Early Colonies and Introduction of Africans

1607 - Jamestown, Virginia

• Jamestown was the first English settlement in North America, part of the Chesapeake colonies.

1619 - First Africans Arrive in Jamestown

• These Africans, baptized by the Portuguese, could not be enslaved under English law due to the lack of a slavery framework.

• They served as indentured servants: under contract, they worked for a set time, then received 100 acres of land upon completing their term.

1623 - Birth of William Tucker

• First Black child born in the colonies.

Development of Racial Distinctions and Early Slave Codes

African Identity and Census Practices

• Africans were referred to as "negroes" (Spanish for Black).

• Early distinctions between Black and white servants emerged, with Blacks often recorded separately and lacking last names.

1640 - John Punch

• John Punch, after attempting to escape servitude, became the first person sentenced to lifetime servitude, marking the start of hereditary slavery practices.

1660-1662 - Slavery Legislation

• 1660: Massachusetts legalizes slavery.

• 1662 Virginia Law: The child’s status followed the mother’s; if she was enslaved, the child would be as well.

Rebellions and the Shift Toward Racial Slavery

1676 - Bacon’s Rebellion

• A revolt led by Nathaniel Bacon in Virginia over land policies and conflict with Indigenous people.

• White and Black indentured servants united in the uprising, which failed after Bacon’s death.

  • Nathaniel Bacon passed away to a disease.

• Afterward, the colonial government preferred Black labor over white indentured servitude to avoid class conflicts.

Virginia Laws on Slavery and Punishment

• Killing a slave resisting capture or punishing a slave to death were not considered felonies.

1705 - Slaves as Property

• Slaves were formally deemed property, and conversion to Christianity no longer offered any legal protection.

Plantation Slavery and Regional Differences

Tobacco Colonies (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina)

• Tobacco was the main cash crop, and whites were the majority population.

• Many slaves adopted their master’s last name or used occupational surnames.

Low Country Colonies (South Carolina, Georgia)

• Rice was the primary cash crop, and Black populations outnumbered whites.

• Slavery mirrored West Indian systems, with harsh slave codes like the "Negro watch," enforcing strict curfews.

Cultural Impact: Creolization, Language, and Religion

Creolization

• Creolization was the creation of culturally different children than the parents.

• African and European cultures blended, forming unique African-American identities.

• African languages faded by the second generation, but cultural expressions (cooking, kinship, certain words) persisted.

Black Church and Great Awakening

• The Great Awakening, a religious revival, inspired ideas of spiritual equality.

• Black and white congregants sometimes worshiped together, leading to Black-only churches due to segregated seating.

• Characteristics of the Black church included singing, dancing, and joyous funeral traditions.

Language and Music

• Gullah and Geechee languages mixed English with African languages, preserving words like "yam," "samba," and "mbanza."

• Drums, often banned for their potential to relay messages, were a crucial part of African music traditions.

Miscegenation and Mulattoes

Miscegenation (Interracial Relationships)

• Refers to sexual or romantic relationships between individuals of different racial backgrounds, primarily between Black individuals and white colonists.

• Colonial assemblies banned miscegenation to prevent the formation of a mixed-race class that could challenge the rigid social order.

• Concerns included fears that mixed-race children, who would be classified as Black, might sue for freedom or otherwise disrupt the racial hierarchy.

Mulattoes (Mixed-Race Individuals)

• "Mulattoes" was the term used for children born from these interracial unions between enslaved Black individuals and their white masters or overseers.

• Mulatto children were legally considered Black, regardless of their partial white ancestry, reinforcing the racial divide and maintaining the enslaved status of many.

• Mulattoes faced challenges unique to their mixed heritage, often navigating complex social dynamics within enslaved communities and broader colonial society.

Societal Concerns and Enforcement

• The fear of a mixed-race class led to strict enforcement of miscegenation bans, as colonists believed that a racially mixed group could be difficult to control and would weaken the social order.

• This ban served to keep racial lines clear and enforce the superior position of whites over Blacks, limiting any potential rights or privileges that could arise from partial European ancestry.

Life and Labor of Enslaved Black Women

Roles Based on Region

• In New England, some freedom and flexible work roles were available.

• In the South, work options were limited; most Black women did grueling fieldwork, even while pregnant, leading to low-birth-weight babies.

Domestic Work

• Some Black women worked as house slaves, performing domestic tasks and serving as body servants and wet nurses.

Resistance and Rebellion

Forms of Resistance

• Passive resistance included goldbricking, breaking tools, harming animals, and poisoning masters.

• Outliers: Runaways who stayed close, stealing from their master’s property.

• Maroons: Escaped to remote areas, forming self-sustaining communities.

Stono Rebellion

• Began near Charleston, SC, led by Jemmy, a recently arrived African.

• Aimed to reach Florida for freedom, but was halted by militias and local Indigenous groups.

• Resulted in heightened fears of slave revolts and stricter security, creating a "siege mentality" among whites.