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Aristocrats, Servants and Slaves. The Origins of Liberty and the First English Settlers. The Great Paradox of American Slavery. “How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from the drivers of Negroes?” - Dr. Samuel Johnson.
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Aristocrats, Servants and Slaves The Origins of Liberty and the First English Settlers
The Great Paradox of American Slavery “How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from the drivers of Negroes?” - Dr. Samuel Johnson
1.) How can “Liberty” and slavery evolve together? 2.) How and why did Americans invent “race”? 3.) Is the U.S. built on a paradox? *critical race theory = is racial categorization an anomaly, oris it integral to American identity?
I. Coming to America A. “Mercantilism” - provide natural resources • provide markets • absorb excess people Richard Hakluyt 1557-1618
B. Impediments 1. Financing - poor, cheap, pre-occupied 2. Labor
A. Financing • Joint stock company - Virginia Company1606-24 - public/private stock - compulsory labor
B. Labor • The New Eden- promise of return • Indentured Servitude
C. Near Disaster • Investors want quick profits John Smith 2. Conflict with Indians Wahunsonacock (Chief Powhatan)
3. Bad geography 1609-10 “the Starving Time”60/500
A. Privatization/ Reorganization 1. George Yeardley 1616 • distributed land for cash crops and food - Headright System • combine individualism w/ deferred rewards
2. House of Burgesses - unequal representation • planter supremacy Tidewater Aristocracy *characteristic of southern colonies
3. Social tensions - class conflict What ensured “liberty” forthe poor? Scots-IrishThe “backcountry”
IV. Virginia on the edge A. 1622 Indian War 1. Opechancanough WaterhouseDeclaration 1622
2. Political scandal - James I “Divine Right” Royal Colony 1624
A. Why Africans? 1. Availability - West African Slave Trade 2. Distinction - easy to isolate
3. Were the English “racist”? I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughterand the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. - Othello Historiography
4. 1600s, little difference between black &white laborers - socialized w/ each other - coerced by planters So why does “race” enter the picture? The Case of Katherine Watkins…
B. Bacon’s Rebellion 1676 1. Tidewater v. Backcountry Nathaniel Bacon William Berkeley
C. Racial Hierarchy 1. Laws from Jamestown - 1630s black “servants” willed to family - 1639 no “Negroes” allowed to own guns - 1662 lifetime “slavery” first mentioned in law - 1667 baptism will not bring freedom - 1670 blacks/Indians cannot own white I/Ss - 1680 blacks cannot congregate in large numbers - 1691 no mixed-race marriage; separate trials no free “Negroes or Mulattos” in the colony
2. Last major white / black cooperation (1880s) * Southern society divided by race as well as class * White skin would come to mean better treatment * Racial caste system (racism) invented to preserveeconomic hierarchy IDEOLOGY OUTLASTS INSTITUTION
Great Paradox of American Slavery Liberty (for whites) dependent on slavery Leaders of Independence movement from planter class Vested interest in this system(Civil War)