transatlantic slave trade and colonial slavery (period 2)

atlantic economy

a commercial exchange in the atlantic that was dominated by the British due to remarkable growth in it's colonies; commonly referred to as the "triangle trade," designating a three-way transport between europe, africa, and the colonies

transatlantic slave trade

slave trade from west coast of africa to the west indies/colonies

middle passage

the sea journey undertaken by slave ships from west africa to the west indies/colonies

mercantilism

belief in the benefits of profitable trading; the theory that a country's wealth is determined by how much more it exported than imported

navigation acts

acts passed between 1650 and 1673 by british crown to increase colonial dependence on england for trade; limited goods that were exported to colonies; caused great resentment in american colonies

rules of the navigation acts

-trade between colonies could only occur on english ships with english crews
-all goods imported to the colonies needed to pass through ports in england
-certain goods could only be exported from the colonies to england

salutary neglect

an english policy of relaxing the enforcement of regulations in its colonies in return for the colonies' continued economic loyalty

impact of the navigation acts

-new england ship building increased
-tobacco industry in chesapeake increased
-farmers that had taxes suffered
-colonists had to accept low prices of british

british resistance to smuggling

in 1684 the british revoked the charter of the massachusetts bay colony because it was the center of smuggling activity

dominion of new england

formed in 1686 by king james II; an administrative union of enlgish colonies in the new england region; consisted of new england, new york, and new jersey; appointed to sir edmund andros

glorious revolution

the overthrow of king james II in 1688; brought in william and mary; caused an end to the dominion of new england

causes of african slavery in colonies

-increased costs for indentured servants
-expansion of agriculture industry, which caused a demand for labor
-it provided a steady supply of laborers (indentured servitude would end eventually)

indentured servants

immigrants who received passage to america in exchange for a fixed term of labor (typically 5-7 years)

headright system

virginia company's system in which settlers and the family members who came with them each received 50 acres of land

when and where were the first slaves brought to colonial america

in 1619 they were brought to jamestown, most likely as indentured servants

slave codes

laws enacted by virginia house of burgesses in 1660s; kept africans and their children in slavery; created a race-based definition of slavert

new england use of slavery

small new england farms used relatively few slaves for labor; worked to build and load ships in port cities

middle colonies use of slavery

all port cities in the new england and middle colonies held
significant minorities of enslaved people, who worked to load ships

chesapeake and southern colonies use of slavery

most slaves were concentrated in the chesapeake and southern colonies; plantation systems had the greatest demand for labor

british west indies colonies use of slavery

majority were sent to work on sugar cane plantations

causes of slavery

-reduced migration-indentured servants
-low-cost labor
-slave codes (after bacon's rebellion)

resistances to slavery

-direct acts (ex. hunger strikes)
-escape
maintaining culture and religion
-rebellion (ex. stono rebellion)

stono rebellion

a 1739 uprising of slaves in south carolina; led to the tightening of already harsh slave laws