Slavery in North America
Introduction
It refers to a condition of having to work over hard without proper remuneration or appreciation. Consequently, it involves a state of being a slave, enslavement, servitude o subjugation. Accordingly, slavery took its way to both Europe America because there was a need for cheap labor. Besides, during the Colonization of African continent African men were sold to slaves in North America. ( Lange et al.2016).
Consequently, slavery has taken many different forms in different regions, for instance, plantation slavery, domestic slavery, concubine, military slavery among others. The paper aims to describe the development of labor systems in North America from arrival from the arrival of the Spanish empire from a broader perspective. It also explores different motivations of different European empires, and the lived experiences of forced laborers at length.
In North America, labor systems grew and changed in response to the demand for labor and goods. Accordingly, slavery was brought to North America in i654. Consequently, the Trans-Atlantic trade slave trade from Africa to the Americas had been around for over a century. In North America growing of sugarcane and fewer other crops was found to be a lucrative enterprise there cheap labor was required for plantation. It led to capturing of slaves and selling them for trade goods (Goulbourne, & Chamberlain,2017) It is believed that about 11b million men women and children were transported in ships across the Atlantic to various parts in America, most probably Brazil and the islands in the Caribbean.
Spanish settlers in the Caribbean set up the encomienda system which relates to a form of forced labor in which Spaniards demanded labor from conquered native inhabitants. Consequently, Spanish motivation was based on the belief that indigenous peoples would work for them by right of conquest and in return the Spanish would bring them Catholicism. Again, encomienda was used throughout Spanish America. Its application differed sharply from one area to another. Also, it was relatively benign in some regions but virtual enslaving others. As a result, the Spaniards convinced to the right to the land and its peoples, and they whispered to both control native labor and imposed what they viewed as correct religious beliefs upon the area of the inhabitants.
On the contrary, the native peoples everywhere resisted both the labor obligations and the effort to charge their ancient belief systems. On the idea of lived experiences of forced laborers, they underwent through misery and brutality from the Spanish. Besides, the system of encomienda accompanied by a great deal of violence. The Spanish treated the native harshly thus were considered as in inhumane.
The Portuguese on the other side traded slaves to Spanish, Dutch and English colonists in the Americas particularly in the Caribbean where sugar was primary export. Consequently, they settled South America particularly Brazil. The kingdom of Portugal played a leading role in the Atlantic slave trade which involved the mass transportation of slaves from Africa other parts of the world to the American continent. The main motivation of the Portuguese was the brazilwood a tree used for dye. The French empire on the other side .the Dutch involvement in the Atlantic slave trade covers the 17th -19th centuries most importantly, the Dutch shipped slaves to northern Brazil, and during the second half of the 17th century, they had a controlling interest in the trade to the Spanish colonies (Morgan, 2010).
Slavery formed the cornerstone of the British Empire in In Europe. Consequently, every colony had enslaved people from the southern rice plantations in Charles town to the north wharves Boston. Besides, slavery was more than a labor system. Therefore, it also influenced every aspect of colonial thought and culture. Consequently, the uneven relationship it engendered gave white colonists an exaggerated sense of their status. On the contrary, English liberty gained greater meaning and coherence for white people when they contrasted their situation to that of the unfree class of enslaved black people in British America population.
Again, African slaves provided white colonists with a shared racial bond and identity. The British Empire colonized the islands of St Kitts and Barbados because their centers of wealth and the focuses of the slave trade was for the growing British Empire. The lived experiences of forced labors strove to adapt to their new lives by forming new communities among themselves.
Slavery was not inevitable that relates that Europeans relied mostly on African slaves to raise crops clear forests and my precious metals. Consequently, Europeans imported African slaves partly for demographic reasons. Due to the increase in epidemic diseases which reduced the native population the labor supply was insufficient. Besides, Africans were experienced in intensive agriculture and raising livestock. Also, they knew how to grow crops like rice that Europeans were unfamiliar with (Clark et al.2014)
Conclusion
In summary, slavery involves a state of being a slave, enslavement, servitude o subjugation. Slaves were needed in to supply cheap labor. Africans laborers were mostly on demand because they were resistant to tropical diseases. Different European empires had their motivations towards slavery. Slavery was not inevitable that Europeans mainly relied on African slaves to raise crops clear forests and my precious metals.
References
Clark, R. L., York, E. A., & Anker, R. (2014). Economic development and labor force participation of older persons. Population Research and Policy Review
Goulbourne, H., & Chamberlain, M. (Eds.). (2017). Caribbean families in Britain and the Trans-Atlantic world. The Caribbean.
Lange, M., Mahoney, J., & Vom Hau, M. (2016). Colonialism and development: a comparative analysis of Spanish and British colonies. American Journal of Sociology.
Morgan, K. (2010). Slavery, Atlantic trade, and the British economy, 1660-1800 (Vol. 42). Cambridge University Press.