Prior to English colonization of North America, slavery in Europe was a common institution that created a social class in the societies of various nations. When the colonization of the New World in North America began, along with English settlers came the institution of slavery. In the dawn of English colonization, the practice of indentured servitude was utilized to provide labor necessary to produce crops in exchange for transportation to the New World, and a opportunity for new beginnings. As trade in the Atlantic World progressed, slavery replaced indentured servitude in order for African Chiefdoms to gain profit, and colonial farmers to gain free labor. As the method for obtaining labor for producing cash crops transitioned from indentured servitude to slavery, specifically African chattel slavery, slavery itself developed into a staple institution for colonial economies, and set-up for tensions between the small but influential population of slaveowners and African slaves that caused slavery to become difficult to overcome in future years.
In the eyes of English political leaders, the colonization of the New World benefited the English economy in ways of taxation, the mercantilism system, and new opportunities for goods to flourish in English markets. The first established English colony of Jamestown displayed the difficulties of colonization in foreign land, but the work of John Rolfe to develop and perfect the farming of tobacco saved the colony. This new
There were initially two to ten million natives in the United States prior to European contact. Those numbers dwindled down drastically in the years that Europeans came and started colonizing. The Europeans came to explore the New World in search of land, spices, gold, God and glory. Among these colonists were the Spanish who colonized most of the southwest of the United States. Evidence of their settlements can still be seen today in the missions scattered across the land. These missions were started with the purpose of converting the Native Americans to Christianity. Try to put yourself into the shoes of the Native Americans, imagine living your entire life with a particular set of beliefs, based on what was handed down by your ancestors and culture. Then suddenly a group of foreigners would come and proclaim that your views are all wrong and that you must follow their beliefs for the salvation of your soul. This is exactly what the Spanish colonizers did to the Native Americans as they invaded their territory which is the reason why the relationship between the two parties were strained and rife with tension. The conversion of the Natives and the constant hostility by the Spanish conquerors subsequently led to the disintegration of native life and culture.
From 1450 to 1750, slavery continued to be an important system of labor. The institution of slavery expanded dramatically across the Atlantic Ocean as enslaved Africans were brought over to the New World.Slavery existed in many parts of the world, such as Africa,the Middle East, and other areas of the world throughout this period. In many places of the world, people would trade enslaved people through out the world. Because Europeans were looking for a large labor supply,they started a transatlantic slave trade. The enslaved men and women grew sugarcane and cash crops on plantations.Because of slavery, after a while, slavery became "the norm". Ever since then, slavery had a whole new meaning to it. When the Spanish and the Portuguese came to
Slavery, as an institution, has existed since the dawn of civilization. However, by the fifteenth century, slavery in Northern Europe was almost nonexistent. Nevertheless, with the discovery of the New World, the English experienced a shortage of laborers to work the lands they claimed. The English tried to enslave the natives, but they resisted and were usually successful in escaping. Furthermore, with the decline of indentured servants, the Europeans looked elsewhere for laborers. It is then, within the British colonies, do the colonists turn to the enslavement of Africans. Although Native Americans were readily available and were initially numerous, Africans became the primary slave used in the colonies because the Native American
The reasons behind the colonization of North America are clear. The reason taught in elementary schools is that the Pilgrims wanted religious freedom so they came to North America. Although this is true, there were thousands of people who made the travel over-seas before them, and unlike their pure, religious goal, their goal was the root of all evil, money.
labor. Eventually, this had lead to Spain’s failure and resulted in a time of "rapid inflation
“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.” Of the three major colonizers who vied for control of North America from the 15th to 17th centuries, it was the early-bird Spanish who got the worm, but after all was said and done, it was England who got the more desirable cheese. After 1763, the English had control of all land east of the Mississippi river and virtually all of present-day Canada. The English were able to gain the upper hand in the conflict for control of North America not only because of military victories, but also because of good timing.
