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From the article, "The first Africans to be brought to North America landed in Virginia in 1619. Whether they were outright slaves or other kinds of unfree laborers, such as indentured servants, is unclear." I believe it was actually clear. I recall watching a PBS show on this several years ago, but I need to search for better references than my own memory. Indentured servants had a distinct legal status in the American colonies. Recalling from history class (I was mostly raised in Virginia and nearly every year we went to Jamestown on field trips), it was not abnormal for "patrons" of indentured servants to sue the servants for various things that would extend the servitude of those servants, possibly for as long as life. There was one such case, I believe that the African was actually suing his "patron", but the magistrate, for one reason or other, ruled that the African was property of the "patron" and did not have legal basis to sue. Based on this legal precedent, the institution was transformed from servitude to slavery.
In addition, I think it should be researched and included in this article regarding what had transpired with the Germans in colonial Pennsylvania. Asacan 03:33, 22 September 2005 (UTC)
About how many slaves were there in america in the early 1800's — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.50.55.121 ( talk) 19:25, 6 November 2005 (UTC)
Why is the 19c photograph of a 19c slave on the "Slavery in Colonial America" page? It would fit better on the "History of Slavery in the United States" page. Drfryer 02:47, 2 July 2006 (UTC)
What were the effects of slavery after it was over, in numbers? Marcher Lord 20:41 November 26, 2006 (UTC)
I'm in the process of looking in to this, but MUCH more research needs to be done about the VERY prominent role that these Charleston Jews played in the African slave trade, the slave trade which was overwhelmingly centered in the city of Charleston in North America (especially after The North became increasingly abolitionist-oriented) until about 1807, when the slave trade was outlawed (though it certainly continued, albeit quietly).
Also, South Carolina eventually had more African slaves living in the state than non-slaves (as Wikipedia says: "For most of its history, black slaves made up a majority of South Carolina's population.") and the slave owners constantly feared a large slave-uprising or insurrection; indeed, even in modern times African-Americans are about 1/3 the population of the state of South Carolina, possibly a bit more.
It seems that wherever there was a very early North or South American synagogue or large Jewish presence you also find a prominent slave market, both in North and South America (along with the Caribbean and North Africa). All evidence points to the fact that it was a very large role that Jews played -- not to mention the fact that many of these Sephardic Jews hailed from the Netherlands, and everyone knows that the Dutch played a huge part in the African slave trade ( History of the Jews in the Netherlands), and that they had been recently expelled from Spain and Portugal ( Alhambra decree), but the crypto-Jews remained -- Spain and Portugal were both THE dominant shipping powers around this time. The oldest synagogue in North or South America was established in 1636 (the Kahal Zur synagogue in the Dutch capital of Recife, Brazil). Eventually Brazil had more African slaves than any other place on Earth. There were also many Sephardic Jews living in North Africa (a traditional Sephardi area) which served as a jumping off point where the slaves were gathered (see Triangular trade) by both local Arabs and these Sephardi Jew collaborators and then shipped to North or South America.
There was also an amazingly large slave market in Newport, Rhode Island, which is the site of the oldest synagogue in North America ( Touro Synagogue); check out these stats: "As early as 1708 African slaves outnumbered indentured servants in Rhode Island eight to one. In fact, between 1705 and 1805, Rhode Island merchants sponsored at least 1,000 slaving voyages to West Africa and carried over 100,000 slaves back to America. More slave ships would leave Colonial Newport than any other American port of that time. By 1770, one out of every three Newport families owned at least one slave" [1].
Does anyone have any reliable links or book recommendations so that we can write a section about this on the page? I've found many but am looking for more. Thank you. -- Pseudothyrum 02:35, 18 December 2006 (UTC)
I deleted the first sentence “British colonists were cruel with the most of the slaves in Latin America, West Africa, and medieval Europe.” Because a) It implies that “British colonists” were cruel to slaves in Latin America etc… b) It has nothing to do with the next sentence “Some Historians, notably Edmund……” and c) The early colonies & colonists were English. Britain, as political entity only came into existence with the1707 “Act of Union” nearly a hundred years after the founding of most of the colonies. I suspect that this sentence is a hangover from an earlier version of this article. Jalipa 18:03, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
Another editor highlighted the fact that this article is primarily about slavery in the American colonies that became the United States. That may or may not be appropriate. This article is listed as the "main article" under Slavery in the United States#Colonial America. Maybe this article should be renamed Slavery in the Thirteen Colonies?
Otherwise, it should be broadened to incorporate the very different history of slavery elsewhere in the Americas. — Malik Shabazz ( Talk | contribs) 04:39, 20 September 2007 (UTC)
Saw Dr. Gates talking about his tv special tracing the genetic background of African Americans. He stated only about 450,000 slaves came from Africa to the British colonies and the US. About 75% were imported before 1776.
