What Role Did Agriculture Play In Colonial America

In colonial America the economies of the northern and southern states varied drastically. While agriculture played a large role in the northern economy, there was also money to be made as a craftsman or manufacturer. Of course this does not involve the mass production of today’s society, but rather one at a time production that makes every item unique. These items are then sold in marketplaces by merchants and traders. However, the economic activity in the colonial south had no sense of craftsmanship or manufacturing. The southern economy focused solely on agriculture. Most citizens in the south were small scale farmers, growing what they need and then selling a little extra on the side. However, wealthy individuals in the south began large
The Davis’ were hoping to rent the services of twelve individuals but it seemed as if they were struggling to get to that number. Part of the reason was the competition amongst buyers and also a relatively low quantity of slaves being rented. James writes that there were few to hire at the court house but also that while on his way to Orange Ct. House to hire Blacksmith John he was informed he had already been purchased3. This was what limited the profits that could be made by the slaves’ owners. Working on these new industrial machines, whether making things with iron for the Davis’ or for other purposes, required a particular skill set and many slaves did not have the required skills. As a result, the number of slaves the slave owners were able to rent out was small in comparison to the number of slaves in their
Renting slaves to local shop and factory owners when possible still appears to be a smart tactic for slave owners. First of all, the slave owners receive pay for providing labor to craftsmen such as the Davis’. According to the James’ letter the cheapest slave rented was $75 and the most expensive was $190; however, it appears most of the other slaves that were rented cost around $100 . That does not sound like much in today’s society but $100 in 1856 is the equivalent to $2,711.56 in 2016 . If a slave owner has multiple slaves he is willing and able to rent during the off months he can quickly receive a large payday and lose nothing in return. Furthermore, there is more to consider other than the initial influx of cash from the sale. When a plantation owner rents out his slaves in the off months the slave temporarily becomes the responsibility of the man who rented the slave. Therefore, the renter is now responsible for the well being of the slave. The Davis’ are responsible for keeping the slaves they rent clothed, sheltered, and fed. The slave owners not only received payment for their slaves’ services but also did not have to pay for the basic necessities the slaves