The Move to Slavery and Plantation Profitability

Flashcards about the move to slavery and the profitability of plantations.

Why did piracy become less prevalent and plantations more important for Britain?

Growing British empire reduced need to steal and Royal Navy reduced piracy; plantations offered huge profits.

Why was life hard on early settlers in the New World?

Diseases, hot weather, and food shortages during crop failures

How did the British initially address labor shortages on plantations?

They used indentured servants.

How did indentured servitude work?

Servants worked for a set period to pay for their voyage, then were free to earn wages.

Why were African slaves introduced to British plantations?

They were cheaper than indentured servants because they could be bought outright.

What were the key differences in rights and conditions between indentured servants and slaves?

Slaves had no legal rights, worked for life without pay, and their children became property of the slave owners; purchasing slaves allowed plantations to become more profitable.

What island did the British acquire in 1625 and what was it initially used for?

Barbados; established for tobacco plantations.

When did Barbados become the largest British slave colony?

By 1655.

What crop did Barbados plantations switch to and what was the result?

Sugar; by the 1690s, most of the island was covered in successful sugar plantations.

Why was Barbados more profitable than mainland American colonies for the British?

It was seen as a profit-making area, not a place to settle.