Slavery in the land of freedom: the atlantic slave trade, the growth of the plantation system, and the legal construction of race Flashcards
Idea of “English Negroland”
-racialization followed slavery rather than the other way around
-legal fiction emerged that within the interior of Africa there was this large overpopulated kind of warlike nation that was called an “english negroland”
-idea that coastal nations were at war with each other
-this is where all their captives were taken from
-used to justify slavery
Describe the “middle passage”
-at least 2 million slaves died from the voyage
-private slave owners would take around 300 slaves on one boat
-The Royal African Company: boats were bigger so they took fewer people
-conditions under deck were terrible
legal construction of race and slavery (describe the “black codes”)
-Prior to 1616, matters of slavery were largely unregulated
-There was little difference between white indentures and black slaves
-Pseudo-religious justifications for slavery
-“black codes”: restricted black peoples’ right to own property, conduct business, buy and lease land, and move freely through public spaces
SUGAR PLANTATIONS: THE 18TH- CENTURY FACTORY (describe how sugar becomes the boom crop)
Factory work is very different from agricultural work
Sugar becomes the boom crop and takes over all of the other commodities
Prior to the 18th century sugar was rare
Sugar becomes cheaper and more accessible
Transforms the european diet
Worked day and night in the boiling house (incredibly dangerous)
NEW YORK SLAVE INSURRECTION OF 1712 AND THE SLAVE “CONSPIRACY” OF 1741 (what is the slave conspiracy?)
All take place around the time of the war
During the war of succession (1712)
20-30 slaves killed whites (revolt)
Likely captives taken from spanish ships
Slave conspiracy of 1741 ( a bunch of fires started so whites became convinced that a major rebellion was being planned)
By 1741 New York had the largest slave population
Many similarities to the salem witch trials
All sorts of different people are getting accused
STONO REBELLION (SC), 1739
Largest slave uprising in north america during colonial era
50 whites and 50 blacks were killed
The leaders of the rebellion were portuguese speaking catholics from the congo
Uprising organized around Saint days
After 1740 the south carolina “negro act” comes into place