Also Henry Adams in his history of US from 1800-1816 wrote that one reason for small number of slaves in New England was because of the climate; they died in large numbers from pulmonary diseases. I am not knowledgeable enough to know how reliable either fact is - but someone who is may find it worth while adding them to this article. Nitpyck ( talk) 00:34, 28 July 2009 (UTC)
Isn't the title of this article an anachronism? There was no United States until after the colonial period. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.161.220.145 ( talk) 01:36, 2 March 2010 (UTC)
I would caution using the textbook "America: Past and Present" as a source. One of the classes I am currently taking uses "APP" as its primary text. Let me tell you, this thing is biased, but it's not an overt bias. The authors don't outright state their opinions, but the words they use generally promote their viewpoint. They don't necessarily attack certain groups through their writing, but there are subtle things. I'm not saying this article shouldn't cite "APP", but the bits cited should be looked through carefully. The text is probably only useful for cold, hard facts. As far as I can tell it doesn't skew the facts. --- cymru lass (hit me up)⁄ (background check) 22:31, 26 August 2010 (UTC)
Slavery in Britain and Ireland casts a different light upon the use of the term "indentured servant" in this article. The current article makes it sound like it was solely a contractual arrangement akin to old time apprenticeships. According to the referenced article cited above, it was far more than that. Indentured servants also included a great number of prisoners and people on their last leg basically forced into an indentured servitude situation and brought over to America. The British sent many lower class people over from the rest of the "UK". I think this fact is vastly underplayed in this article. Black slavery certainly being prominant, but the original white slaves should be brought into a more accurate context with the referenced article cited above. -- THE FOUNDERS INTENT PRAISE
These quotes, in my opinion, are not specific enough for the article's topic, American colonial slavery.
Fernand Braudel on American slavery
Fernand Braudel has written:
Braudel quotes Karl Marx: ""The veiled slavery of the wage-workers in Europe needed, for its pedestal, slavery pure and simple in the New World." — Preceding unsigned comment added by Cmguy777 ( talk • contribs) 17:46, 8 August 2011 (UTC)
I tried to add that a massive number of slaves were also Irish, close to 500k worth of them before 1700. A mod keeps deleting my post and I believe this is extremely biased.
Can someone who is a regular contributor please add this information since it is extremely racist/biased that the Irish are not mentioned at all? I have never posted to Wiki before today — Preceding unsigned comment added by 15.227.185.71 ( talk) 20:02, 12 October 2012 (UTC)
Irish indentured were NOT given a fixed term, ever. Existing documents have proved that. The first Africans brought to the US also had indentured status because that was the only legal to have slaves. When the Spanish brought them from they were Baptized, which was why they were called Indentured servants. Why don't both of you actually learn history instead of what you are told to learn? Oliver Cromwell did not classify a single Irishman as an indentured servant. The ONLY Irish indentured servants were the ones that came here on their own because of the famine caused by Cromwell, the other 300,000 Irish that were brought here were brought in chains.
So you guys are both saying that all the historians who vetted the history book above are lying? The documents that are in the book are forgeries? Cromwell's own words are fake? The Royal historian of England is lying also? Stanford University is lying too?
Who can I talk to since neither of are willing to help update this info? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 15.227.185.71 ( talk) 17:57, 15 October 2012 (UTC)
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Cheers.— cyberbot II Talk to my owner:Online 10:45, 5 January 2016 (UTC)
@ Rjensen: you removed everything about Spain but given that Colonial United States covers all powers that covered the present US with colonies (and Spain esp. in Fla and the Carolina fits). Your deletion seems wrong, although shortening it might be a real plus. Alanscottwalker ( talk) 18:38, 28 August 2016 (UTC)
---This article incorrectly states that slaves first arrived in North America in 1619. The Spanish had settlements in 1526 in South Carolina and they brought slaves with them. Prior to that, the Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, Dutch and others brought slaves in the early 1500's. This is the Smithsonian's webpage with more details: [1] — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rtwhitaker ( talk • contribs) 22:27, 7 February 2019 (UTC)
References
There are several common misconceptions that MUST be addressed when discussing this topic due to ideological subversion.
1) Why no mention of freedman or free Americans of African descent? Some of them participated in Americas founding fighting the British in exchange for their freedom. Some people believe all blacks were enslaved in the United States. This wasn't even true before its founding.
