Colonial American Slavery
Colonial Society and Economy
Professor Eric Foner maintains, "By the early eighteenth century, Virginia had changed from a
society with slaves, a society in which slavery was only one of many other systems of labor, to a
slave society, a society where slavery was the foundation of the economic and social order." The
colonies of the lower South would follow this same path. Why did slavery replace indentured
servitude as the main form of plantation labor in the Southern colonies?
#1 Estimated Immigration, 1607–1819
To the Nearest 100 Immigrants
Years
Slaves
Convicts and
Prisoners
Indentured
Servants
Free
1607-1699
33,200
2,300
96,600
66,300
1700-1775
278,400
52,200
103,600
151,600
1776-1809
114,600
1,000
18,300
253,900
1810-1819
7,000
0
5,300
134,300
433,200
55,500
223,800
606,700
Total Immigration
1607-1819
In Percentages
Slaves
Convicts and
Prisoners
Indentured
Servants
Free
1607-1699
17
1
49
33
1700-1775
47
9
18
26
1776-1809
30
0
5
65
1810-1819
5
0
4
91
33
4
17
46
Years
Total Immigration
1607-1819
#2 Johann Bolzius on Slave Labor
The order of planting is the following . . . After the corn the Negroes make furrows for rice
planting. A Negro man or woman must account for a quarter acre daily. On the following day the
Negroes sow and cover the rice in the furrows, and half an acre is the daily task of a
Negro . . . When they are through with that, they plant beans together among the corn. At this
time the children must weed out the grass in the potato patches. . . . Thereupon they start for
the first time to cultivate . . . the rice and to clean it of grass. A Negro must complete 1/4 acre
daily. . . . As soon as they are through with the corn, they cultivate . . . the rice a second time.
The quality of the land determines their day's work in this. 9) Corn and rice are cultivated . . .
for the third and last time. A Negro can take care of an acre and more in this work, and 1/4 an
acre of rice. Now the work on rice, corn, and beans is done. . . . Afterwards the Negroes are
used for all kinds of house work, until the rice is white and ripe for cutting, and the beans are
gathered, which grow much more strongly when the corn has been bent down. The rice is cut at
the end of August or in September, some of it also early in October. The pumpkins, which are
also planted among the corn, are now ripening too. White beets are sown in good fertilized soil
in July and August, and during the full moon. Towards the middle of August all Negro men of 16
to 60 years must work on the public roads, to start new ones or to improve them, namely for 4
or 5 days, or according to what the government requires, and one has to send along a white
man with a rifle or go oneself. At the time when the rice is cut and harvested, the beans are
collected too, which task is divided among the Negroes. They gather the rice, thresh it, grind it
in wooden mills, and stamp it mornings and evenings. The corn is harvested last. During the 12
days after Christmas they plant peas, garden beans, transplant or prune trees, and plant
cabbage. Afterwards the fences are repaired, and new land is prepared for cultivating.
#3 Average Annual Value of Colonial Exports
"Average Annual Value of Colonial Exports by Region, 1768–1772," statistical table.
Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from the Upper South to Great Britain, 1768–1772
Commodity
Tobacco
Value in Pounds Sterling
756,128
Grains, grain products
10,206
Iron
28,314
Wood products
Other
Total
9,060
23,344
827,052
Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from the Lower South to Great Britain, 1768–1772
Commodity
Value in Pounds Sterling
Rice
198,590
Indigo
111,864
Deerskins
37,093
Naval stores
31,709
Wood products
Grains, grain products
Livestock, beef, pork
Other
Total
2,520
302
75
11,877
394,030
Average Annual Value of Commodity Exports from New England to Great Britain, 1768–1772
Commodity
Value in Pounds Sterling
Fish
206
Livestock, beef, pork
374
Wood products
5,983
Whale products
40,443
Potash
22,390
Grains, grain products
117
Rum
471
Other
Total
6,991
76,975
#4 Virginia Slave Law: A Slave Woman's Offspring—Virginia Slavery Act, December, 1662
Whereas some doubts have arisen whether children got by any Englishman upon a Negro woman
should be slave or free, be it therefore enacted and declared by this present Grand Assembly, that all
children born in this country shall be held bond or free only according to the condition of the mother;
and that if any Christian shall commit fornication with a Negro man or woman, he or she so offending
shall pay double the fines imposed by the former act.
#5 Virginia Slave Law: Killing a Slave—Virginia Slavery Act, 1669
Whereas the only law in force for the punishment of refractory servants resisting their master,
mistress, or overseer cannot be inflicted upon Negroes, nor the obstinacy of many of them be
suppressed by other than violent means, be it enacted and declared by this Grand Assembly if any
slave resists his master (or other by his master's order correcting him) and by the extremity of the
correction should chance to die, that his death shall not be accounted a felony, but the master (or that
other person appointed by the master to punish him) be acquitted from molestation, since it cannot be
presumed that premeditated malice (which alone makes murder a felony) should induce any man to
destroy his own estate.
#6 Virginia Slave Law—Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Slavery Act, state law, 1705
For the better settling and preservation of estates within this dominion, . . . .
II. Be it enacted, by the governor, council and burgesses of this present general assembly, and it is
hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act, all negro,
mulatto, and Indian slaves, in all courts of judicature, and other places, within this dominion, shall be
held, taken, and adjudged, to be real estate (and not chattels;) and shall descend unto the heirs and
widows of persons departing this life, according to the manner and custom of land of inheritance, held
in [illegible] simple.
#7 Record of Bacon's Rebellion—"The State of Virginia" (1676)
Virginia is at this time under the greatest of Distractions, yet it hath felt since the yeare 1622, when
the Indians in one Night Murthered soe many, that they left not 500 alive in ye whole Collony. At this
time the Indians seeme to have conspired, as the other have done neare New England. And ye
present danger of this place is the greater, because of their Discontents among themselves, which
are grown to soe great a Height, for the defence of ye Country against the Indians, a Body of about
500 are in Armes, without the Commission of the Governor (who denyed one to them) setting forth a
Declaration of their Dangers and their Grievances; and taking no Notice of the Proclamation sent from
the Governor to forbid and suppress them. . . . they are at this time conducted by Mr. Nathaniel
Bacon. . . . [Mr. Bacon and his supporters] complaine that the great Taxes are Imposed upon them
every yeare, by the Poll, whereby ye poorer sort are in the hardest Condition, who having nothing but
their labour to maintaine themselves, wives and children, pay as deeply to ye publike, as Hee that
hath 20000 Acres. One principall occasion of these levyes is said to be the often meeting of ye
Assemblys and ye very great allowances to them that serve in it as members of it. . . .
By inlarging their Liberty, in declareing that all such as are born there shall bee free borne Subjects of
England to all intents and purposes. . . .
Although perhaps some of the richest sort will not like it, who hold greater proportions of Land then
they actually plant, who may then (by an Expedient very beneficial to the Country) lay downe part of
their Land to bee taken up by such as will Employ it. By which means the Country will be better
inhabited, and the Kings Customes increased. And the people living nearer together, will be better
enabled in their Defence against their Common Enimy the Indians. Such Considerations as these, are
amongst many sober men heere, and may perhapps be worth the Considering by such as have the
care of his Majesties Interests in England.
#8 Benjamin Franklin on Purchasing Slaves
Benjamin Franklin, Observations Concerning the Increasing of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c., 1755.
Why then will Americans purchase slaves? Because Slaves may be kept as long as a Man pleases,
or has Occasion for their Labour; while hired Men are continually leaving their Master (often in the
midst of his Business) and setting up for themselves.