The Role Of Slavery In Colonial America

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In 1776, the Colonial Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence which summarized the colonists’ thoughts for seeking independence. By declaring themselves separate from Great Britain they were able to gain an alliance with France. Eventually salves were brought to Jamestown Virginia where slavery spread throughout the American colonies. There was said to be 6 to 7 million slaves imported into the New World during the 18th century alone.
African American started to work on plantations and farms. The slaves would grow tobacco, rice, corn, and grain. The African Americans were treated very poorly in the 13 colonies. Slave owners made their slaves completely dependent on them. Slaves were prohibited from learning to read and write and their behavior and movement was restricted. Many of the slave’s masters had sexual encounters with the master and rewarded obedient slave behaviors with favors, while …show more content…
The slaves were used to pick the seeds from the cotton. Their days were very long and hard. They constantly had a person watching over the to make sure that they did not run away or slow down. This person is known as a overseer. Slaves were given very little clothing and the children got none until puberty. In the winter they were given material to make their own clothing. Women wore a long dress and turbans on their head, covering their hair. Slaves were given food from their masters such as some meat, cornmeal, and flour. Some slaves got to have their own gardens to grow food. Sometimes the slaves had to find their own food. Slaves ate 2 times a day 1 in the morning and one at the end of the work day. In 1793, Eli Whitney made the cotton gin, it was made to remove the seeds from the cotton. The machine helped alot and was used all over the south. Slavery never reached the north it stayed in the south where the tobacco and cotton plantations

The Role Of Slavery In Colonial America

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