Standard Indicator 8-1.4: Explain the significance of enslaved and free Africans in the developing culture and economy of the South and South Carolina, including the growth of the slave trade and resulting population imbalance between African and European settlers; African contributions to agricultural development; and resistance to slavery, including Stono Rebellion & subsequent laws to control slaves

SOUTHERN COLONIAL ECONOMIES

Based on plantation system

Grew labor intensive crops Virginia used indentured

servants at first By 1670’s few people

willing to sign indenture contracts

Slavery developed slowly in Virginia

Slavery used from beginning in Carolina

Carolina planters tried to use Natives as workers Natives could escape too easily &

males not used to farming

CAROLINA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Barbadians brought African slaves to Carolina

Slaves imported from Africa and West Indies

Steps to Slavery: “Middle Passage” Seasoning in West Indies Quarantining on Sullivan's

Island Auctioning in Charles Town Living & working on

plantations

CAROLINA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Carolina Economic Activities using African slaves Cattle herding (West

Africans brought knowledge)

Rice Cultivation (West Africans brought this too)

Harvesting naval stores (pitch & tar) and lumber from pine forests

Contributed to trade with Barbados & Britain

SLAVE TRADE INCREASES

Reasons: Development of cash

crops growth of plantation

system Large-scale

importation through Charleston Began in 1690’s

thousands imported Worked on rice &

indigo plantations

WEST AFRICAN CULTURE BROUGHT BY SLAVES:

Language Dance Music Woodcarving Folk medicine Basket weaving: Sweet Grass

Baskets

WEST AFRICAN CULTURE BROUGHT BY SLAVES:

Culture found in: Call & response songs for work &

spirit (morale) Drums kept beat of field work & used

to communicate with other plantations

Drums banned after Stono Rebellion (fear)

AFRICAN CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

Foods: yams staple of southern diet

Gullah: spoken language & culture of Africans on Sea Islands of SC; Geechee in GA.

Gullah unique to coast due to area’s limited access & large concentration of Africans

IMPACT OF GROWTH OF SLAVERY IN CAROLINA

By 1698 Assembly worried there were too many slaves in colony

Assembly did not want to limit number of slaves imported to colony

Slaves were vital to economic success of Carolina

Demand for slaves led to increase in slave trade

Increase in slaves led to population imbalance

Slaves outnumbered whites in many areas

Whites concerned about controlling slave population

Stono-Rebellion increased concern & fear

STONO REBELLION & IMPACT

Started on Stono River near Charles Town

Cause: Spanish promise offering freedom to slaves who reached St. Augustine in Florida

Small group of slaves broke into store & killed 2 settlers

Used Drums to summon more slaves to join

Many slaves & settlers killed

Result: increased fear led to stronger slave codes

NEGRO ACT OF 1740:

Prohibited slaves from gathering without white supervision

Slaves could not be taught to read & write

Slaves could not carry guns Slaves were not allowed to dress “above

the condition of a slave” Created harsher punishments for

disobeying the law Fined slave owners who were cruel to

slaves Most important to colonists it

established tighter control of their slaves

But slave trade was still not limited after Stono Rebellion

SOUTH CAROLINA FREE AFRICAN-AMERICANS

Fewer free African-Americans than other colonies

State legislature gave owners right to manumit slaves for good cause in early 1700’s

Methods of freeing slaves: last will & testament, faithful service, freeing mistresses & children, buying freedom

Slaves with special talents or skills could be hired out & earn money to purchase freedom

Manumission occurred rarely due to value of slaves

Law required freed blacks to leave SC within 6 months or be re-enslaved & sold at auction

Only 4% of free blacks lived in the South, most likely in urban areas using trades to earn living

After American Revolution new laws restricting freeing slaves were enacted

SLAVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICA

SLAVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICA

SLAVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICA

SLAVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICA

SLAVERY IN COLONIAL AMERICA