Slavery in North America

Slavery in the North American colonies was a major growing industry from 1607 to 1776. When settlers first made the journey to America and started using slaves, it was not near as popular as it soon would be. Eventually, slavery in America would become an economic powerhouse for the variable cash crops of the many plantations in America. Slavery was a strong industry and it was extremely useful in order to make profits in America. Slavery grew substantially from its origins and developed immensely in the Colonies from 1607 all the way to America’s declaration of independence in 1776. When settlements and colonies were first emerging in America, slaves were not yet being used. Before there was slavery in the American Colonies, there was indentured servitude. In 1676, Nathanial Bacon and other indentured servants rebelled against William Berkley (governor of Virginia) in Bacon’s Rebellion, soon after this incident, plantation owners turned to the black Africans. At the time, Africans were being traded for rum, and as a result, were shipped to the Caribbean and Sugar islands. The American colonies saw this as an advantage to slavery, and in the year 1619, the first African slaves arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. Cash crops increasingly began to strengthen the economy and finally, the population saw the advantages of slavery compared to that of indentured servitude. The African slaves were used for cash crops such as rice, sugar, and tobacco. As a result, the economies of England and America flourished. Due to the English’s belief in racial superiority, African slavery will remain in America for quite some time. The delights of slavery and making a profit only enhanced the use of slavery in the Colonies. In 1661, the Barbados slave codes were passed which essentially indicated that slaves have no rights at all and that the slave owners could treat the slaves however they preferred simply because the slaves were their property. Soon after came the 1st Great