Slavery in America

Slavery is one of the cruelest forms of forced labor that America has ever been through. It was an institution in which human rights were constantly violated. African Americans were tortured with no freedom promised to other Americans or any rights to receive education. However, even in its cruel nature, there were many environmental, economic, and political factors that promoted slavery as a viable institution in the Southern Colonies.

There were many environmental factors that allowed slavery to not just survive, but thrive in the south. For example, the abundance of crops led to the demand for the abundance for labor. Businesses were always trying to lower operating cost thus making free labor a very tempting solution. Southern climate was perfect for the production of several crops such as sugar in Virginia, tobacco in Georgia, and rice in South Carolina (Document A). These factors contributed greatly to the survival of slavery, since they were needed to fulfill these basic needs.

If the environmental factors allowed for the abundant growth of crops, perhaps after the cost of having slaves, then the demand was the number one economic factor. Rice and tobacco plantations were two of the biggest plantations. Tobacco farming requires a great deal of hand labor and close attention. By mid-eighteenth century, the Chesapeake and Lower South regions were major exporters of tobacco, rice, and indigo (Document B). With a growing demand of tobacco and rice plantations leads to a growing demand for slaves.

Lastly, in addition to the environmental and economic factors, there were many political factors as well. The immigration of indentured servants came to an end and disease destroyed the Indian population, thus making them enable to be used as labor. The demand of labor was fulfilled with slaves that were ripped away from their homeland communities in West Africa by slave raiders. The Middle Passage was a systemic process of retrieving Africans for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. If Europe and Africa began their ill-fated relationship as near equals, the influx of European goods, particularly of firearms, slowly disrupted the equilibrium of West African cultures. To Europe improved technology brought power and wealth, but to Africa it brought only more efficient means to capture slaves for the American market. The political power structure of West African states was peculiarly susceptible to the corrosive effects of the slave system. Africans went against their own race to get the products being traded.

Therefore, there were many environmental, economic, and political factors that kept slavery flowing smoothly for such a long period of time. Without these factors, slaves wouldn't have been necessary. They promoted the survival of slavery as a viable institution in the southern colonies.