Background Slavery in the colonial United States

while knew spanish , portuguese slave trading, british did not implement slave labor in americas until 17th century. british travelers fascinated dark-skinned people found in west africa, , sought create mythologies situated these new human beings in view of cosmos.

the first africans arrive in england came voluntarily john lok (an ancestor of famous philosopher john locke) in 1555. lok intended teach them english in order facilitate trading of material goods. model gave way slave trade initiated john hawkins, captured 300 africans , sold them spanish. blacks in england subordinate did not have legal status of chattel slaves.

in 1607, england established jamestown first permanent colony on north american continent. tobacco became chief crop of colony, due efforts of john rolfe in 1611. once became clear tobacco going drive jamestown colony, more labor needed. british aristocracy needed find labor force work on plantations in americas. major possibilities indentured servants britain, native americans, , west africans. during time, off north american mainland, barbados became english colony in 1624 , caribbean s jamaica in 1655. these , other caribbean colonies became center of wealth , focus of slave trade growing english empire.

towards indigenous americans, english entertained 2 lines of thought simultaneously. because these people lighter skinned, seen more european , therefore candidates civilization. @ same time, because occupying land desired colonial powers, beginning, targets of potential military attack.

at first, indentured servants used needed labor. these servants provided 7 years of service in exchange having trip jamestown paid in jamestown. once 7 years over, indentured servant free live in jamestown regular citizen. however, colonists began see indentured servants costly, , in 1619, dutch traders brought first african slaves jamestown, nonetheless in north america @ first treated indentured servants.

several colonial colleges held enslaved people , relied on captives operate.