In 1940, (during the Colonial era) a rapid growth in the cultivation of sugar led to the development of the plantation economy in St Kitts. The conditions of the climate in the area was very hot and humid and the men from that geography were not interested in working under those extreme conditions. European planters decided that Africans from West Africa were accustomed to living and working in similar climate conditions therefore they sought African slaves to cultivate their sugar for them. In addition to being used to the climate Europeans also rationalized that it would be cheaper to use African slaves than it would be to use paid laborers or indentured European servants.
In 1960, sugar exceeded tobacco in revenue in Nevis and about 20% of their population was African slaves. During the latter part of the 1600’s through the early part of the 18th century blacks continued to grow in numbers and populated 80% of the Caribbean. As the Black …show more content…
However, America had a greater population of African slaves during the 1700’s. their growth did not come from the importation of slaves like the Caribbean’s’ did. North America only received 5% of the African slaves brought to the New World between 1451-1870 which was 15% - 75% lower than the Caribbean received during the same time period. Nonetheless, America had a higher number of enslaved Africans by the end of the 1700’s due to the very high birthrates that took place in the United States by African slave women. Historians has provided several reasons for this phenomenon in the US. One reason is that the enslaved women in the US survived and had children more than the enslaved African women in the Caribbean. This was a result of slightly better living and working conditions in the United States. In the Caribbean the slaves were literally worked to death in the hot sun and the diseases were more common and deadly on the tropical sugar
In 1960, sugar exceeded tobacco in revenue in Nevis and about 20% of their population was African slaves. During the latter part of the 1600’s through the early part of the 18th century blacks continued to grow in numbers and populated 80% of the Caribbean. As the Black …show more content…
However, America had a greater population of African slaves during the 1700’s. their growth did not come from the importation of slaves like the Caribbean’s’ did. North America only received 5% of the African slaves brought to the New World between 1451-1870 which was 15% - 75% lower than the Caribbean received during the same time period. Nonetheless, America had a higher number of enslaved Africans by the end of the 1700’s due to the very high birthrates that took place in the United States by African slave women. Historians has provided several reasons for this phenomenon in the US. One reason is that the enslaved women in the US survived and had children more than the enslaved African women in the Caribbean. This was a result of slightly better living and working conditions in the United States. In the Caribbean the slaves were literally worked to death in the hot sun and the diseases were more common and deadly on the tropical sugar