The Colonies Come of Age Chapter 3. The Agricultural South Chapter 3 section 2.

The Colonies Come of The Colonies Come of AgeAge

Chapter 3Chapter 3

The Agricultural The Agricultural SouthSouth

Chapter 3 section 2Chapter 3 section 2

A Plantation A Plantation Economy Economy

arisesarises

Since the James Town Colony, the Southern colonists Since the James Town Colony, the Southern colonists staked their livelihood on the fertile soil from the staked their livelihood on the fertile soil from the Chesapeake region to Georgia. Chesapeake region to Georgia.

Many farmers had a single Many farmers had a single cash crop cash crop – one – one grown primarily for sale rather grown primarily for sale rather than for the farmers own use. than for the farmers own use. Tobacco was a favorite cash crop for Tobacco was a favorite cash crop for Maryland, Virginia, and North CarolinaMaryland, Virginia, and North Carolina

In the In the SouthSouth, , plantations developed instead of towns. plantations developed instead of towns. Plantation owners made most Plantation owners made most of what they needed on their properties. They didn’t need shops and markets.of what they needed on their properties. They didn’t need shops and markets.

There were some cities in the South Charles Town (There were some cities in the South Charles Town (Charleston, South Charleston, South CarolinaCarolina), became ), became one of the most thriving ports in the British Empire.one of the most thriving ports in the British Empire.

Life in the Southern SocietyLife in the Southern Society Not all people prospered Not all people prospered

under the plantation under the plantation system.system.

Large numbers of Large numbers of European immigrants European immigrants came to North America came to North America during the 1700’s.during the 1700’s.

In the South, Germans In the South, Germans came and raise grain, came and raise grain, livestock, and tobacco.livestock, and tobacco.

Many Scots and Many Scots and Scottish Irish Scottish Irish came into North came into North Carolina. These Carolina. These people became people became known as small known as small farmers. They farmers. They made up the made up the majority of the majority of the South’s South’s population.population.

It was the big plantation owners who controlled the It was the big plantation owners who controlled the South’s economy, political, and social institutions. By South’s economy, political, and social institutions. By the mid 1700’s many Southerners were doing well.the mid 1700’s many Southerners were doing well.

The The Role of Role of WomenWomen

Women were Women were second second class citizens class citizens in both in both the North and the the North and the South. South. Few legal or Few legal or social rights. Couldn’t social rights. Couldn’t vote, couldn’t preachvote, couldn’t preach. . Daughters of wealthy Daughters of wealthy southern planters southern planters were were taught only the taught only the basics of reading, basics of reading, writing, and writing, and arithmeticarithmetic..

The The Role of Role of WomenWomen

Average Average Southern Southern fixed fixed dinnerdinner

Slaughtered Slaughtered pigspigs

Milked cowsMilked cows SewedSewed Washed clothesWashed clothes Tended the Tended the

gardengarden Cleaned the Cleaned the

househouse

The Role of WomenThe Role of Women

Plantation women Plantation women had servants to do had servants to do all those thingsall those things..

Indentured ServantsIndentured Servants

Mostly white men Mostly white men who escaped prison who escaped prison or poverty in or poverty in England for a England for a limited time of limited time of servitude in North servitude in North America.America.

They did not have They did not have many rights in many rights in bondage.bondage.

Many died.Many died. After there service After there service

they went to the they went to the western outskirts of western outskirts of the Southern the Southern colonies and tried colonies and tried to survive.to survive.

Indentured ServantsIndentured Servants

After 1630, they After 1630, they made between ½ made between ½ and 2/3 of all and 2/3 of all immigrants.immigrants.

Their numbers Their numbers declined by 1700.declined by 1700.

As the work force As the work force became harder to became harder to come by, the come by, the plantation owners plantation owners turned to African turned to African Slaves.Slaves.

The Evolution of SlaveryThe Evolution of Slavery

In the early In the early colonial days, colonial days, the English the English tried to get tried to get the Native the Native Americans to Americans to work for work for them. Native them. Native Americans Americans escaped into escaped into the woods the woods though.though.

Without the Without the Indians and Indians and the lack of the lack of indentured indentured servants servants coming in the coming in the colonists colonists turned to the turned to the Africans.Africans.

Many people did Many people did not have problems not have problems about subjecting about subjecting Africans to a life of Africans to a life of servitude, for they servitude, for they thought of them as thought of them as inferior.inferior.

They also thought They also thought they were capable they were capable of handling the of handling the demands of demands of plantation labor in plantation labor in hot climates.hot climates.

In 1690, 13,000 In 1690, 13,000 slaves in Southslaves in South

In 1750, 200,000 In 1750, 200,000 slaves in Southslaves in South

Before the Before the English began English began bringing in bringing in slavesslaves toto the the colonies, they colonies, they had been using had been using them in them in Jamaica and Jamaica and Barbados on Barbados on sugar sugar plantationsplantations..

In 1690, on In 1690, on Barbados, the Barbados, the slave slave population was population was 60,000.60,000.

The white The white population was population was 20,000.20,000.

During the 17During the 17thth century, Africans became part of the triangular century, Africans became part of the triangular trade network. In the trade network. In the Triangular trade Triangular trade process: process: merchants carried merchants carried rum and other goods from New England to Africa; in Africa they rum and other goods from New England to Africa; in Africa they traded merchandise for enslaved people, whom they transported traded merchandise for enslaved people, whom they transported to the West Indies and sold for sugar and molasses; these goods to the West Indies and sold for sugar and molasses; these goods were then shipped to New England to be distilled into rum.were then shipped to New England to be distilled into rum.

