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Colonial American Slavery

Colonial Society and Economy

Professor Eric Foner maintains, "By the early eighteenth century, Virginia had changed from a society with slaves, a society in which slavery was only one of many other systems of labor, to a slave society, a society where slavery was the foundation of the economic and social order." The colonies of the lower South would follow this same path. Why did slavery replace indentured servitude as the main form of plantation labor in the Southern colonies?

#1 Estimated Immigration, 1607–1819

To the Nearest 100 Immigrants

Years Slaves Convicts and

Prisoners

Indentured

Servants Free

1607-1699 33,200 2,300 96,600 66,300

1700-1775 278,400 52,200 103,600 151,600

1776-1809 114,600 1,000 18,300 253,900

1810-1819 7,000 0 5,300 134,300

Total Immigration

1607-1819 433,200 55,500 223,800 606,700

In Percentages

Years Slaves Convicts and

Prisoners

Indentured

Servants Free

1607-1699 17 1 49 33

1700-1775 47 9 18 26

1776-1809 30 0 5 65

1810-1819 5 0 4 91

Total Immigration

1607-1819 33 4 17 46

#2 Johann Bolzius on Slave Labor

The order of planting is the following . . . After the corn the Negroes make furrows for rice planting. A Negro man or woman must account for a quarter acre daily. On the following day the

Negroes sow and cover the rice in the furrows, and half an acre is the daily task of a Negro . . . When they are through with that, they plant beans together among the corn. At this time the children must weed out the grass in the potato patches. . . . Thereupon they start for

the first time to cultivate . . . the rice and to clean it of grass. A Negro must complete 1/4 acre daily. . . . As soon as they are through with the corn, they cultivate . . . the rice a second time.

The quality of the land determines their day's work in this. 9) Corn and rice are cultivated . . . for the third and last time. A Negro can take care of an acre and more in this work, and 1/4 an

acre of rice. Now the work on rice, corn, and beans is done. . . . Afterwards the Negroes are used for all kinds of house work, until the rice is white and ripe for cutting, and the beans are

gathered, which grow much more strongly when the corn has been bent down. The rice is cut at the end of August or in September, some of it also early in October. The pumpkins, which are also planted among the corn, are now ripening too. White beets are sown in good fertilized soil

in July and August, and during the full moon. Towards the middle of August all Negro men of 16 to 60 years must work on the public roads, to start new ones or to improve them, namely for 4

or 5 days, or according to what the government requires, and one has to send along a white man with a rifle or go oneself. At the time when the rice is cut and harvested, the beans are collected too, which task is divided among the Negroes. They gather the rice, thresh it, grind it

in wooden mills, and stamp it mornings and evenings. The corn is harvested last. During the 12 days after Christmas they plant peas, garden beans, transplant or prune trees, and plant

cabbage. Afterwards the fences are repaired, and new land is prepared for cultivating.

#3 Average Annual Value of Colonial Exports

"Average Annual Value of Colonial Exports by Region, 1768–1772," statistical table.

Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from the Upper South to Great Britain, 1768–1772

Commodity Value in Pounds Sterling

Tobacco 756,128

Grains, grain products 10,206

Iron 28,314

Wood products 9,060

Other 23,344

Total 827,052

Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from the Lower South to Great Britain, 1768–1772

Commodity Value in Pounds Sterling

Rice 198,590

Indigo 111,864

Deerskins 37,093

Naval stores 31,709

Wood products 2,520

Grains, grain products 302

Livestock, beef, pork 75

Other 11,877

Total 394,030

Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from New England to Great Britain, 1768–1772

Commodity Value in Pounds Sterling

Fish 206

Livestock, beef, pork 374

Wood products 5,983

Whale products 40,443

Potash 22,390

Grains, grain products 117

Rum 471

Other 6,991

Total 76,975

#4 Virginia Slave Law: A Slave Woman's Offspring—Virginia Slavery Act, December, 1662

Whereas some doubts have arisen whether children got by any Englishman upon a Negro woman should be slave or free, be it therefore enacted and declared by this present Grand Assembly, that all children born in this country shall be held bond or free only according to the condition of the mother; and that if any Christian shall commit fornication with a Negro man or woman, he or she so offending shall pay double the fines imposed by the former act.

#5 Virginia Slave Law: Killing a Slave—Virginia Slavery Act, 1669

Whereas the only law in force for the punishment of refractory servants resisting their master, mistress, or overseer cannot be inflicted upon Negroes, nor the obstinacy of many of them be suppressed by other than violent means, be it enacted and declared by this Grand Assembly if any slave resists his master (or other by his master's order correcting him) and by the extremity of the correction should chance to die, that his death shall not be accounted a felony, but the master (or that other person appointed by the master to punish him) be acquitted from molestation, since it cannot be presumed that premeditated malice (which alone makes murder a felony) should induce any man to destroy his own estate.

#6 Virginia Slave Law—Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Slavery Act, state law, 1705

For the better settling and preservation of estates within this dominion, . . . . II. Be it enacted, by the governor, council and burgesses of this present general assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, all negro, mulatto, and Indian slaves, in all courts of judicature, and other places, within this dominion, shall be held, taken, and adjudged, to be real estate (and not chattels;) and shall descend unto the heirs and widows of persons departing this life, according to the manner and custom of land of inheritance, held in [illegible] simple.

#7 Record of Bacon's Rebellion—"The State of Virginia" (1676)

Virginia is at this time under the greatest of Distractions, yet it hath felt since the yeare 1622, when the Indians in one Night Murthered soe many, that they left not 500 alive in ye whole Collony. At this time the Indians seeme to have conspired, as the other have done neare New England. And ye present danger of this place is the greater, because of their Discontents among themselves, which are grown to soe great a Height, for the defence of ye Country against the Indians, a Body of about 500 are in Armes, without the Commission of the Governor (who denyed one to them) setting forth a Declaration of their Dangers and their Grievances; and taking no Notice of the Proclamation sent from the Governor to forbid and suppress them. . . . they are at this time conducted by Mr. Nathaniel Bacon. . . . [Mr. Bacon and his supporters] complaine that the great Taxes are Imposed upon them every yeare, by the Poll, whereby ye poorer sort are in the hardest Condition, who having nothing but their labour to maintaine themselves, wives and children, pay as deeply to ye publike, as Hee that hath 20000 Acres. One principall occasion of these levyes is said to be the often meeting of ye Assemblys and ye very great allowances to them that serve in it as members of it. . . . By inlarging their Liberty, in declareing that all such as are born there shall bee free borne Subjects of England to all intents and purposes. . . . Although perhaps some of the richest sort will not like it, who hold greater proportions of Land then they actually plant, who may then (by an Expedient very beneficial to the Country) lay downe part of their Land to bee taken up by such as will Employ it. By which means the Country will be better inhabited, and the Kings Customes increased. And the people living nearer together, will be better enabled in their Defence against their Common Enimy the Indians. Such Considerations as these, are amongst many sober men heere, and may perhapps be worth the Considering by such as have the care of his Majesties Interests in England.

#8 Benjamin Franklin on Purchasing Slaves

Benjamin Franklin, Observations Concerning the Increasing of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c., 1755.

Why then will Americans purchase slaves? Because Slaves may be kept as long as a Man pleases, or has Occasion for their Labour; while hired Men are continually leaving their Master (often in the midst of his Business) and setting up for themselves.