African Influence in North America
How did Africans change the culture and economy of North America?
The Introduction of Slavery
Slavery was introduced into North America because as large farms and plantations were established in the English colonies, the landowners needed workers to help to plant and harvest cash crops. At first they tried to enslave the Native Americans. However, this created tension between the colonists and the Native Americans. The Native Americans also knew the land so well they were able to easily escape.
Slavery was introduced into North America because as large farms and plantations were established in the English colonies, the landowners needed workers to help to plant and harvest cash crops. At first they tried to enslave the Native Americans. However, this created tension between the colonists and the Native Americans. The Native Americans also knew the land so well they were able to easily escape.
Indentured Servants
Indentured servants were brought from England and had a significant impact on the colonies. They came to the new world because colonists continued to need workers to help in planting and harvesting cash crops, such as tobacco and rice. Poor people from England came to the colonies for a couple of reasons. Some people had been displaced from their land in England and needed work, or others wanted a better or changed life in a different place. The colonists and indentured servants signed a contract in which they agreed that the servant would work for the land owners for a certain amount of years in exchange for food, clothing, shelter, and most importantly passage to the New World. The landowners were able to secure more land because they paid the passage of the indentured servants. Often the landowner didn’t live up to the contract and abused and mistreated the indentured servant. The indentured servants hoped that once their time of indenture was over, they would have the opportunity to own their own land. Once they were free, many moved to the backcountry of the colonies in order to claim their land. When the number of potential indentured servants was no longer enough to fill the need for fieldworkers, colonists turned to using slave labor from Africa.
Indentured servants were brought from England and had a significant impact on the colonies. They came to the new world because colonists continued to need workers to help in planting and harvesting cash crops, such as tobacco and rice. Poor people from England came to the colonies for a couple of reasons. Some people had been displaced from their land in England and needed work, or others wanted a better or changed life in a different place. The colonists and indentured servants signed a contract in which they agreed that the servant would work for the land owners for a certain amount of years in exchange for food, clothing, shelter, and most importantly passage to the New World. The landowners were able to secure more land because they paid the passage of the indentured servants. Often the landowner didn’t live up to the contract and abused and mistreated the indentured servant. The indentured servants hoped that once their time of indenture was over, they would have the opportunity to own their own land. Once they were free, many moved to the backcountry of the colonies in order to claim their land. When the number of potential indentured servants was no longer enough to fill the need for fieldworkers, colonists turned to using slave labor from Africa.
Triangular Trade
Slaves were brought to North America through triangular trade. Trade routes followed patterns depending on the demand of exporting and importing goods. The routes were taken between North American colonies, Europe, Africa, and West Indies. For example, on one route sugar was purchased in the West Indies and transported to New England to be made into rum. The rum was then shipped to Africa to be exchanged for slaves. The slaves were then taken to the West Indies and sold or exchanged for sugar cane. The sugar was taken back to New England to produce more rum and the cycle continued. Cash crops grown in the English colonies like rice, tobacco, and indigo, were sold in Europe in exchange for manufactured goods that could not be produced in the colonies. This was known as mercantilism – the belief in the benefits of profitable trading.
Slaves were brought to North America through triangular trade. Trade routes followed patterns depending on the demand of exporting and importing goods. The routes were taken between North American colonies, Europe, Africa, and West Indies. For example, on one route sugar was purchased in the West Indies and transported to New England to be made into rum. The rum was then shipped to Africa to be exchanged for slaves. The slaves were then taken to the West Indies and sold or exchanged for sugar cane. The sugar was taken back to New England to produce more rum and the cycle continued. Cash crops grown in the English colonies like rice, tobacco, and indigo, were sold in Europe in exchange for manufactured goods that could not be produced in the colonies. This was known as mercantilism – the belief in the benefits of profitable trading.
The Middle Passage
The part of the slave’s journey aboard the ship between Africa and North America is known as the Middle Passage. Africans were kidnapped by other tribes in Africa and were marched from their homes in the interior of Africa to the coast of West Africa. There, they boarded the slave ships where they were traded or sold to the ship’s captain. The ship’s captain then held them there until they could fill the cargo hold of the ship. If they even survived this part of the journey, then they had to endure the most horrible part - the Middle Passage. The Middle Passage refers to the inhumane conditions aboard the ships. Since the slave trade was conducted for profit, the ship captains of the slave ships tried to deliver a maximum number of slaves for minimum cost. Africans were imprisoned as cargo in a tight, dark and dirty space below the ship’s deck. They received little food and exercise while abroad the slave ship. Many slaves did not survive the Middle Passage.
