preview

Over The Years Many Historians Have Just Glazed Over The

Better Essays
Open Document
Over the years many historians have just glazed over the African’s role in the settlement and shaping of the colonial era of America. The Africans are usually only identified as the primary enslaved labor force used to settle the colonies, but not much more is said about the details of how the Africans shaped the colonies. Many individuals only read or hear about major events such as the Stono Rebellion, when the first slaves arrived, or how slaves were treated. When settlers in Barbados began to move to South Carolina, due to a lack of land available to expand, they brought with them a few slaves. The first years of the new settlement they struggled to survive and produce a cash crop. Eventually, the white settlers began a cattle…show more content…
Eventually, the white settlers began growing rice because it was an “easier” crop to grow and would produce large profits. Rice was not found in America, but it was brought over by a slave from Africa. Due to shortages of food African slaves would grow rice to feed themselves. The white settlers saw how easily the African slaves grew the rice and decided that was going to be their cash crop. The rice industry started to thrive, but white planters wanted more. As the rice industry grew, it led to the buying and trading of slaves through the Atlantic Slave Trade. “South Carolina’s especially heavy commitment to the use of Negro labor coincided closely with the development of rice as a new and profitable staple.” They needed more slaves so they could grow large amounts of rice. Later in the colonial era, slave owners were in search of slaves with specialized trades. These slaves brought in more money for the slave owners and was a greater investment. The African slave’s effect on the economy was tremendous due to their knowledge of cattle, rice, and specialized trades. African slaves shaped colonial America just by their day to day relationship with their master. When African slaves were first brought over, they had a closer relationship to their master. They worked together to set up a successful industry that would bring profit to the master. As the years went on, large numbers of slaves were needed and their relationship turned strictly master and slave. “By 1726,
Get Access
Related
Get Access