Europe's Encounter with America: West Indian Plantations

1. AP World HistoryPOD #15 – Europe Encounters America West Indian Plantations

2. Class Discussion Notes Bulliet et. al – “Plantations In the West Indies”, pp. 506-508 “Plantation Life in the Eighteenth Century”, pp. 508-515

3. Setting the Scene . . . • “The West Indies was the first place in the Americas reached by Columbus, and it was also the first region in the Americas where native populations collapsed from epidemics. It took a long time to repopulate these islands and forge economic links with other parts of the Atlantic. But after 1650 sugar plantations, African slaves, and European capital made these islands a major center of the Atlantic economy” (Bulliet, p. 506)

4. Tobacco • This was a crop native to the Americas and had long been used by the Amerindians for recreation and medicine • By the 17th century it was experiencing high demand from the Europeans • King James I of England condemned the tobacco smoke as “dangerous to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, and dangerous to the lungs” • By 1614 there were over 7000 tobacco shops in and around London alone

5. Tobacco Plantations • The earliest tobacco colonies were hampered by disease, hurricanes and attacks by native Caribs and the Spanish • They also lacked sufficient supplies from Europe as well as labor shortages limiting the ability to clear land and plant tobacco • Chartered Companies – the European governments allowed the creation of these organizations by private investors who paid an annual fee in order to maintain a monopoly over the trade

6. Labor Force • Indentured Servants – the travel costs of poor Europeans was covered by these charter companies who worked for 3 or 4 years on the tobacco plantations • This helped tackle some of the problems faced by the plantations in regards to labor, but the process was still cost prohibitive and the plantations continued to struggle in the economic competition with the English tobacco plantations in North America • Profits in the region ultimately exploded when the English, French, and Dutch colonies of the Caribbean switched from tobacco to sugar cane and from European indentured laborers to the labor of African slaves

7. Sugar • The Portuguese first developed sugar plantations that relied on African slaves on islands along the African coast. • This system was later transferred to Brazil which would go on to be the world’s greatest sugar producer • The expansion of sugar plantations both Brazil and the West Indies ultimately required a dramatic increase in the number of African slaves imported to the New World

8. Sugar Economics “Sugar production had both an agricultural and industrial character. On both small farms and large plantations, growing and harvesting sugar cane required only simple tools like spades, hoes and machetes. Once the cane was cut, however, a more complex and expensive process was needed to produce sugar. Lead-lined wooden troughs carried the cane juice to a series of large copper kettles where excess water was boiled off, leaving thick syrup. Placed in conical clay molds, the syrup turned to crystallized sugar as it dried. The small refiners used crushing mills driven by animals or even laborers, while the large plantations used larger and more efficient mills that relied on wind or water power. There economies of scale meant that over time large producers had lower costs and greater profits.” (Bulliet, p. 509)

9. Plantocracy • The islands of the West Indies were some of the most polarized places in the world • 90% of the islands population was slave labor • Plantocracy - political, social and economic power resided with a very small number of rich men who owned the majority of the land and slaves • There did exist a small group of estate managers, government officials, artisans and small farmers (nearly all white) who ranked between the Plantation owners and slaves • Please note – while rare, some free blacks owned property or entered commerce

10. Slave Life • The profitability of a plantation depended on the amount of labor that could be extracted from slaves • 70% of slaves were engaged in field work • The slave traders looked to maximize the number of field workers and imported twice as many males as females • Skilled slaves were rewarded with better quality food and clothing or time off etc. • Driver – a privileged male slave who oversaw the work gangs • Most slaves were compelled to work hard by fear of beatings and whip lashings

11. Slave Resistance • Due to the harsh conditions on the plantation it was not unusual for slaves to rebel or run away in an effort to gain freedom • Tacky – was an enslaved chief from the Gold Coast of Africa who led a large rebellion in Jamaica in 1760 (he died in the fighting but three of his top lieutenants were tortured to death to deter future rebellions) • European planters believed that slaves with the strongest African heritage led rebellions and therefore the attempted to curtail African cultural traditions • Maroons – communities of runaway slaves in Jamaica and Hispaniola – they eventually signed a treaty recognizing their freedom in exchange for their cooperation in stopping new runaways and suppressing slave revolts