Description
all instructions provided and a previous case study to base the journal entry question on.
Unformatted Attachment Preview
1
Option 2 Slavery vs. Indentured Servitude
Roni-Marie Poidamoni
Chamberlain University
November 2, 2023
Professor Muir
2
Explain how and why slavery developed in the American colonies.
The institution of slavery in the American colonies emerged as a pivotal element of the
Atlantic economy, mainly through its integration into the triangular trade. Its genesis can be
traced back to various factors, including economic, geographical, and social dynamics (Phillips
& Sandy, 2021). The need for labor-intensive cultivation of cash crops such as tobacco, rice, and,
later, cotton demanded a large and controllable workforce. European settlers initially relied on
indentured servants who were essentially volunteers in servitude for a predetermined period in
exchange for passage to America. However, this labor strategy proved unsustainable as the
demand for labor grew, and mortality rates among the servants decreased, lengthening their
terms of service. Besides, the profitability of cash crops like tobacco in the Chesapeake and rice
and indigo in the Southern colonies made slavery an attractive system for colonists (Phillips &
Sandy, 2021). The grueling work and harsh conditions on plantations necessitated a resilient
labor force; enslaved Africans were subjected to brutal conditions during the Middle Passage and
were thus perceived as more durable for labor in the colonies.
Describe in what ways the practice of slavery was different between each colonial region in
British North America.
The practice of slavery in British North America exhibited pronounced regional
variations. The disparities were mainly shaped by the distinct economic, geographic, and cultural
landscapes of the colonies (Justin, 2017). In the Chesapeake colonies, such as Virginia and
Maryland, slavery was primarily associated with tobacco cultivation. The plantation system here
necessitated a large, stable labor force, and as tobacco cultivation was labor-intensive, the
demand for enslaved laborers grew exponentially. The Chesapeake planters leaned heavily on
3
slave labor, which resulted in a demographic shift wherein enslaved Africans constituted a
significant portion of the population.
In stark contrast, the New England colonies employed slavery on a much smaller scale
due to the predominance of small-scale farming, commerce, and industry. Enslaved people in
New England often worked as domestic servants, artisans, or in shipyards, reflecting the
diversified economy of the region (Justin, 2017). The smaller number of enslaved people and the
variety of tasks they performed allowed for a different social dynamic, where enslaved people
were more integrated into the community, albeit still at the lowest social stratum.
In the Deep South, particularly South Carolina and Georgia, the plantation system was
most extreme, with vast plantations growing rice, indigo, and, later, cotton. Crops farmed in the
region were particularly demanding in terms of labor and suited to the harsh climate of the South
(Justin, 2017). The slave population in the Deep South, therefore, expanded more rapidly due to
both the importation of slaves and the natural increase. Slavery in the region further blossomed
due to the social and legal systems aimed to protect the practice (Justin, 2017). Precisely, the
legal procedures were drafted to protect the farmers’ interests while preventing possible rebellion
by the enslaved communities.
Analyze the differences between slaves and indentured servants.
The disparities between the two groups are manifested in areas of legal status, the
duration of service, racial underpinnings, and the potential for social mobility—a contractual
agreement characterized by indentured servitude. In the contract, individuals, primarily from
Europe, committed to work for a colonist for a specified number of years in exchange for
passage to the Americas (LaVeist et al., 2019). The individuals may also have been promised
land or money upon completion of their term. The service period for the individuals was mainly
4
four to seven years, after which they were granted freedom and status just like the other citizens
of the American colonies.
Slavery, on the other hand, was an involuntary condition of bondage where individuals
mainly from West Africa were taken against their will into the American colonies to work for
free. Unlike indentured servants, slaves had no prospect of freedom after a set number of years.
Besides, children born of slaves automatically became slaves, which created a concept of a
renewed workforce (LaVeist et al., 2019). Slaves were considered property and less than humans
and could be sold, bought, given away, or exchanged. The dehumanization extended to a
complete denial of any familial or cultural ties, as slave codes typically prohibited education,
marriage, and the formation of family bonds that might supersede loyalty to the master.
5
References
Justin, R. (2017). The development of slavery in the British Americas. The World of Colonial
America, 123–149. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315767000-9
LaVeist, T. A., Fullilove, M., & Fullilove, R. (2019). 400 years of inequality since Jamestown of
1619. American Journal of Public Health, 109(1), 83–84.
https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2018.304824
Phillips, G., & Sandy, L. (2021). Slavery and the “American way of war,” 1607–1861.
Comparative Studies in Society and History, 63(4), 825–850.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0010417521000268
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
