Colonial Slavery in the Americas by Heidi Kabadi

1 of 10

Slide Notes

Colonial Slavery in the Americas

Published on Nov 18, 2015

No Description

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Slavery in the Americas

Photo by Vernon Barford School

I. Colonial Slavery
A. Most slaves came from West African coast (Senegal to Angola)
1. Originally captured by African coastal tribes who traded them to
European and American buyers.
-- About 40% of slaves captured by Africans in interior died en
route to coast.
2. About 50 million Africans died or became slaves during 17th &
18th century

B. Of about 10-15 million Africans sent into slavery in New World, 400,000 came to North America.
(Majority sent to Spanish & Portuguese colonies in Caribbean & South America)
1. B/t 20% - 1/3 of slaves died on the “Middle Passage”
2. Horrific conditions:
a. Slaves often chained by neck and extremities to floor
b. Packed into spaces about the size of a coffin;
lay in own excrement
c. In some cases, next deck only 18” above deck floor; slaves
could not turn over; lay on their back the entire voyage.

Photo by brizzle born and bred

During the peak years of the slave trade, between 1740 and 1810, Africa supplied 60,000 captives a year--outnumbering European migrants by a ratio of 4 or 5 to 1.

Photo by Anita363

4. Most slaves came after 1700
a. Some came to Jamestown as early as 1619 but only 2,000 in Virginia in 1670
-- Accounted for about 7% of southern plantation population in mid-17th century
b. Rising wages in England in 1680's reduced immigration to America.
-- By 1680's, black slaves outnumbered white servants.

Photo by Leo Reynolds

c. 1698, Royal African Co. lost its monopoly on the slave trade.
i. Some Americans, esp. from RI, took advantage of lucrative slave trade
ii. Numbers of slaves in America dramatically increased.
-- Accounted for over 1/2 Virginia population by 1750
-- In SC, outnumbered whites 2 to 1.

Photo by Son of Groucho

C. Slave Codes
1. As Africans grew in numbers, threatened whites passed laws to severely control the slave population.
2. Most common codes stated:
a. blacks and their children were property for life
of white masters.
b. it was a crime to teach literacy to slaves.
c. conversion to Christianity was not grounds for freedom.
3. South Carolina’s inherited Barbados slave codes influenced codes in other colonies.
D. Slavery became the root of racism in America as a distinct color line was drawn.
-- The notion of inferiority based on skin color embedded in U.S. law until 1960s!

Photo by Jim Surkamp

E. Slave Life
1. Slavery harshest in lower South (esp. SC); least harsh in middle colonies.
a. Brutal & isolated conditions in rice and indigo farming led to many deaths
b. Fresh import of slavery needed to sustain productivity
2. Tobacco-growing in middle south less deadly
a. Plantations larger and closer together
-- Afforded slaves more contact with friends and relatives
b. Increase of female slave populations made family life more possible by 1720.
i. Slave pop. increased through higher birthrate.
ii. America became one of few slave societies in history to
grow by natural reproduction.

F. Slave culture became a mixture of American and African folkways
1. Gullah language evolved on islands off South Carolina coast.
-- Blended English with several African languages
2. Banjo and bongo drum imported to America from Africa
3. Ringshout dance contributed to development of Blues & Jazz.
4. Religion a combination of Christianity and African rituals
-- A free afterlife became a beacon of hope; Book of Exodus very appealing

Photo by skatoolaki

G. Slave rebellions show that slaves were not always docile.
1. About 250 revolts
2. Stono Rebellion (1739): largest slave revolt in history of the 13 colonies
a. Slaves in South Carolina tried to march to Spanish Florida after Spanish authorities offered freedom to any slave who reached there.
b. Stopped by militia after 25 whites killed; eventually scores of slave rebels killed by militia and settlers.
c. Significance: slave system became more strictly controlled.

Photo by Ken Lund

Heidi Kabadi