The The voyage that brought Africans to the West Indies and voyage that brought Africans to the West Indies and later to North America later to North America was known as the was known as the Middle PassageMiddle Passage, , because it was considered the middle leg of the because it was considered the middle leg of the transatlantic trade network.transatlantic trade network.

The Middle The Middle PassagePassage

The experience was long and awful for the Africans.The experience was long and awful for the Africans.1.1. First they were branded for identification.First they were branded for identification.2.2. They were packed into the dark holds of long ships.They were packed into the dark holds of long ships.3.3. They had to smell vomit and waste the whole trip.They had to smell vomit and waste the whole trip.

The African Slave Trade, 1440 - 1867

CommentsCaption: "Goree, or Slave-Stick." Livingstone does not appear to describe this "slave stick," but a French naval officer, in the Angola region in the late eighteenth century, describes how slave traders used "a forked branch which opens exactly to the size of a neck so the head can't pass through it. The forked branch is pierced with two holes so that an iron pin comes across the neck of the slave . . ., so that the smallest movement is sufficient to stop him and even to strangle him . . ." (see LCP-12 on this website; also, PRO-4, Mariners09). The term "Goree" refers to Goree Island (in present-day Senegal), from which French slavers embarked captured Africans.

SourceDavid and Charles Livingstone, Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and its Tributaries; and of the

Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa, 1858-1864 (London, 1865, p. 125)

Olaudah EquianoOlaudah Equiano

““the closeness of the place, and the the closeness of the place, and the heat of the climate, added to the heat of the climate, added to the number in the ship, which was so number in the ship, which was so crowded that each had scarcely room to crowded that each had scarcely room to turn himself, almost suffocated us. This turn himself, almost suffocated us. This produced copious perspirations, so that produced copious perspirations, so that the air soon became unfit for respiration the air soon became unfit for respiration from a variety of loathsome smells, and from a variety of loathsome smells, and brought sickness among the slaves, of brought sickness among the slaves, of which many died.”which many died.”

The Middle The Middle PassagePassage

Many Many slaves died slaves died of disease of disease along the along the way.way.

Many Many committed committed suicide by suicide by jumping jumping overboard.overboard.

Up to 20% Up to 20% of almost of almost every ship every ship failed to failed to make it to make it to the the Americas.Americas.

Slavery in the SouthSlavery in the South

80% to 90% of 80% to 90% of slaves went on to slaves went on to work the fields.work the fields.

On plantations, On plantations, slaves were ordered slaves were ordered around by field around by field bosses.bosses.

On small farms, On small farms, slaves usually slaves usually worked alongside worked alongside farmers.farmers.

Slavery in the SouthSlavery in the South

10% to 20% of 10% to 20% of slaves worked slaves worked in the housein the house of of their owner.their owner.

They cooked, They cooked, cleaned, and cleaned, and raised the raised the masters masters childrenchildren..

Slavery in the SouthSlavery in the South

Other slaves Other slaves developed skills as developed skills as carpenters, carpenters, bricklayers, and bricklayers, and blacksmiths.blacksmiths.

These slaves were These slaves were often rented out.often rented out.

For slaves, full time For slaves, full time work began about at work began about at age 12, and went on till age 12, and went on till very old age or death.very old age or death.

Slaves that were Slaves that were disobedient were often disobedient were often whipped.whipped.

In Virginia, if a slave In Virginia, if a slave owner beat his slave to owner beat his slave to death, it was not death, it was not considered murder if considered murder if the beating was being the beating was being given out as a given out as a punishment.punishment.

Culture Culture and and

FamilyFamily

Slaves wove baskets and made pottery as they had done Slaves wove baskets and made pottery as they had done back in Africa. They kept musical traditions and told back in Africa. They kept musical traditions and told stories about their ancestors. Because families were torn stories about their ancestors. Because families were torn apart, the slaves created new families with the people apart, the slaves created new families with the people they lived with. If a parent were sold, other slaves would they lived with. If a parent were sold, other slaves would fill the role.fill the role.

African influence remained particularly strong in African influence remained particularly strong in South South Carolina and GeorgiaCarolina and Georgia. Many of the slaves that came here . Many of the slaves that came here had experience with growing rice. had experience with growing rice. RiceRice soon soon became the became the main cash crop. main cash crop. Many of these slaves came from the Many of these slaves came from the same region in South Africa.same region in South Africa.

The Ring ShoutThe Ring Shout Many Africans continued to practice a Many Africans continued to practice a

religious dance known as the ring religious dance known as the ring shout.shout.

This dance paid tribute to the This dance paid tribute to the ancestors and gods of the slaves.ancestors and gods of the slaves.

It involved loud chants and quick, It involved loud chants and quick, circular steps.circular steps.

White colonists tried to stop it, but it White colonists tried to stop it, but it endured.endured.

Resistance and RevoltResistance and Revolt

Many Africans Many Africans resisted by:resisted by:

Faking illnessFaking illness Breaking toolsBreaking tools And slowing down And slowing down

on workon work Some slaves Some slaves

revolted.revolted.

Because of slave Because of slave resistance and resistance and revolts…revolts…

The southern The southern colonists created the colonists created the Negro ActNegro Act to enforce to enforce laws against the laws against the slaves. Slaves were slaves. Slaves were no longer able to no longer able to grow their own food, grow their own food, assemble, earn assemble, earn money, or learn to money, or learn to read.read.

Running AwayRunning Away

Some slaves Some slaves ran off to ran off to live with live with Native Native Americans Americans tribes.tribes.

Between Between 1736 and 1736 and 1801, 1,279 1801, 1,279 slaves took slaves took flight.flight.

Why not in Why not in the Norththe North

The The northnorth depended more on depended more on commerce than on commerce than on agricultureagriculture..