15 Questions
What was the primary reason European colonizers chose to enslave Africans over Native Americans?
Africans were believed to have a smaller chance of escaping
What was the primary crop responsible for the boom in southern slavery in the 19th century?
Cotton
What was the main reason why slavery was virtually nonexistent in the North?
The North was more industrialized
What was the main goal of the abolitionist movement in the North?
To abolish slavery
Why did southern planters believe that the end of slavery would mean the end of their livelihoods?
Because they would lose their investment in slaves
What was the primary purpose of slave codes?
To restrict the freedoms and behaviors of enslaved people
What was the consequence for an enslaved person who defended themselves against a white person's attack?
They would face punishment, such as imprisonment or beating
What was a significant restriction on enslaved people's lives due to the slave codes?
They were not allowed to read and write
What was the outcome of Denmark Vesey's planned slave rebellion?
It was unsuccessful due to a leak in the plan, and Vesey was executed
What was the result of Nat Turner's slave rebellion?
It resulted in the deaths of over 60 whites, but Turner was eventually executed
Before the first enslaved Africans were brought to the Jamestown colony in 1619, where was slavery prevalent?
Throughout the ancient world
Why did the Spanish colonizers hope to replace Native Americans with African slaves?
Because African slaves had already been exposed to European diseases
What was the Transatlantic trade network used for?
To move manufactured goods from Europe, enslaved people from Africa, and raw materials from the Americas
What were the conditions like on the Middle Passage?
Cramped and unsanitary
What was the result of the poor conditions on the Middle Passage?
Many enslaved Africans died of disease before reaching the Americas
Study Notes
Slavery in America
- Slavery was prevalent in the world before the first enslaved Africans were brought to the Jamestown colony in 1619.
- Slaves were important parts of ancient economies, such as those of Greece and Rome.
- The Atlantic slave trade began with Portuguese traders on the coast of Africa in the 16th century.
The Middle Passage
- Enslaved Africans were transported across the Middle Passage, the middle leg of the Transatlantic trade network.
- Enslaved Africans were stowed in cramped, unsanitary quarters beneath the slave ships, leading to many deaths due to disease.
Slavery in the Americas
- In the Americas, all children of enslaved people became the legal property of their owners.
- Tobacco and sugar plantations in the Southern colonies required intensive labor, leading to the use of enslaved Africans.
- Enslaved Africans were chosen over Native Americans because they had prior knowledge of working on sugar and tobacco plantations.
- Many slave owners punished slaves for speaking their native language or practicing their customs.
Sectionalism and Slavery
- By the 1800s, sectionalism was on the rise in the United States, with the North and South having different economies and views on slavery.
- The South was dependent on agriculture based on slave labor, while the North was based on industry.
- Slavery was virtually nonexistent in the North, where many opposed the institution.
The Abolitionist Movement
- The abolitionist movement grew in the North, with famous abolitionists including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Frederick Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison.
- Southerners opposed abolition due to racist sentiments and economic interests.
Cotton and Slavery
- The invention of the cotton gin led to a boom in southern slavery, with cotton becoming the most valuable export of the United States by 1815.
- Planters believed that the end of slavery would mean the end of their livelihoods, leading to the institution of slave codes to control their slaves.
Slave Codes and Revolts
- Slave codes restricted the freedoms and behaviors of enslaved people, preventing them from reading, writing, getting legally married, or owning weapons.
- These laws led to many slave revolts, including those led by Denmark Vesey and Nat Turner.
- Nat Turner's rebellion was the largest slave uprising before the Civil War, resulting in the deaths of over 60 whites.
This quiz covers the history of slavery in America, from the arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown to the harsh conditions faced by Native Americans and Africans in the 16th century.
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