Slavery in America Flashcards
What is slavery?
Slavery is the ownership of a person as propety.
How many slaves lived in the colonies?
by 1770, over 900,000
31% of population in Southern Colonies
by 1720, 61% of population in south carolina
When was the importation of slaves banned
1808
when were slaves freed in the north
by 1820
Why did slavery continue in the south
integral part of economy (plantations need labour force)
Why was cotton in demand in the late 18th century?
Strong cotton fibres could withstand being put through machines better than wool or linen
could be made into velvet which was cheaper and easier to produce than silk but looked and felt similar to it
Easier to make printed and dyed patterns on cotton cloth than on wool or silk
How did the export of cotton increase over time?
In 1790s, cotton was 6% of british exports
In mid 1800s, cotton was 42% of british exports
When and who made the cotton gin?
Eli whitney in 1794
What were the impacts of the cotton gin?
Made it faster; before seeds had to be pulled out by hand which was time consiming and laborous
Allowed one worker to produce as much cotton as 50 workers prior to its invention
method was more efficient, meant that cotton became more lucrative
where was a lot of cotton produced and why?
The climate and soil meant that the southern states were perfect for growing cotton
How much of the worlds cotton did USA make?
By 1820-1860, the united states was producing 80% of the worlds cotton fibre
How did cotton affect slavery?
Increasing cotton production led to the number of slaves in the US increasing by 250%
How many enslaved people lived in the US by 1860?
4 million ( about 15% of population )
Outline some examples of slave codes
education of slaves was prohibited
could not assemble without a white person present
slaves found guilty of arson, rape of a white woman or conspiracy to rebel was put to death
What were conditions like for slaves?
working from sundown to sun up 6 days/week
Lived in small shacks with dirt floors and little furniture
poor quality food
disciplined for not working fast enough or defying authority
unsanitary and lack of medical treatment
sexual exploitation of females
Hot and humid climate
