Slavery in America: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Its Legacy

This essay provides an overview of the history of slavery in America, beginning with its origins in 1619 with the arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. It details the forced migration of millions of Africans to the American colonies to serve as laborers, primarily for the production of crops like cotton and tobacco. The essay describes the harsh conditions endured by enslaved people, including physical and sexual abuse, limited freedoms, and the strict social hierarchies that existed within the slave system. It also highlights the rebellions and resistance movements, such as those led by Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vessey, and Nat Turner, which instilled fear in slave owners and contributed to the growing abolitionist sentiment. The essay concludes by emphasizing the role of the Abolitionist Movement in challenging the institution of slavery, ultimately leading to its demise. The provided bibliography offers further resources for in-depth study of this critical period in American history.

Running head: SLAVERY IN AMERICA
Slavery in America
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Slavery in America commenced in 1619 as it was brought into practice by The White
Lion, the privateer. He brought 20 African slaves to Jamestown, Virginia which was the then
British Colony. The Africans who were enslaved were captured from Sao Jao Bautista, the
Portuguese ship. During the 17th and 18th century, many people were abducted from the African
continent and brought into the American colonies by force to make them serve as labors and
servants. They were made to work as indentured labor for producing crops such as cotton and
tobacco. During the 17th century, the settlers who came from Europe to America, exploited the
people from Africa as slaves as it was cheaper as compared to the Europeans. Historical accounts
estimate the figures to go as high as 7 millions of people to have been traded from African
continent to the then New World, as slaves in the 18th century alone. These men and women from
Africa were considered to be the most suitable and physically abled, to take up the works which
required strength and labor. Black slaves were primarily made to produce rice, tobacco and
indigo in the colonies.
Before the Civil war, slaves constituted about one third of the total population of the
south, put together. Most of the slaved had their basic livelihood based on small farms and large
plantations1. The people who owned the slaved made it a point to make them dependent on them.
Therefore, they tried to bind the slaved to restrictive forces which governed their actions and
lives. Their movements and behaviors were also controlled by the slaves which also constrained
them from reading or writing. It often happened that the masters took advantage of the powered
which they had over the slaves and took sexual liberties. The victims in such cases were mostly
1 Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company, 2016.

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the women slaves2. The masters tended to give rewards to the slaves who were obedient and
catered to the wishes. These slaves who were treated as subordinates and exploited barbarically
were often subjected to punishment and torture for not doing as they were told. They were
considered to be rebellious in their actions for not conforming to the roles a d actions which were
associated with the slaves.
There used to a strict hierarchy in the society as well as among the slaves. They were
classified according to the work which they used to perform. Slaves who served in the domestic
domain were considered to be privileged and were ascribed to the higher orders within the
hierarchy. Then came the skilled artisans who performed duties according to their expertise and
knowledge3. These skills developed an identity for the slaved who came after the privileged
house slaves. The third major category within the hierarchy of the slaved had them who were
laborers and were appointed to perform duties which were associated with strength and field
work. Though there were many restrictions and barbaric practices which can be found in the
accounts of history, there were no such prohibitions on marriage. Slaves often had large families
and slave owners encouraged the practice as they would have mastered more number of slaves
while being benefitted from the practice.
These practices were also followed by consequent rebellions which were led by Gabriel
Prosser Raymond and Denmark Vessey in 1800 and 1822 respectively. The slave revolt
2 Hogg, Peter C. African Slave Trade and Its Suppression: A Classified and Annotated Bibliography of
Books, Pamphlets and Periodical Articles. Routledge, 2013.
3 Gorn, Elliot, Randy Roberts, Susan Schulten, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A
Sourcebook of a People's History, Volume 2 from 1865. Oxford University Press, 2017.

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succeeded in terrifying the owners of the slave trade4. The revolt was led by Net Turner and soon
75 blacks killed 60 whites. This yielded in turmoil and arrival of military to take charge of the
situation. The way of treating the slaves as inferior soon took form of an institution which was
aimed at disciplining and civilizing the slaves. This gave way to the Abolitionist Movement5.
The increasing state of repression of the blacks fumed the movement in the north. It was soon led
by the blacks who were freed and also supported by many whites.
Thus, it can be concluded that slavery in America was mostly carried out by bringing the
blacks, who were considered to be barbaric and uncivilized from the African continent. The slave
owners and settlers from had a civilizing mission which also benefitted them from the practices
of exploiting and torturing them. The repressed could voice the their suffering and finally free
themselves with the Abolition movement.
4 Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The suppression of the African slave-trade to the United States of
America. Oxford University Press, 2014.
5 Robinson, Cedric J. Black movements in America. Routledge, 2013

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Bibliography
Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The suppression of the African slave-trade to the United
States of America. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Gorn, Elliot, Randy Roberts, Susan Schulten, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American
Past: A Sourcebook of a People's History, Volume 2 from 1865. Oxford University Press, 2017.
Hogg, Peter C. African Slave Trade and Its Suppression: A Classified and Annotated
Bibliography of Books, Pamphlets and Periodical Articles. Routledge, 2013.
O'Malley, Gregory E. Final passages: the intercolonial slave trade of British America, 1619-
1807. UNC Press Books, 2014.
Robinson, Cedric J. Black movements in America. Routledge, 2013.
Shi, David E., and George Brown Tindall. America: A narrative history. WW Norton &
Company, 2016.