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Slavery, Servitude and Class Conflict in Colonial America

Slavery, Servitude and Class Conflict in Colonial America. AIM: What factors led to the development of slavery in colonial America?. Tobacco Economy 1. Land and labor intensive. 2. 1690’s – exporting 40 million lbs. of tobacco. Reasons for Introduction of Slavery.

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Slavery, Servitude and Class Conflict in Colonial America

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  1. Slavery, Servitude and Class Conflict in Colonial America AIM: What factors led to the development of slavery in colonial America?

  2. Tobacco Economy 1. Land and labor intensive. 2. 1690’s – exporting 40 million lbs. of tobacco Reasons for Introduction of Slavery

  3. Voluntary exchange of 7 years work for passage. Head Right System 50 acres of land for each indentured servant Sig: B. Indenture Servants

  4. Problems: • Cruel punishment led to unreliable work. • Incited class conflict among landless and penniless freed workers • Pool of available workers decreased in England

  5. C. Bacon’s Rebellion • For having, upon specious pretenses of public works, raised great unjust taxes upon the commonalty for the advancement of private favorites and other sinister ends, but no visible effects in any measure adequate; for not having, during this long time of his government, in any measure advanced this hopeful colony either by fortifications, towns, or trade.

  6. 1. Causes: Economic Problems • Declining tobacco prices, • growing commercial competition from MD and Carolinas • restricted English market • rising prices from English manufactured goods (mercantilism) • Landless, single, disenfranchised men frustrated men find a scapegoat with Indians

  7. Blame Gov. Berkley’s policy’s Significance: Highlight growing class conflict. demonstrated that poor whites and poor blacks could be united in a cause. This was a great fear of the ruling class -- what would prevent the poor from uniting to fight them? This fear hastened the transition to racial slavery. 2. Rebellion

  8. II. Introduction of slavery

  9. “ The first object which saluted my eyes when I arrived on the coast was the sea, and a slave-ship, which was then riding at anchor, and waiting for its cargo. These filled me with astonishment, which was soon converted into terror. When I was carried on board, I was immediately handled by some of the crew … and I was now persuaded that I had gotten into a world of bad spirits, and that they were going to kill me. Their complexions too differing so much from ours, their long hair, and the language they spoke, which was very different than any I had ever heard, united to confirm me in this belief.” Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative …

  10. Now that the whole ship’s cargo were confined together, it became absolutely horrific. The air soon became unfit for respiration, from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought on a sickness among the slaves, of which many died. This wretched situation was made worse by the filth of the necessary tubs [for excrement], into which the children often fell and were almost suffocated. The shrieks of the women and the groans of the dying rendered the whole a scene of horror almost inconceivable.

  11. Document Analysis • What information does the document provide? • What can I infer? • What outside information is triggered?

  12. Beginnings • 1619 – First Africans arrive in Jamestown • Few slave in early years – relied on indentured servitude. • By late 1600’s, slavery increases – more economical. • Formally established by House of Burgesses in 1670

  13. Negro womens children to serve according to the condition of the mother. • WHEREAS some doubts have arrisen whether children got by any Englishman upon a Negro woman should be slave or free, Be it therefore enacted and declared by this present grand assembly, that all children borne in this country shalbe held bond or free only according to the condition of the mother, And that if any christian shall committ ffornication with a Negro man or woman, hee or shee soe offending shall pay double the ffines imposed by the former act.38

  14. B. Slave Codes Develop • Barbados Slave code – cruel and inhumane • No civil liberties granted to slaves • Make racism official policy of Colonial governments.

  15. III. Plantation Culture • Most plantations small, few were enormous (40,000 acres) • 3/4th of slaves lived on plantations with less than 10 slaves • Language Development – gullah (mix of English and African

  16. Work Patterns • Field hands • House servants had better circumstances • Large plantations – learn trades, blacksmithing, carpentry

  17. Family Relationships 1. Marriage not encouraged 2. Created kinship or surrogate “relatives”

  18. IV. Summary • What factors led to the development of slavery in colonial America?

  19. Southern Ladies

  20. Southern Gentleman

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