Slavery in America is nothing to be taken lightly or forgotten. The origins of slavery go all the way back to its colonization by Europeans. The first permanent English colony in North America was Jamestown, Virginia. This colony became extremely successful from the introduction of cash crops like tobacco and cotton. Because of these labor-intensive cash crops the southern colonies had high demands for workers, and to keep profit up and cost down the land owners/lords looked towards slavery.
African American slaves were introduced in 1619 but only served as a small part of the workforce until the late 1600’s (Kamaris, Colonization Late 16th Century and Early 17th Century). Although, the colonists’ uses of slaves were not strictly limited to …show more content…
While the slave culture was cherished there was a counter culture of abolitionists and their main goal was to out law slavery and free the slaves in the southern colonies. Some of the founding fathers and most important Americans were staunch abolitionists (“Real Founding Fathers Who Were Abolitionists”). The abolitionists included “John Quincy Adams, Charles Francis Adams, Sr., Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Rush, and Benjamin Franklin later on in life (Tucker, “Real Founding Fathers Who Were Abolitionists”). Even though many founding fathers had slaves there were plenty who were against slavery. The ones who were against it helped keep the abolitionist movement going in the 1800’s, after the Civil War (Stanton “Thomas Jefferson and Slavery,” …show more content…
In Europe slaves were the backbones of civilizations and were a known institution. But the more modern type of slavery was something completely different then before. The European slaves were the losers of wars, or slaves because of other means besides American slavery. The slaves were picked primarily because of their race and appearance. The Portuguese were the first to start the African slave trade with their expeditions to Africa and India. The fuel added to the fire was the discovery of the Americas and what farms and plantations would be used for there, (Gascoigne, “History of Slavery). The extremely fertile American soil would be the perfect candidate for labor-intensive cash crops like cotton and tobacco, which were grown in the warmer southern colonies. Because of these crops being so labor-intensive the landowners used slaves, and because of all the plantations the number of slaves dramatically increased and fueled the trans Atlantic slave
African American slaves were introduced in 1619 but only served as a small part of the workforce until the late 1600’s (Kamaris, Colonization Late 16th Century and Early 17th Century). Although, the colonists’ uses of slaves were not strictly limited to …show more content…
While the slave culture was cherished there was a counter culture of abolitionists and their main goal was to out law slavery and free the slaves in the southern colonies. Some of the founding fathers and most important Americans were staunch abolitionists (“Real Founding Fathers Who Were Abolitionists”). The abolitionists included “John Quincy Adams, Charles Francis Adams, Sr., Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Rush, and Benjamin Franklin later on in life (Tucker, “Real Founding Fathers Who Were Abolitionists”). Even though many founding fathers had slaves there were plenty who were against slavery. The ones who were against it helped keep the abolitionist movement going in the 1800’s, after the Civil War (Stanton “Thomas Jefferson and Slavery,” …show more content…
In Europe slaves were the backbones of civilizations and were a known institution. But the more modern type of slavery was something completely different then before. The European slaves were the losers of wars, or slaves because of other means besides American slavery. The slaves were picked primarily because of their race and appearance. The Portuguese were the first to start the African slave trade with their expeditions to Africa and India. The fuel added to the fire was the discovery of the Americas and what farms and plantations would be used for there, (Gascoigne, “History of Slavery). The extremely fertile American soil would be the perfect candidate for labor-intensive cash crops like cotton and tobacco, which were grown in the warmer southern colonies. Because of these crops being so labor-intensive the landowners used slaves, and because of all the plantations the number of slaves dramatically increased and fueled the trans Atlantic slave