English Migration: Barbados to South Carolina

The overpopulation and shortage of resources in Barbados, including land, food, lumber, and fuel, led to a mass exodus of English settlers to South Carolina.

South Carolina offered abundant land suitable for profitable agriculture, particularly for growing sugar and rice. This attracted English settlers from Barbados, seeking to improve their economic prospects.

The transfer of enslaved Africans from Barbados to South Carolina resulted in the establishment of a distinct African-influenced culture in South Carolina. This included similar house styles, cultural practices, and the use of Gullah language.

The transition to racial slavery in America was facilitated by several factors, such as the English common law, which offered less protection to African slaves compared to English servants, making them a more desirable workforce.

African slaves were seen as more desirable due to their distinct appearance, making it easier to identify and apprehend runaways. This lack of racial blending made it easier to enforce slavery.

African slaves were seen as a preferred workforce because their terms of service were perpetual, meaning that they and their descendants remained enslaved indefinitely, unlike indentured servants who gained freedom after their contracts ended.

African slaves possessed valuable agricultural skills, particularly in rice cultivation, which proved invaluable for the economic development of the Southern colonies.

South Carolina's economy was heavily reliant on Barbados, which provided vital supplies such as lumber, food, and barrels. This reliance stemmed from the complex web of the triangular trade, where both colonies played distinct roles.

Olaudah Equiano's life story provides a harrowing account of the horrors of the slave trade, including the brutal conditions of the Middle Passage, where slaves were crammed together in unsanitary and inhumane conditions.

Olaudah Equiano's experience as a kidnapped child who endured the horrors of the Middle Passage sets him apart from the average enslaved person. His young age at the time of his enslavement contributed to the intensity of his suffering and offers a unique perspective on the transatlantic slave trade.

The conditions on slave ships were appalling. The stench of human waste, overcrowded spaces, and lack of hygiene led to widespread sickness. Equiano's inability to eat due to the intense stench highlights the terrible conditions on the ships.

The slave trade targeted vulnerable individuals, often children, who were more easily kidnapped and controlled. Equiano's story sheds light on the vulnerability of enslaved people and the trauma they endured through forced transatlantic voyages.

Olaudah Equiano's account of his experiences provides valuable historical evidence of the psychological and physical trauma inflicted on enslaved people. The forced separation from home, family, and culture, coupled with the inhumane conditions on the ships, contributed to the immense emotional pain and suffering of enslaved people.

Europeans believed that Africans were inferior due to their paganism and lack of civilization.

Africans were brought to the Americas from different locations, making escape difficult. They were unfamiliar with the land and unable to blend in with the local population.

A conflict in colonial Virginia between wealthy planters and poor farmers, indentured servants, and African slaves. Bacon and his supporters sought to challenge the ruling elite's policies.

Governor Berkeley favored his wealthy planter friends and Native Americans over poor farmers, contributing to tensions and conflict.

Bacon's Rebellion led to a shift from indentured servitude to racial slavery. The wealthy elite sought to prevent future rebellions by dividing the lower classes and creating a racial hierarchy.

The first Africans arrived in Virginia in 1619, initiating a new era of forced labor and exploitation.

A law passed in 1662 that determined a child's slave status based on the mother's status, regardless of the father's freedom. This legalized the exploitation of slave women and their children.

A Virginia law that confirmed the enslavement of Christians and affirmed that religious conversion did not lead to freedom. It aimed to prevent the growth of a free Black population.

The decrease in death rates among indentured servants made it more cost-effective to purchase lifelong slaves than temporary servants.

Improved economic conditions in England led to fewer people seeking opportunities as indentured servants in the colonies.

Puritans believed that witchcraft was a supernatural phenomenon connected to the devil. They saw it as a sign of God's wrath or a way for individuals to harm others.

The witch trials in Salem were different because they involved widespread accusations, often fueled by personal vendettas and fueled by an atmosphere of suspicion within the community.

The Salem Witch Trials, fueled by mass accusations and hysteria, led to significant changes in the justice system.

The practice of combining different religious beliefs into a new system. In the context of slavery, slaves often blended their traditional African beliefs with Christianity, creating unique spiritual practices.

The journey Africans were forced to take across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas. It was a horrific experience, filled with overcrowding, disease, and death. Estimated that 2 million Africans died during this journey.

Slaves in the American colonies were often given tasks to complete each day. Once they finished their tasks, they had some free time that they could use for themselves. This system gave slaves some control over their schedules, although it was still under the control of the slaveholder.

A group of slaves in South Carolina successfully seized weapons at the town of Stono in 1739, with a goal to escape to freedom. They killed a number of whites. However, the rebellion was quickly suppressed by the colonists, leading to stricter laws and harsher punishments for slaves.

A type of African religion. Polytheistic, with many gods called 'Orishas' controlling various aspects of life. The Spanish attempted to suppress this faith by enforcing Catholicism.

A blend of African Yoruba religion and Catholic beliefs. They practiced their faith in secret, connecting Yoruba Orishas to Catholic Saints. This system became widespread.

Slaves in North America were able to maintain a sense of African culture by passing down traditions, language, and names across generations. This was strengthened by the fact that they were not always in direct contact with whites

The environment in the Caribbean and parts of the Americas was more challenging for slaves due to diseases like malaria, which resulted in higher death rates. This led to a continuous need for new slave imports.

Olaudah Equiano was a former slave who wrote about his experiences in the slave trade. He described the horrors of the Middle Passage and the brutality of slavery. His writings helped to bring awareness to the issue of slavery and sparked the abolitionist movement.

The triangular trade involved three continents: Europe, Africa, and the Americas. European merchants traded goods for slaves in Africa, then shipped slaves to the Americas, and finally traded goods produced in America back to Europe. This cycle brought wealth to European nations and fueled the slave trade.

Even though the northern colonies had fewer slaves than the south, their economies were still linked to slavery. They gained wealth by providing goods to slave traders, manufacturing tools for slave labor, and supplying food to the southern plantations.

The harsh conditions of slavery forced slaves to find ways to resist, including rebelling, running away, slowing down work, and participating in hunger strikes. These acts were often dangerous but demonstrated their resilience.

The South Carolina Negro Act of 1740 was a response to the Stono Rebellion. It tightened regulations on slaves, restricting their ability to own property, assemble, learn to read, or move freely. These laws were enforced to maintain control and prevent future rebellions.

Many slaves would attempt to escape the horrors of slavery by fleeing to freedom. These runs away could be dangerous and risky due to the harsh punishments imposed and the reality of being hunted down by slave catchers.