2) Why is there nothing in here about American abolitionists from Massachusetts and other northern states? They helped found the Republican party. And what about Lincoln's 13th amendment which he delayed negotiating the end of the civil war against popular opinion to achieve. All you hear about were the perpetrators, but never the heroes who risked their lives and in Lincoln's case died ridding America of this original sin born out of compromise in our struggle against British colonialism. America helped prove colonialism was doomed.
3) America didn't invent slavery. Slavery has existed since the dawn of man when one tribe defeated another. In prehistoric times, it was common for ALL MEN to be killed after the defeat of a conquered tribe. Child bearing women and toddlers in some cultures were made slaves. Slave markets existed in ancient Rome and Muslim controlled parts of Africa like Sudan. The Barbary Pirates took white slaves as did the Vikings and Romans. The word slavic shares the same root. African slaves were sold not just in America but as far away as Polynesia by Muslim slave traders. Slavery is a human shame, not an American one.
4) Although first England than the United States and eventually the entire western world abolished slavery and indentured servitude, it still exists today. Literally 10s of millions of slaves still exist today in Africa and the Middle East. Human trafficking is still a big problem in the United States today with dozens of missing kids recently found. Some places like China have work camps for the Uighars, who are Chinese Muslims. Obsessing about racially enforced African slavery in America helps none of these people. If you really hate slavery, you should fight it now - not rehash America's civil war in which as many as 750,000 Americans North and South including African Americans from Massachusetts gave their lives. What right do people who immigrated to this country in the 20th century or later have to tear down the Lincoln statue in Lincoln Square in Boston. It was paid for by African American veterans of the Civil War. Leave the legacy and history of the people who built and worked to perfect this country alone and fight present oppressions instead. Otherwise, you are just opening up old wounds and dividing and conquering your own country. That helps no one. No country is perfect because no human being is perfect including you.
And before you accuse me of racism, you should know that I have slave ancestry on my mother's side, not in the United States, but the Caribbean. Stop stealing my identity and using it against me. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Praetorex ( talk • contribs) 06:45, 18 October 2020 (UTC)
This section skimps on cites as well as facts. I know it will need to be highly summarized with there being a dedicated Indentured servitude in British America page, but here is some information from historians to help build a better section.
Historian Lerone Bennett Jr. wrote an article on "White Servitude in America" that "white servitude was the historic foundation upon which the system of black slavery was constructed" [2] Professor Frank Tracy Carlton [3] notes that there were several distinct groups of indentured servants, not just those who were "free-willers" (the only ones mentioned currently in the article). Many were the subject of being kidnapped, and kidnapping became so prevalent in England that the kidnappers were given a name "spirits" for 'spiriting people away' [4] across the sea. [5] (Professor Bennett also mentions kidnappers/"spirits") Another large group were criminals that Britain wanted to get rid of. Historian Marcus Jernegan [6] agrees, citing groups such as people with contracts, those kidnapped by spirits, and criminals. Historian Charles McLean Andrews notes that criminals forced into indentured servitude were common enough to be given the colloquial name "seven year passengers" and is particularly notable after the year 1717, which is the year that the Transportation Act 1717 was passed. [7] An article in Johns Hopkins University Historical Studies gives more detail of who these "seven year passengers" were. [8]
There are slave narratives which are also relevant to this section. Peter Williamson (memoirist) wrote in his narrative about how he was spirited away at a very young age and sold into slavery in: French and Indian Cruelty, exemplified in the Life and various Vicissitudes of Fortune of Peter Williamson, who was carried off from Aberdeen in his Infancy and sold as a slave in Pennsylvania, and Ellen Craft's popular and influential narrative Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom; Or, The Escape of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery states this: (page 2 [9])
It may be remembered that slavery in America is not at all confined to persons of any particular complexion; there are a very large number of slaves as white as any one; but as the evidence of a slave is not admitted in court against a free white person, it is almost impossible for a white child, after having been kidnapped and sold into or reduced to slavery, in a part of the country where it is not known (as often is the case), ever to recover its freedom.
I have myself conversed with several slaves who told me that their parents were white and free; but that they were stolen away from them and sold when quite young. As they could not tell their address, and also as the parents did not know what had become of their lost and dear little ones, of course all traces of each other were gone.
This word history website [10] points out that the word 'kidnap' is rooted in the force-able selling of young children from England into indentured servitude came about because of spiriting. This 1901 English Dictionary contains the following definition: [11] (first column on the left of page 691)
Originally, to steal or carry off (children or others) in order to provide servants or labourers for the American plantations; hence, in general use, to steal (a child), to carry off(a person) by illegal force.
The section makes indentured servitude sound almost like a laudable coming of age hollywood movie and that's highly misleading considering how brutal it really was for most of the people actually involved or victimized by it. Progressingamerica ( talk) 17:17, 27 March 2021 (UTC)