Colonies and the Evolution of American Slavery

(text, p. 69-72 and 78-93)

Weather and climate was different in the Northern (New England), Middle and Southern colonies

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  Different growing seasons, soil encouraged different types of crops and exports
  
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    Colder Northern colonies lead to short growing season; specialization in lumber, fishing
    
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    Middle colonies become “breadbasket” while Southern specialize in tobacco, rice, indigo
    
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  Each group of colonies had a “frontier” region, which share similar characteristics
  

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  Majority of settlers came from ________________________________
  
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  Remember, founding of these colonies from religious persecution in Europe or among themselves in the colonies
  

Long, cold winters, and geography did not allow for large-scale farming

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  Main industries: lumbering, __________________________, _______________________, whaling, ironworks, wool production
  
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    Codfisheries the “goldmine” of New England
    
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    Small factory manufacturing became common with first Industrial Revolution
    
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    British government paid bounties for maritime products (shipbuilding/sealants) such as pitch, tar, rosin
    
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  As a result, most villages were near ______________________ or places of trade
  

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  Large industries in Middle colonies give rise to need for workers
  
  • 
    European _____________________________________ recruited to work in industry and at the ports
    
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  Some estates like plantations, but rely on _____________________ and indentured servants rather than slaves
  

Industry as driving force of Middle colonies

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  Busy shipping ports gateway for trade of raw materials grown on Middle colony farmland
  
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    Livestock production (beef, pork, lamb)
    
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    Forest produce raw materials for ship building, lumber industries
    
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  Becomes “________________________________” of the colonies, wheat, rye, grains grown in massive quantities
  
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    Export tons of grain to Britain, on the global market
    
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    Alcohol production (rye and corn whiskey, rum) also a key export
    
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  Cottage industry production: weaving, shoemaking, cabinet making, artisan crafts
  
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    Also produce iron, glass, pottery products
    

Class- and race-separated social groupings

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  Tidewater is ________________, while Piedmont region (“backcountry”) is mostly ______________
  
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    Piedmont focus on small-scale farming, trapping game, hunting
    
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    Two groups clash (i.e., _________________ Rebellion), as Piedmont feels concerns are not addressed by colonial legislatures in the Tidewater
    
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  Some religious toleration, as focus was on _____________________
  

Mostly _______________ areas with less urban growth

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  As less cities developed in South than North, people had to be more _______________________________
  
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  Development of roads, transport limited as result
  
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  Plantations spring up along rivers, streams
  

Agriculture/large-scale farming as driving force of the Southern colonies

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  Economy based on “___________________________” of tobacco, rice, indigo (later, cotton)
  
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  Large plantations develop on rural tracts of land
  
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  Dependent on hard labor, hence, growth of ____________________
  
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    Atlantic Ocean as “Middle Passage” for slave trade
    
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    South Carolina, Virginia hubs of the slave trade
    

Each colony had a “frontier region”, defined as the western-most boundary of the colony

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  Most frontier farms were self-suffient, as transport of surplus crops to market was expensive
  
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    Some farmers converted surplus crops to whiskey, alcohol as trade items
    
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    Remote locations of farms put many in danger of attack from native populations
    

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  Land speculation: buying and selling land on the frontier for a profit
  
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  High-demand tropical product imports (sugarcane, dyewood, molasses)
  
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    Import, then export to other European nations at high prices
    

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  Earlier African slaves were sometimes granted _______________________; later slaves were transported and sold as slaves for the entirety of their lives
  

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  Price of a slave was __________________________ while the price of ______________________________ was much lower
  
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    However, cost of indentureds was not cost-effective in long run (eventually had to be paid or granted freedom, unlike slaves)
    
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  Wealth of the colonies took time to grow, especially in development of cash crops
  
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    With more money, indentured servitude decreased, while owning slaves became more _________________________________________, as they could be traded as commodities in addition to providing cheap labor
    
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  Attempts to enslave ______________________________________ failed for both the Spanish and the British
  
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  Race relations were not as political until economics becomes tied to skin color; many begin to see Africans as _____________________
  
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    White Christians feel “obligation” to convert African “devils” to their religion (“White Man’s Burden”)
    
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  Distance of Africa to the Americas tended to make Africans feel ______________________ from their roots; made it more difficult for them to _______________________________; unfamiliar territory if they did manage to escape
  

Slaves were transported via ship (“slavers”) for the long voyage from Africa to the New World.

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  “Tight-pack” of slave ships, often “layering” their cargo one over the other in a “spoon-style” fashion
  
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    Comfort, safety not real concern; sufficient number just had to survive voyage to earn a profit for ship owners
    
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    Less than 25% death rate on a voyage was considered “successful”
    
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  As the voyage continued, some slaves jumped overboard rather than suffer in the horrible conditions “tween decks”.
  
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    More than 20% of the total slaves captured in Africa died from disease, maltreatment, or injury as the ships made their way across the Atlantic
    
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    Brutality, starvation and disease were common occurrences
    

None of the original 13 colonies were free of slavery

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  However, economy of the _______________ was not based on a majority in slave labor
  

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  NY Hudson River Valley farms worked by both _____________________ and slaves
  
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    11% of population and port of NY had more working slaves during colonial period than any city except Charlestown (Charleston), SC
    
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  Common practice in North for slaves to be ________________________, ____________________, often working alongside ________________________________ in similar conditions
  

Slavery in the 18^th century (1700s)

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  Slavery increases rapidly at end of 17^th century, especially in _________________ because of ________________________________________
  
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  Britain becomes largest slave trader; 1713 granted a contract to import slaves to _________________ West Indies
  
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  Triangular trade established, as raw materials, manufactured goods, and slaves transported
  
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    Establishes profitable trade of human beings as commodities, cements importance in the “slave south”
    

Major slave rebellions begin in 16^th century well into the late 19^th century throughout the world

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  However, documented slave revolts in the colonies and the (later) were rare, small-scale
  
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  Prompt hysteria, violence, repression especially in areas with high slave populations