Overview
This lecture traces the development of slavery in colonial America, examining the early fluidity between servitude and freedom, the transition to race-based, hereditary slavery, and the resulting legal and social framework that shaped American society.
Origins and Early Settlement
- Early American colonies were populated by diverse groups, including Europeans and Africans, some as free people, others as forced labor.
- Jamestown, founded in 1607, became the first permanent English settlement in America.
- Initial labor needs were met by white indentured servants who worked for a period in exchange for passage.
Arrival of Africans and Indentured Servitude
- In 1619, the first Africans arrived in Virginia; initially, they were treated as indentured servants, not permanent slaves.
- Some Africans, such as Anthony Johnson, gained freedom and property after fulfilling indentures.
- Colonial society was initially fluid, allowing both black and white servants potential for freedom and land.
Shift to Racial and Hereditary Slavery
- By the 1640s, legal distinctions began to emerge, notably harsher penalties for black servants (e.g., John Punch sentenced to lifetime servitude).
- Laws progressed to define slavery by race and heredity; children inherited the status of the mother.
- From 1641 onward, various colonies legally recognized and entrenched slavery.
Legal Codification and Expansion
- Increasing unrest among freed indentured servants led planters to view African slavery as a more controllable labor system.
- The Royal African Company and later open trade expanded the importing of African slaves, especially to Southern colonies.
- Slave laws grew increasingly restrictive, defining slaves as property and limiting freedoms for both slaves and free blacks.
The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Middle Passage
- European, especially British, involvement in the slave trade expanded, transporting millions from Africa to the Americas.
- The "Middle Passage" was marked by brutal conditions, high mortality, and psychological trauma.
- Africans were sourced through local wars and raids, with many dying before reaching the coast.
Plantation System and Racial Hierarchy
- In colonies like South Carolina, plantation agriculture relied heavily on African expertise, especially in rice cultivation.
- Slave populations grew rapidly, leading to increased white fear and harsh control measures, including severe punishments.
- The Stono Rebellion and similar uprisings led to stricter slave codes (e.g., Negro Act).
Slavery in the Northern Colonies
- Significant slave populations existed in cities like New York, leading to paranoia and harsh reprisals, such as the 1741 New York Conspiracy trials.
- Laws restricted movement, assembly, and cultural practices of enslaved and free blacks even in the North.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Indentured Servant — A person contracted to work for a specified time in exchange for passage to America.
- Middle Passage — The transatlantic journey enslaved Africans endured from Africa to the Americas.
- Chattel Slavery — A system where people are treated as property to be bought, sold, and inherited.
- Headright System — A land grant program rewarding planters for bringing laborers to the colony.
- Stono Rebellion — A 1739 slave uprising in South Carolina, leading to stricter slave laws.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the evolution of slave laws in the colonies.
- Prepare notes on the role of economic motives in shaping American slavery.
- Complete assigned reading on the legal status of African Americans in colonial society.