Chattel Slavery In America

Over two centuries ago, the United States of America was founded under the famous Constitution of the United States. During America’s first days, there were adventurers and investors with high hopes of wealth in the New World. The first few waves of settlers had brought their families and indentured servants with them. As time passed, the market for “chattel slaves” had opened. Chattel slaves were new to Americans; their first sources of labor were originally from indentured servants, but when the slave market had opened, the supply of indentured servants had decreased and the supply of slaves increased. Even though they were the lowest of the people in the Americas, slaves became part of the American economy, they were the engine that powered

The chattel slaves in America, were a dominant preference because the “slaves may be kept as long as a man pleases. . . while hired men [indentured servants] are continually leaving their masters. . . and setting up for themselves (Bailey 83).” This allowed for a slave owner to save money by paying a one-time, upfront, fee for a slave versus paying for indentured work or hired labor which was not a stable source of labor nor was it cheap. This cheap slave labor became incredibly popular among plantation owners because it was simply less expensive and there were no laws against the treatment of slaves (slaves got worse living conditions than many servants) unlike indentured servants. Slaves could also reproduce and the offspring were born slaves, which was part of what chattel slavery was. For the price of two slaves, you can get more than what you paid for in the end. This increased dependence on slave labor which in turn would develop into one of the foundations of America

The article also mentions how the concept and system of slavery is conflicting and incompatible with the beliefs of liberty and republicanism that all Americans held. This political and philosophical belief would guide the founding fathers of America to create a country that would ultimately abolish slavery. As clear as it is, abolishing slavery is not an easy process. Immediate abolishment would sabotage the Southern agrarian economy. Therefore, steady and gradual prohibition of slavery is best because it minimizes damage and complies with the American belief of liberty and republicanism. Luther Martin’s The Genuine Information VII, published in 1788 by the Maryland Gazette, declares,
That on the contrary, we ought rather to prohibit expressly in our constitution, the further importation of slaves; and to authorize the general government from time to time, to make such regulations as should be thought most advantageous for the gradual abolition of slavery, and the emancipation of the slaves which are already in the