COLONY & EMPIRE: MAKING SLAVERY WORK Flashcards
Atlantic Slave Trade
Lasted ~400 years; began with the Portuguese in the early 1500’s and reached its peak during the 1700’s, and began declining in the 1800’s. 80% of all enslaved brought to the New World were brought to Brazil and Cuba to work on sugar plantations. Only 4% out of 12 million sold were sold in the English colonies. 20 - 50 million were captured in Africa total.
The trade evolved over 400 years; when the slave trade began, slavers had to respect West African leaders, who willingly engaged in the trade. Did not sell their own people, only enemy POW’s. Over time as the demand for slaves grew, war & fighting broke out to meet it. This led to population decline, constant warfare, and illegitimacy of governments; this was exacerbated by the flood of weapons that entered West Africa.
The growth of the trade led to innovation in tools of horror; shackles, chains, and torture devices. Led to population growth across the colonies, particularly in slave colonies.
Tobacco Slavery
Chesapeake region of the US (MD, VA); unlike rice slavery, didn’t need large amounts of land and labor to cultivate. 2/3rds of slaves lived with less than 20 other slaves. Because work wasn’t as physically demanding or deadly, men and women could work together; this decision meant that the sex ratio was almost 50:50. This meant that there were naturally more families in “tobacco slavery” than rice. Masters also encouraged living together as families, which would make them less likely to run away. Slaves never become majority of population.
System of labor: “Gang Labor” / Slaves were kept together all day long; would labor together under close supervision of a white overseer. Motivation to work is the threat of immediate punishment.
Rice Slavery
In the Carolinas; 2/3rds of slaves live with more than 20 slaves. Society was shaped around the fact that rice cultivation needed a lot of work to grow. Meant that those who owned slaves were likely to own several. Rice was more physically demanding, meaning there were more men than women. Less families being started.
Due to the larger populations of slaves, more African culture had persisted in the rice colonies (gullah; would’ve never developed in the Chesapeake).
Labor system: Task System
- Plantations were vast and required a variety of complex tasks (irrigation, crop maintenance, machine operation)
- Task system: gives small groups of individuals 10-12 hours of work
- Little oversight, though punishment could still be levied against slaves (fear still motivated)
- If slaves had free time, they could hunt, fish, garden (and sell their own produce)
Stono Rebellion (1739)
Before the American Revolution, there’s only one major slave rebellion: Stono Rebellion (1739). Started when a group of slaves in their “Seasoning” year had heard that if they made it to FL they’d be free. Went into a store, decapitated the owners, and marched towards FL. As they marched, they gathered other escaped slaves until their numbers reached ~100. Local militia / defense force happen upon the rebels while they were sleeping; they were decapitated and their heads placed upon spikes at mile markers towards FL.
Taught that rebellion only got you killed; slaves transitioned their focus from escape to survival.