The colonists did not choose Africans for slavery simply because they were unease by their alien skin tone or because they belittle the people’s lack of civilized background. In fact, the first Africans to arrive from abroad in 1619 were treated the same as the white indentured servants, who could earn their freedom, even a few acres of land, within agreed years of labor. Since cash crops are the fastest and most stable way to wealth, the demand for
There are many reasons for colonists’ settlement in the North American Continent. One being the obvious would be religious freedom, many did not agree with what Queen Elizabeth was reestablishing within the church. The opening of religious freedom was not everyone’s goal, but the promise of freedom AND wealth gave colonists confidence for a better life in the New World. The range of opportunities of a “New World” was a chance for many people to simply explore something that was new, in some cases anything was better than how they were living in England. The agriculture in early North America was a huge break for the colonists, tobacco being the first plantation that led of the biggest trade exports (Schultz 34). The colonists’ wanted economic
Since English colonization triggered toward North America, American society evolved its own cultures and institutions. Most areas of British colonies were primarily agricultural; in the South, people heavily depended on cultivating marketable crops for export such as tobacco, cotton, and rice. A scarcity of labors within a plantation led to an enduring demand of slaves or indentured servants. During the time period from 1619 to 1750, the enslavement of Africans was provoked socially by the instability of white servants and uncertain status of blacks and economically by the emergence of labor-intensive crops and large plantations and thriving slave trade in the Atlantic trade system.
Slavery and servitude played an important role in the growth and development of North American colonies politically, socially and economically. The European colonists used several types of coerced labor in building colonial societies including Native American Indians, Indentured Servants, and African slaves. As time progressed, the European colonists developed additional colonies and began to mass produce crops such as Tobacco, Cotton, Sugar and Rice increasing the need for slavery and coerced labor. For the white plantation owners in the South, socio-economic status was based on the amount of land and slaves one had within the colonies. As the nation began to unite as one, we see the political climate shift towards abolishing slavery and recognizing African Americans as citizens. For over 150 years, slavery and servitude would play a vital role in shaping our society in terms of defining the American economy as well as the political and social climate that is still present today.
The European colonizers built an African slavery-coerced labor, African slavery became the most important form of coerced labor in the New World in the seventeenth century- that gave all whites from various social
The time period between the 1600s and 1700s was a time of a major change in the land of the New World. The colonization of Europeans into the North America had considerable impacts on the Native American lives. European empire at the time, such as the French, England and Spanish empires, often fought against each other for power and control. After the European tried to colonized, the Native American suddenly found themselves dealing with European power politics. The arrival of Europeans into the New World meant new political relationships for both the European and the Native Americans. Each side had thing to gain and loss in this kind of relationship, especially military alliances and new trade goods. European power politics and rivalries were a major factor in the development of European and Native American relations because they created relationships of mutually beneficial relationships of trade and alliances.
During the sixteenth century European pilgrims migrated across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in North America. North America had just been introduced to the Western Civilization. The America’s were home to the indigenous people, that were made up of several tribes that were called Indians by the early settlers. Together the Indians and settlers began to thrive. Growth and development in the new world was made possible by the abundant amount of natural resources.
Many people may not be 100% sure of the America's early colonial days from Columbus landing in 1492 to the Pilgrims landing on plymouth in 1620. During the 16th Century many european countries were trying to colonize North America even though many colonies never survived. Historian Sam White explains in his book Cold Welcome that early attempts were doomed to fail very early because the many incorrect assumptions the european countries had about the geography, climate, poor planning, and very bad timing.
This new global system, with the conquest of the Americas at its core, gradually and greatly enriched Western European powers. From an economic perspective, Europeans were able to reap the benefits of extremely cheap labor, free and abundant land, rich natural resources, and abundant markets around the world to sell their products. The conquest and settlement of the Americas is the key starting point for understanding the rise of European economic and imperial power. The newfound wealth of the Americas clearly set the stage for the economic ascendance of Western Europe beginning in this era of