Indentured Servitude to Racialized Slavery
Indentured Servitude
17th century, tobacco in Virginia was thriving, but little labor was available.
Indentured servitude was a way for people to passage over to the colonies.
Virginia had a reputation of little food and hard times.
2/3 of English settlers came to Virginia as indentured servants.
Indentured servants started to populate the colonies and landowners would pay for people to come to their land to work for them from about 7-5 years.
They would need permission from owners similarly to enslaved people (marriage)
They could earn plots of land from owners, but not everyone gets it because of the unclear policies.
Foner Jamestown Reading
Only those who were either taxpayers or "freemen" were allowed to vote in Penn. The advertisement of their colony attracted all in western Europe.
The surplus of indentured servants had negative effects on Pennsylvania as they had disputes with Native Americans. The fewer indentured servants in Maryland and Virginia caused the reliance towards slave labor.
Slave labor started to grow in demand as they served more pros compared to indentured servants. They were easier to dissociate from society and were more reliant in terms of service and resistance to diseases.
How during this time, the English were extremely "racist" towards the alien peoples by dividing them from society and calling them names. However, the idea of racism never fully developed during this time.
The propaganda against Africans grew as they were isolated in almost everything. Native Americans ran away due to decline in population and they seemed less valuable/useful towards the Atlantic colonies.
Slavery has been prevalent in human history since the beginning. Though in the colonies, the Native Americans were involved in small-scale slavery, the slavery in the New World differed greatly.
Slavery was plantation based as it was all overlooked by a single owner. It was more demanding as it had to be strictly policed and slave deaths increased. Slavery became associated with race and divided the whites and blacks.
Slavery became popular as the colonies convinced themselves that it was the best way to solve their labor problems. Slave shipping became popular internationally.
Slavery seemed to be the only form of labor for the colonies as other options failed to work. Massive importation began and slavery then became the biggest factor to the colony's economy.
As sugar grew in demand in western Europe, they focused more on western colonization rather than Eastern trades. Social distinction grew more distinct as the social norms changed. English North American slavery in more repressive compared to Spaniards in which slaves could obtain freedom.
The ability for slave to gain freedom started easily before it became more strict. Some slaves were able to gain freedom after serving for a number of years, free blacks could sue and testify in court as well as obtain land, slaves, and servants. Many times blacks and whites worked together in labor and escaping.
To appeal to western European public, authorities diverged the conditions of the black and white servants. They improved white status' while limiting the freedom for blacks.
More laws began to appear as they tried harder to limit the amount of freedom slaves could obtain. There was no mixed class but only a distinct divide between whites and blacks.
Slave labor was more preferred to indentured servitude as it was cheaper, death rates fell, and trading of slaves became more profitable.
Slavery became more restricting as the slave code of 1705 created a more oppressive society for slaves. They were lowered greatly in status and no longer had similar rights to indentured servants and whites.
Slaves began to run away in desire for freedom and resistance of bondage. Advertisements went out for runaway slaves and authorities warned planters to be more vigilant to prevent the slaves from escaping.