Slavery in the English Colonies

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Although, Slavery had existed for centuries as a lowest social status in different parts of the world like Africa, Roman Empire, Middle East and etc., in English colonies slavery gained an importance, because of increasing demand for labor force and becoming relationship legitimated by law. Therefore, Englishmen were the reason of slavery in the colonies and its consequences.

In the beginning of 17 century a group of merchants established first permanent English colonies in North America at Jamestown, Virginia. Englishmen expected to find gold. Moreover, Virginia Company offered 50 acres of land everyone who journeying to Virginia. They wanted to attract many people to expand their possessions in colony. Determinant factor in the migration of Englishmen was the presence of tobacco plantations. Tobacco plantations need a big amount labor force. Therefore, Englishmen needed a constant labor force. In 1619 some Africans arrived in America, to labor in the tobacco field in Chesapeake .Possibly they came as bound servants like Antonio . By working for several years on the Bennett plantation he legally gained freedom. During this time he married to Mary, another African. After gaining freedom they choose last name, Johnson, to approve their social status. Furthermore, the Johnson owned 250 acres, a small herd, cattle and 2 black servants. However, in 1640 Virginia forbade blacks, free or bound, to carry firearms . The amount of slaves increased in 1671 when about 30000 slaves arrived in English barbarous. In the next decade black slave labor became main constitute part of labor force. There are several facts which conduce to this. First, increasing commercial role of England in slave trade, this allowed southern landowners to buy s...

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...ssued due to stop white people to interact with Negro. According to Virginia laws “Any white people marrying to slave, whatever black or mulatto must pay fine 10 pounds and incarceration about 6 months” .Slaves became used as a property, all their privileges disappeared. According to Virginia laws “All horses, domesticated animals, cattle and hogs were appropriated by church” . Slaves were restricted from society by these laws and gradually deprived of all rights.

Concluding my paper, I would like to mention that in English colonies slavery had the worst conditions ever. The enslavement of any group, dehumanization, strict control and justifications of brutality are horrible things and they affected both white and black people today. Even blacks today are not slaves; they still suffer in other ways, realizing that same black skinned were oppressed in past.

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