1. Why did a Slave society develop in colonial Virginia?

2. Big point! The shift to a slave society was not inevitable!

3. The status of Africans in 17th century Virginia was fluid and ambiguous until the establishment of slave codes at the turn of the 18th century.

4. Problems in Virginia Problem #1: Land but no labor! Lots of land! –Available and unused, from a English perspective

5. Problems in Virginia Problem #1: Land but no labor! Lots of land! –Available and unused, from a English perspective –Landowning tied to idea of “independence” Landowners had control of their lives and livelihood

6. Problems in Virginia Problem #1: Land but no labor! Lots of land! –Available and unused, from a English perspective –Landowning was tied to idea of “independence” Landowners had control of their lives and livelihood –Landlessness equated to “dependence” A tenant was subject to the landlord

7. Problem #2: Profitable commodity but no labor Plenty of land to grow tobacco and plenty of demand in Europe

8. Problem #2: Profitable commodity but no labor Plenty of land to grow tobacco and plenty of demand in Europe –Demand pushed production 60,000 lbs., in 1620 35 million lbs., in 1700

9. Tobacco’s popularity exacerbated the labor shortage

10. Labor intensive crop

11. Tobacco’s popularity exacerbated the labor shortage Labor intensive crop Many tedious, relatively unskilled, steps –Planting –Tending –Harvesting –Drying –Packing

12. Lots of land, profitable crop, but who’s going to work it? How about using Indians? –The Spanish did!

13. Lots of land, but who’s going to work it? Indians? –The Spanish did! Didn’t work in Virginia

14. Lots of land, but who’s going to work it? Indians? –The Spanish did! Didn’t work in Virginia –Could easily run away, knew the land

15. Lots of land, but who’s going to work it? Indians? –The Spanish did! Didn’t work in Virginia –Could easily run away, knew the land –Had “military” backing, support of allies

16. Lots of land, but who’s going to work it? Indians? –The Spanish did! Didn’t work in Virginia –Could easily run away, knew the land –Had “military” backing, support of allies –Had suffered depopulation

17. Lots of land, but who’s going to work it? Indians? –The Spanish did! Didn’t work in Virginia –Could easily run away, knew the land –Had “military” backing, support of allies –Had suffered depopulation –Too dispersed No encomiendas in British America

18. A solution: Indentured Servants

19. Indentured servants An indenture, or contract, to labor in exchange for passage to America.

20. Indentured servants An indenture, or contract, to labor in exchange for passage to America. Terms ranged from four to seven years

21. Indentured servants An indenture, or contract, to labor in exchange for passage to America. Terms ranged from four to seven years Few rights, often cruel treatment

22. Why would anyone do this?

23. To escape poverty in England!

24. Domestic problems in England Population growth

25. Domestic problems in England Population growth Eviction of tenant farmers

26. Domestic problems in England Population growth Eviction of tenant farmers Growing poverty and pressure on English cities

27. Opportunity for aspiring aristocrats Headright system

28. Opportunity for aspiring aristocrats Headright system –50 acres of land for passage of laborer

29. Opportunity for aspiring aristocrats Headright system –50 acres of land for passage of laborer –Often times ship’s captains transported potential servants and sold them upon arrival

30. Keeping up with the Byrds William Byrd I –To Virginia, 1670

31. Keeping up with the Byrds William Byrd I –To Virginia, 1670 –Grandfather, a ship’s captain

32. Keeping up with the Byrds William Byrd I –To Virginia, 1670 –Grandfather, a ship’s captain –Collected a substantial amount of “good” land in Virginia through headrights

33. “Good” land went quickly Wealthy able to grab up land along waterways

34. “Good” land went quickly Wealthy able to grab up land along waterways The Byrds’ land was along the James and Potomac rivers

35. “Good” land went quickly Wealthy able to grab up land along waterways The Byrds’ land was along the James and Potomac rivers Advantage to wealthy

36. But while everything was coming up tobacco, it was not coming up roses! Problems with indentured servants

37. Runaways

38. Problems with indentured servants Runaways Rights of Englishmen limited control by masters

39. Problems with indentured servants Runaways Rights of Englishmen limited control by masters Frustration upon completion of indenture

