great Awakening • Music and dance • Language- Gullah and Geechee

Africanization of the south Acculturation worked both ways. Many English in the colonies were being Africanized as well.

Africanization of the South • Food • Religious leadership • Medical magic • Woodcarving, metalworks • Child rearing

Violence & Resistance • Resistance to slavery • Malingered • Mistreated tools and animals • Destroyed property • Ran away in maroons • Established fugitive communities & networks • Revolted- NY 1741

Slavery & Empire • Contributed to the economic development in 3 ways: • Profits from slavery generated a source of capital investments…banks, insurance companies, canals, harbors. • Supplied the raw cotton needed for the Industrial Revolution…led to the formation of many jobs • Created a huge market for exports.

The Politics of Mercantilism • Definition- An economic system in which the government intervenes in the economy for the purpose of increasing national wealth. • Political control of the economy by the mother country.

The Politics of Mercantilism • Views the economy as a “zero-sum game” where total economic gains were at least equal to total losses. • The goal was to acquire & hoard the fixed amount of wealth in the world. • The nation with the most wealth, would be the most powerful.

British Colonial Regulation Navigation Acts Enumerated Commodities • Laws that defined the colonies as supplier of raw materials and market for English goods. • Other nations were forbidden to trade in the colonies and goods could be shipped in English ships only • Goods that could only be shipped to England: sugar, molasses, rum, tobacco, rice, indigo, furs, skins, tar, turpentine. These were often called enumerated commodities.

British Colonial Regulation Salutary Neglect The idea that any laws or regulations that was contrary to good business were ignored or not enforced. Both the colonies and Britain made huge profits.

The Colonial Economy • The colonial society benefitted planters, merchants and white colonists. • Northern port cities were had a tight commercial relationship with the South. The North provided shipping, banking and insurance services. The institution of slavery contributed to the growth of the North.

The Colonial Economy • Colonial exports: • Chesapeake colonies: tobacco • South Carolina: rice and indigo • Middle Colonies: wheat

Slavery & Freedom • In what ways did colonial policies encourage the growth of slavery?

Slavery & Freedom • Southern Social Structure: Small elite of wealthy planters. • ½ of all white adult makes were small planters & farmers. • A substantial portion of colonists owned no land or slaves.

Slavery & Freedom Upper class- slave-owning elite Middle class land owners • Had large plantations with over 100 slaves. • Influenced the politics, economy and social rules of the South. • Had a very distant relationship with slaves.

White Skin Privilege • Whites used legalities to create distinctions between them and slaves: • 1670- Free Africans couldn’t own Christian slaves • 1680- Slaves couldn’t a white person • 1691- Slaves & whites couldn’t have interracial sexual relationships

Slavery and Empire 1441-1770