Early Slavery
How long has slavery existed?
Throughout recorded history
Which European countries introduced Black African slavery to the Americas?
Spain and Portugal
Did Virginia immediately have formal racial slave laws?
No
What was the Triangle Trade?
A three-part trade system connecting Europe/New England, Africa, and the Americas
What did Europe/New England send to Africa?
Manufactured goods
How were people often enslaved in ancient societies?
Through war and captivity
Why did Europeans use African slavery in the Americas?
To replace declining Indigenous labor
What was the status of Africans in early Virginia?
Their status was initially unclear
What was the Middle Passage?
The journey carrying enslaved Africans from Africa to the Americas
What was sent from Africa to the Americas?
Enslaved people
Was slavery historically always based on race?
No
What did imperial laws eventually make enslaved people?
Inheritable personal property
What happened to some Africans in early Virginia?
Some worked alongside indentured servants and later gained freedom or owned land
Where did enslaved people travel during the Middle Passage?
From Africa to the West Indies and the Americas
What raw materials were sent from the Americas to northern ports/Europe?
Sugar, molasses, tobacco, and cotton
What was one major connection between slavery and war?
War captives were often enslaved
What did southern colonies eventually create?
Race-based slavery laws
What happened to Africans and their descendants under later Virginia laws?
They became permanently enslaved property
What was the third part of the Triangle Trade?
Raw materials traveled from the West Indies/southern colonies to northern ports and Europe
What happened to raw materials after reaching northern ports/Europe?
They were processed
How was slavery in the Americas different from many earlier forms?
It became increasingly tied to race and permanent inherited status
What were three major justifications used for slavery?
Economic necessity, racial prejudice, and biblical interpretations
What type of economy became closely connected to slavery in Virginia?
The plantation economy
Why was the Triangle Trade economically important?
It connected different regions through the exchange of manufactured goods, enslaved people, and raw materials
What role did northern ports play in the slave trade?
They participated in international slave trading and served as auction sites and processing centers