Slavery In South Carolina Summary

Eighteenth Century Capitalism and the Rise of Forced Labor As trade began to globalize during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, commodities from China, India, the Middle East, Africa, and North America grew in value and popularity in England. Similarly, preferences among the English determined the kinds of goods produced in other parts of the world (Hewitt and Lawson 75). Indigo, in particular, was not only one of the most profitable cash crops in the southern English colonies, but it was also the most labor-intensive. Unable to keep up with the demands, plantation owners began to shift from a primarily indentured workforce to enslavement of Africans- ensuring a steady supply of workers. Without slave labor, America would

In his 1962 essay, The Legal Status of the Slave in South Carolina, 1670-1740, Eugene Sirmans explains how the government of South Carolina adopted numerous slave codes taken directly from the island of Barbados (Hewitt and Lawson eLearn). In particular, Sirmans describes the South Carolina slave code of 1696 in which legislators intended to keep firmer control of slaves because they had “barbarous, wild, savage Natures” and were “naturally prone and inclined” to “Disorders, Rapines, and Inhumanity” (eLearn 466). These intensely racist legislations sought to maintain white supremacy over blacks by reducing an entire race of people to a group of uncontrollable savages. In doing this, they deprived black men and women of their humanity and their dignity. As if that was not bad enough, these slave codes began to define the status of African slaves as nothing more than “chattel” or personal property. As these slave codes became more accepted by the general public, they inevitably dug deep holes in the lives of African slaves, stirring up feelings of profound

Slave labor was the driving force behind economic expansion and Capitalistic opportunities that made a lucky few extremely rich. The government embraced the concept of a free-market seeing as taxes poured in from businesses both big and small. In addition, as Barbara Solow indicated in her 1987 essay, Capitalism and Slavery in the Exceedingly Long Run, “Without slavery, labor could never be a capital asset because free labor could only be rented” (eLearn 716). This passage highlights the true value of slaves to their owners as assets. However the true value of assets, as is true even in today’s economy, comes from their potential to generate wealth. Undoubtedly, slaves’ vast knowledge of agriculture made them the most important asset to a Capitalist economy. In essence, the institution of slavery made