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The fitst southern colony where blacks appeared was Jamestown which became Virginia. The major money crop in Virginia became tobacco. The Company pushed for more production which mean more labor was needed. In addition the tribes in the early colonial period still had considerable military power. Thus the Company had to turn to indentured English people and blacks. Thus the investors found enterprising, but poor individuals to serve as indentured servants, normally for several years. The first blacks arrived (1619). They were brought to Jamestown by Dutch traders. As there was no legal basis for slavery, these first blacks were initially treated as indentured servants. Both indentured Europeans became an important part of the colonial labor force. The blacks at first were treated as indentured servants. Slowly a racial factor developed in the law courts. This first becomes apparent in the 1640s. Slowly the Virginia House of Burgess layed the legal foundation for slavery in Virginia. Essentially the Burgess changed the status of blacks from people to property. The Virginia House of Burgess is often seen as playing a key role in the development of American democracy. The actions taken by the Burgess in establishing the slave system is often given little attention. Gradually slavery replaced indentured servitude as the answer to colony's labor problem.
The fitst southern colony where blacks appeared was Jamestown which became Virginia. Jamestown was the first permanent Enhlish colony in North America. It was essentially the beginning of the English Empire. Jamestown was founded on the basis of a charter issued by King James I. The enterprise was founded by a private company. The first settlers arrived (1609). Like the Spanish, they hoped to find gold. When this proved an illusion they turned to agriculture. An agricultural colony required labor and a great deal of it. Labor was a problem in the early colonies.
The major money crop in Virginia became tobacco. The Company pushed for more production which mean more labor was needed. Efforts to enslave the Native Americans failed. There was no way of preventing from escaping and returning to their tribes.
In addition the tribes in the early colonial period still had considerable military power. Thus the Company had to turn to indentured English people and blacks.
An agricultural colony required labor and a great deal of it. Labor was a problem in the early colonies. Thus the investors found enterprising, but poor individuals to serve as indentured servants, normally for several years.
The first blacks arrived (1619). They were brought to Jamestown by Dutch traders.
The Dutch because they were quick to follow the Portugese who established the trade routes to Asia around the Horn had also come in contact with Sub-Saharan Africans.
As there was no legal basis for slavery, these first blacks were initially treated as indentured servants. Both indentured Europeans became an important part of the colonial labor force. The blacks at first were treated as indentured servants. Colonial records show that the first blacks were treated similarly to indentured English people.
Slowly a racial factor developed in the law courts. One of the first incidents was when three indentured laborors ran away from a Virginia tobacco farm (1640). They were apprehended in Maryland and retturned to Virginia. There a court sentenced the two white men to an additional 3 years of servitude. The black man was sentenced to servitude for life. The term slavery was not yet used. Colonial records show how the legal system of slavery evolved over time in Virginia.
There are records of blacks buying their freedom. Often buying the freedom of their spouse or children was very difficult. and their descendents struggling in various ways to maintain their free status. Court records show that these men and women occasionally resorted to the courts and in some instances winning in a range of disputes overy property or contracts. Gradually over time corts became increasingly hostile toward blacks, often refusing to accept testimony of blacks against whites.
Slowly the Virginia House of Burgess layed the legal foundation for slavery in Virginia. The House of Burgess defined the status of blacks as being determined by the status of the mother (1662). Gradually laws began to further define slavery as well as restrict the lives of freed blacks. The Burgess prohibited freed blacks from certain counties (1691). Additional laws established barriers to property ownership, education, and movement. Essentially the Burgess changed the status of blacks from people to property. The Virginia House of Burgess is often seen as playing a key role in the development of American democracy. The actions taken by the Burgess in establishing the slave system is often given little attention.
Gradually slavery replaced indentured servitude as the answer to colony's labor problem. I am not entirely sure why this ocurred. It seems unlikely that property owners were terribly concerned about the how indentured laborers were treated. It seems more likely that there were problems associated with indentured laborers. As the colonies expanded it became increasingly easy for whites to run away. Also there were limits as to how indentured whites could be disciplined and treated that did not apply to blacks. Thus a black slave work force held a range of advantages for property owners. In addition, the African slave trade provided a virtually inexhautable labor force.
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