The part of the slave’s journey aboard the ship between Africa and North America is known as the Middle Passage. Africans were kidnapped by other tribes in Africa and were marched from their homes in the interior of Africa to the coast of West Africa. There, they boarded the slave ships where they were traded or sold to the ship’s captain. The ship’s captain then held them there until they could fill the cargo hold of the ship. If they even survived this part of the journey, then they had to endure the most horrible part - the Middle Passage. The Middle Passage refers to the inhumane conditions aboard the ships. Since the slave trade was conducted for profit, the ship captains of the slave ships tried to deliver a maximum number of slaves for minimum cost. Africans were imprisoned as cargo in a tight, dark and dirty space below the ship’s deck. They received little food and exercise while abroad the slave ship. Many slaves did not survive the Middle Passage.
African Culture in the Colonies
African slaves were brought to North America because landowners needed fieldworkers for their farms and plantations. The slaves that survived the Middle Passage were brought in mainly through the port in Charleston, South Carolina. The slaves’ hard work had a profound impact on the economy and the culture of the colonies. Africans brought with them their own culture, skills, and languages, such as the Gullah culture. Africans were knowledgeable about raising livestock and farming techniques needed to cultivate rice in the colonies. This made the rice plantations of South Carolina profitable. Without African skills and labor, the economy of the Southern colonies would not have developed these cash crops.
African slaves were brought to North America because landowners needed fieldworkers for their farms and plantations. The slaves that survived the Middle Passage were brought in mainly through the port in Charleston, South Carolina. The slaves’ hard work had a profound impact on the economy and the culture of the colonies. Africans brought with them their own culture, skills, and languages, such as the Gullah culture. Africans were knowledgeable about raising livestock and farming techniques needed to cultivate rice in the colonies. This made the rice plantations of South Carolina profitable. Without African skills and labor, the economy of the Southern colonies would not have developed these cash crops.
Africans also impacted the cooking styles of the southern colonies, and later the United States. Slaves often prepared meals for themselves and the slave owners. They introduced more variety in preparation than stewing and spit-roasting. They added greens and other vegetables to the plantation owners’ meats and starch diets, thus improving the health of slave owners and colonists. Since Africans came from different tribal groups and spoke no English when arriving in the colonies, some developed dialects such as Gullah. Gullah was a spoken language of Africans that developed in the Sea Islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. Other customs such as making sea grass baskets and music were important to the slaves in bringing a piece of their African culture into the new world. Slave owners began to feel threatened by this growing population of slaves. Slave owners then decided to implement slave codes to regulate the behavior of slaves in the colonies.
Some slaves in the north were able to work additional jobs in order to purchase their freedom. A child born to a mother in slavery would become a slave. However, if a mother’s freedom was purchased, then her children would also become free. Many free Africans found work in the north as artisans and apprentices. Later, some slaves would fight in the American Revolution in hopes of receiving freedom in return for fighting for the colonies.
Documents
4-2.3_african_influence_in_north_america_iet.pdf |
4-2.3_african_influence_in_north_america_iet.docx |
Sources
Text: ed.sc.gov
Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/James_Hopkinsons_Plantation_Slaves_Planting_Sweet_Potatoes.jpg
Image 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Indenturecertificate.jpg
Image 3: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Triangle_trade2.png
Image 4: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Description_of_a_slave_slip_by_anonymous_ wood_engraving_1789.jpg/226px-Description_of_a_slave_slip_by_anonymous_wood_engraving_1789.jpg
Image 5: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Gullah_s_carolina_1790.jpg
Image 6: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Sweetgrass_Baskets.jpg
Text: ed.sc.gov
Image 1: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/James_Hopkinsons_Plantation_Slaves_Planting_Sweet_Potatoes.jpg
Image 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Indenturecertificate.jpg
Image 3: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Triangle_trade2.png
Image 4: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Description_of_a_slave_slip_by_anonymous_ wood_engraving_1789.jpg/226px-Description_of_a_slave_slip_by_anonymous_wood_engraving_1789.jpg
Image 5: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Gullah_s_carolina_1790.jpg
Image 6: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Sweetgrass_Baskets.jpg