Heimlich History Lecture: Slavery in British Colonies

Introduction

• Focus: Causes and effects of slavery in British colonial regions
• Importance: Understanding the darker aspects of British colonization
• Previous topics: Atlantic Slave Trade and Middle Passage

Overview of Slavery in British Colonies

• Atlantic Slave Trade
  • Transported ~3 million captive Africans to North America and Caribbean
  • Middle Passage resulted in ~500,000 deaths
• Colonial Involvement
  • All British colonies participated and benefited
• Demand for Slavery
  • Increased demand for agricultural goods
  • Shortage of indentured servants

Bacon's Rebellion (1676)

• Disgruntled indentured servants and enslaved Africans rebelled
• Resulted in elites preferring African slavery over indentured servitude

Distribution of Enslaved Africans

• New England
  • Fewer enslaved Africans on smaller farms
• Middle Colonies (e.g., NY, NJ)
  • Enslaved laborers as household servants
  • Significant numbers in port cities (e.g., NYC) working as sailors, dock workers
• Chesapeake and Southern Colonies
  • More enslaved people for plantation systems
• British West Indies
  • Largest portion of African laborers
  • "The further south, the more reliance on enslaved labor"

Nature of Slavery

• Chattel Slavery
  • Enslaved people considered property
  • Influenced by British West Indies practices
• Slave Laws in Virginia
  • African laborers legally defined as chattel
  • Slavery became perpetual, laws became harsher
  • Legal rights: Killing of enslaved for defiance, restriction of weapon possession, restrictions on leaving plantations
  • Interracial relationships made illegal

Slave Resistance

• Covert Resistance
  • Practicing cultural customs, native languages, belief systems
  • Slowing work pace, breaking tools, damaging crops
• Overt Resistance: Stono Rebellion (1739)
  • South Carolina event; enslaved stole weapons, killed white store owners
  • Grew to 50 strong; rebellion eventually squashed
  • Challenged narrative of benevolent plantation owners

Conclusion

• Understanding the complex history of slavery and resistance
• Encouragement to explore further resources for AP US History preparation
• Reminder to subscribe for more educational content

• Speaker: Laurel