Slavery in North American Colonies - Essay Example

Slavery in North American colonies became a part and parcel of life. In the years between the 1650 and 1750’s, slavery existed in three kinds of systems: the system centered in Chesapeake which covered Maryland and Virginia, another in South Carolina and Georgia and the third covered the non-plantation societies of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (Gisolfi, 49). Slavery differed in these three regions, and it did develop different cultures. As time went by, the slavery in Chesapeake society became part of social and economic life in the mid 17th century due to the advent of staple tobacco production, and the establishment of a planter class. Down in the south, the creation of substantial indigo and rice encouraged slavery. This contrasted with the situation in the northern colonies, whereby they did not focus on agriculture due to their climate and; therefore, slavery did not prevail (Gisolfi 49). However, the northerners did purchase slaves for use in domestic services. The spread of tobacco farms and the reducing population willing to sign-on as indentured servants in the 1680s' increased the importation of slaves from Africa. African slaves replaced Native American slaves, who were susceptible to diseases of the European origin (Robinson, 120). The white enslavement was by kidnapping or for crimes and debts. According to Robinson, about 600 to 650 thousand slaves came to America against their will (120). Slaves holders treated slaves as property, to be readily sold and bought. Some owners allowed them to marry, while others imposed marriage on their slaves. The sad part is that slave marriage was never recognized by the states. Slave children did not get spared because they joined others in the field when they turned 12 to work from sunrise to sunset. Thomas Jefferson, who drafted Declaration of Independence, was in the fore front promoting the freedom of the black man. However, he was not convincing since he owned some slaves and rumour had it that he fathered black kids. The Anglican Church also raised the issue of liberating the black man by teaching them the Christian principles, but their employees were adamant to allow this exercise. They had a fear that if the slaves received an education on Christianity they would no longer accept to be enslaved. By 1808, over 300000 slaves were imported, and the rest of the population of slaves were almost all born in the United States. In this same year, the importation of slaves became abolished. As a result, slavery in the non-southern states became history. Between 1700 and 1808, few real restrictions of the conduct of master toward his slave were established, although, they were considered as Christian virtues and social norms. Berkeley looks at who benefited from the slavery North America (2). To a historian the answer he gives is obvious, it is the slaveholders, because they worked their slaves hard, paid them little, got decent money from what they sold, and, therefore, became rich. To the economists, the consumers of machine made cotton textile were the ones at loss. Since cotton spinning carried on at a low price, and the garments sold at a low price, this brought a normal, slow rate profit to the cotton factory. Another group that benefited is the northern and western because of the low taxes, of the tariffs collected from importing goods financed by cotton exports (Berkeley, 2). In the absence, of slaves, Britain and American textile industries would still have gotten the bulk of the cotton they needed from the American south: this would not be from India because it was far and costs were high. Egypt, on the other hand, had a low cotton growing capacity, still cotton would be grown by free American farmers and not slaves, the cotton prices would be high enough to allow those who grew to enjoy high prices, and this would have discouraged wheat farming. In Chesapeake region, tobacco was a staple, cash crop, the region being a slave society, the slaves worked in tobacco fields. Around 1770, about 270,000 slaves, lived in the tobacco fields, and nearly half of all white families owned a slave or slaves, whereas plantation owners owned hundreds of slaves (Gisofli 49). In the Southern states of South Carolina and Georgia, the slaves worked in rice and indigo production, rice being the leading food crop in the 18th century. Rice economists say that rice benefits from an economy of scale in comparison to other food crops, therefore, a large plantation will get more profit than a small plantation. The large plantations in South Carolina needed more slaves, so these rice planters made it to the group of the richest Americans during their time. Rice cultivation, therefore, spread to Georgia (Gisofli, 49). The northern colonies formed the areas of small farms and ports of seagoing vessels. No plantations existed here but, large estate farms were common. The climate and short growing season restricted tobacco and rice growing, farmers grew grains which were not labour intensive to harvest. They did own slaves but, only a few, slaves to supplement family labour. Artisans took slaves to work in their shops. We can, therefore, say that Chesapeake, and the southern colonies were a slave society. This means that slavery was the foundation of the economic and social order. In the Northern colonies, it was just a society with slaves, and that means slavery was among several other systems of labour. Slavery impacted social, cultural, political and economic lives of the colonists and the slaves. African tribes captured slaves in raids and open warfare or purchased from other African tribes, socially it meant many tribes were delighted to rid themselves of their enemies. However, it promoted enmity with those families and villages who lost their loved ones to slavery. Politically it opened up the exploration of Africa, enhanced trade among continents of the world, therefore, making the world a global village. Culturally it meant embracing new culture for the slaves, and the slave owners. The slaves had to learn about Christian values and at the same time, get an education. This would add value to their lives and facilitate communication between the slaves and their holders. African states who sold their people received firearms which strengthened them in terms of securing their political boundaries. Slave trade also opened up Africa to its colonies. Economically, slavery was of benefit to the slave holders, since they paid their slaves less money, or nothing at all, and they received substantial income from the sale of their products. To sum it all up about this topic, there were individuals who were against slavery and the slave trade such as George Washington, among others, who pleaded with the United States to abolish the slave trade. President John Adams and Thomas Jefferson implemented his desires. Slave owners during this time got compensation in the form of government bonds (Berkeley, 3). Before this, there were many slave conspiracies and review change revolts which involved violent attacks, revolts led by plantation slaves, organized attacks led by assimilated blacks, who were tradesmen. Bibliography Berkely, U C. 2007. "Who Benefited from North American Slavery." Economics,113: 1-13. Gisofi, M R. 2004. "Slave Societies and Societies with Slaves." American Slave History (Columbia University): 46-50. Robinson, B A. 1999. "Slavery During the 16th to 18th Century." Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. http://www.religioustolerance.org/sla_hist.htm#16 Read More