40. Little “good” land available –Distant from waterways –On fringe of English settlement

41. Moving toward African slavery Precedent in Latin America

42. Moving toward African slavery Precedent in Latin America –Caribbean, Brazil

43. Moving toward African slavery First African slaves to Jamestown, 1619

44. African slavery Very limited for most of the 17th century

45. African slavery Very limited for most of the 17th century –More expensive than servants Perpetual servitude

46. African slavery Very limited for most of the 17th century –High mortality among field hands Rigors of work, disease Slavery was a bad investment

47. African slavery: not a foregone conclusion Up until the last decades of the 17th century, black status in Virginia was fluid.

48. African slavery: not a foregone conclusion Up until the last decades of the 17th century, black status in Virginia was fluid –Free blacks, some who owned servants!

49. African slavery: not a foregone conclusion Up until the last decades of the 17th century, black status in Virginia was fluid –Free blacks, some who owned servants! –Black indentured servants

50. African slavery: not a foregone conclusion Up until the last decades of the 17th century, black status in Virginia was fluid –Free blacks, some who owned servants! –Black indentured servants –Black slaves

51. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased longevity in colony

52. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased longevity in colony –Slavery began to make sense economically

53. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased longevity in colony –Slavery began to make sense economically Decreased supply of white servants

54. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased longevity in colony –Slavery began to make sense economically Decreased supply of white servants –Improved conditions in England

55. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased longevity in colony –Slavery began to make sense economically Decreased supply of white servants –Improved conditions in England –Other colonies (Pennsylvania, 1681)

56. Over time, slavery began to make economic sense Increased frustration of former servants –Slaves never became free!

57. When and why race-based slavery? Historians tend to agree that: –Indentured servitude as a model

58. When and why race-based slavery? Historians tend to agree that: –Indentured servitude as a model –Latin America as a model

59. When and why race-based slavery? Historians tend to agree that: –Indentured servitude as a model –Latin America as a model –Economic necessity

60. When and why race-based slavery? Historians tend to agree that: –Indentured servitude as a model –Latin America as a model –Economic necessity –African vulnerability in Virginia No rights, no support

61. When and why race-based slavery? Winthrop Jordan: prejudice/racism led to slavery –English pre-disposition toward Africans Negation of white

62. When and why race-based slavery? Winthrop Jordan: prejudice/racism led to slavery –English pre-disposition toward Africans Negation of white Deficient in religion and culture

63. When and why race-based slavery? Winthrop Jordan: prejudice/racism led to slavery –English pre-disposition toward Africans Negation of white Deficient in religion and culture –Stereotype: Africans inferior, less than human

64. Evidence: De facto slavery, 1619-1660 1640, runaway servants –Severity of punishment based on race 1646, bill of sale –term of service for “Negros” is “forever” 1648, bill of sale –Black “servants” more expensive 1660, slave code –Blacks legally defined as slaves

65. When and why race-based slavery? Jordan: –Legally defined by the 1660s –Original English prejudice reinforced and bolstered by economic need and legal definitions. Slavery by custom became slavery by law.

66. When and why race-based slavery? Edmund Morgan: slavery led to prejudice/racism –Status of blacks ambiguous until late 17th century –Lower class whites and blacks enjoyed same rights

67. Black status ambiguous, fluid Could own property Could sue, testify against, whites Could own servants Class, not race, divided 17th century Virginia

68. When and why race-based slavery? Morgan: –A calculated strategy by elite plantation owners to divide the lower class by promoting white supremacy and black inferiority

69. When and why race-based slavery? Morgan: –A calculated strategy by elite plantation owners to divide the lower class by promoting white supremacy and black inferiority –An effort to quell the growing unruliness of frustrated former servants as illustrated by Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676.

70. Slavery supported legally and socially by 1700 Africans equated with slavery

71. Slavery supported legally and socially by 1700 Africans equated with slavery –Manumission limited

72. Slavery supported legally and socially by 1700 Africans equated with slavery –Slavery and racism reinforced each other blacks are slaves so must be inferior, since they are inferior, it is proper that they be slaves