Black People In A White People’s Country.

Degler 1.4

Questions to ponder about…

• Can it be debated that up until the 1660’s the black people might have enjoyed the same status as that of an indentured servant?

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• Why do you think there was the difference in valuation between the white and black slave?

Slavery in Early Virginia

• 1619- a Dutch ship dropped “20 Black people” at Jamestown.

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Continue..

• In the early 17^th century, Virginia lacked the “slave plantations” but consisted mainly of small independent landowning farmers.
• Even the owners of the few large plantations were not considered important politically or socially.

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• As slavery grew, so did the planter/ owner.
• Ironic turn, that earlier in the century slavery or the black people were not important in the life of Virginian’s. (this shows how slavery and the black people were not that important in early Virginia)

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• 1671- 5 % of population was black.
• 1715-24% of population was black.
• 1756-40% of population was black.

Beginnings of slavery in the English colonies.

• Virginia and New England adopted discriminatory practice’s from English settlements (Bermuda/Caribbean)
• The black people were denied to bear arms in Virginia.
• But the white indentured servants could.

• The slaves more valuable than any white servant.
• The naming of a white servant is followed by the number of years he or she is meant to serve.
• The slaves had no such laws which made them more valuable.
• (pg 33)

• In 1680 Virginia set out regulations (similar to the slave codes that would be written later)
• prohibited the blacks from bearing arms
• punished those that ran away
• punished those that resisted the whites.
• Pg 37

Were the blacks placed into an inferior status even before slavery became prominent?�

• 1) the plausible theory – slavery and the laws of slaves, in Virginia was not written or talked about until 1660’s.
• Meant that they could have enjoyed a status equal to indentured servants.
• (Pg 36)