slavery in early america

Slavery in Early America

"How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from

the drivers of Negroes?"

I. 4 Common Myths About Slavery in Early America

A. The American colonies dominated slavery in the New World

Slavery was only in the South

All African-Americans were slaves

CensusYear # Slaves # Free

blacksTotalblack

% freeblacks

1790 697,681 59,527 757,208 7.9%

Slavery, the American colonies &

King Cotton

II. The Shift from Indentured Servants to Slaves

A. The Era of Indentured Servants (~1610s-1670s)

The Tobacco Economy & the Headright System

Life and Liberty for Indentured Servants

The Ambiguous Status of African-Americans

• http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/african-americans-at-jamestown.htm

B. The Shift to Slaves (~1670s-1700)

Bacon’s Rebellion, Indentured Servants & the Land Problem

Other Factors

• Rising Wages in England Fewer Willing to Become Indentured Servants

• Wealthier Colonists Can Afford Slaves

C. The Slavery Era (1700s American Revolution+)

Slave Codes, Racism, and the Law

• http://www.nps.gov/jame/historyculture/african-americans-at-jamestown.htm

Slave Culture: Families and Folkways

Slave Resistance: The Stono Rebellion, and New Slave Codes

A Society with Slaves or a Slave Society?