How Did Slavery Occur

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Recommended: Introduction of the chesapeake colony

When did slavery become firmly established as a labor system (as opposed to indentured servitude) ? Why did this switch to black slavery occur?

Slavery’s main purpose was to provide a labor force, and John Ralph said the first twenty slaves in Chesapeake arrived in late August of 1619 (P3). The slaves most likely became part as the labor system as soon as they arrived. Slavery probably gained popularity throughout the colonies at different times, and the treatment of these slaves varied. With the testimony of John Skinner, an English sea captain, agreeing to deliver slaves in 1642 (P21) and the records of sale in Virginia stating the slave girl named Mary would be sold to Stephen Charlton in 1652, an assumption can be made that slavery began …show more content…

According to the chart of the labor owned by a Virginian planter in 1648, the negroes had more value than the indentured servants even though there were more indentured servants owned by the planter. This is possibly because they would serve as his slaves forever and they would gain more experience than the indentured servants would. Slaves were favored more after Bacon’s Rebellion (S11) and were also cheaper than indentured servants in some places (P4).

When did blacks begin to receive prejudicial treatment from whites? What factors contributed to this prejudice?
Blacks started receiving prejudice as soon as the late 16th century. In a travel account, they were described as “people of beastly living, without a God, lawe, religion, or commonwealth (P8).” The blacks were thought of as inhuman, as beasts. An example of when prejudice was used to justify laws restraining the abilities of blacks is a law passed by the Bermuda General Assembly in 1623, saying that the “vassals” cannot be trusted with weapons at must be at their master's house at night (P1). A factor that may have contributed is the difference in religion. In the Virginia slave code it said you must be Christian or you will be a slave (P23). Some even suggest that the blacks were discriminated on more because of their different religions than the color of their

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