Slavery and the Color Line

Why Africans?Slavery developed quickly to farm cash cropsVirginians outnumbered, unlike Columbus

couldn’t use Indians for slavesWhite servants had contracts that expired

Easily Controlled?Journey

Interior capture, long marchCages on CoastShip packing

Perhaps 50 million African deaths

Before Slavery was an InstitutionDifferent racial classes for servantsDifferent rights for black servants

LawsDifferent sentencesSevere interracial punishment

Allies that could have beenBlack and white servants found similarities

WorkEnemy (master)Behavior

Is Racism natural?Portrayal of God and Jesus in Christian faithWord Black

Virginia – a Case StudyYears added to servants who ran away with

slaves Banishment for any intermarriage

Virginia – a Case StudySlave profit of $257 per year

$12-$14 per year for food, lodging1700 – 6000 slaves (1/12 of pop.)1763 – 120,000 slaves (1/2 of pop.)

EscapeLaws preventing “consultation of Negroes”If slave does not return anyone may kill themIf caught, court-ordered dismembermentMost were searching for family

Psychological Break DownHard LaborBreak up familiesLulling effect of religionDisunity among slaves

House vs. Field NegroOverseer

Stono20 slaves killed warehouse guardsTook weapons, headed south killing and

burning, setting slaves freeEventually force of 100 put down by militia

Revolts250 known instances where at least 10 slaves

revoltedOften w/ white servants involved

White servantsTreated poorlyCommon to run away, steal, drink, have

relations

Virginian Solution1705 – Proclamation that all white men were

superior to blacks,Offered white benefits

FoodGunsMoneyLand upon end of servitude