Summary time,space, and the evolution of afro-america society - Term Paper Example

Slavery and the Afro-American Culture There were three slave systems during the seventeenth and eighteenth century: a northern non-plantation system and two southern non-plantation systems. The southern systems were located around Chesapeake Bay and in the Georgia low-country and Carolina (45). Slavery in the different systems led to the development of the black society and culture. Social stratification was provided on the basis of cultural difference between creoles and new arrivals. Northern blacks were accommodated into the emerging euro-American culture due to a different form of slavery and a demographic balance between blacks and whites.

Through the American Revolution, African cultures had been integrated into the Euro-American culture in the mid eighteenth century (46). The population of slaves ranged from 4-8 percent in different counties. Most Northern blacks worked in the countryside and a few labored in the rural industries. Iron masters were the largest employers of slaves in the industries and owned the largest number of slaves in the north.Most rural slaves worked in the farms tendering livestock and growing crops for export.

These slaves lived on the farms and never worked in gangs (47). Some of the white farmers relied on indented servants to supplement farm labor since slaves were expensive. In trade centers, blacks worked as stock minders and herdsmen. Provisional trading required several slaves, which enabled them create a strong companionship compared to those working in the farms. Urban slaves worked as house servants and lived in back rooms, closets, and lofts (48). The interaction between the slaves and the white people led to a gradual cultural transformation.

Those in the urban centers started participating in economic activities, and they adopted Christianity. New York slaves started acquiring property, while those in the rural areas continued living in poor conditions. Work CitedIra Berlin. Time, Space, and the Evolution of Afro-American Society on British Mainland North America. The American Historical Review, 85.1. (1980), 44-78.