Glossary
1619
The year the first documented Africans arrived in Virginia, initially treated similarly to indentured servants.
Example:
The arrival of Africans in 1619 marked a pivotal moment in the development of labor systems in the American colonies, though the full institution of chattel slavery would evolve later.
Bacon's Rebellion (1676)
A revolt in Virginia led by Nathaniel Bacon against the colonial government, involving poor white farmers and some enslaved people, which exposed class tensions and fear of a unified labor force.
Example:
Bacon's Rebellion highlighted the instability of relying on indentured servitude and contributed to the planter elite's decision to seek a more controllable, permanent labor source.
Barbados Code (1661)
A harsh slave code from Barbados that served as a model for slave laws in other British colonies, establishing enslaved people as chattel with no rights and allowing owners to inflict severe punishment.
Example:
The Barbados Code was instrumental in legally solidifying the dehumanization of enslaved people, treating them as mere property rather than individuals.
Chattel Slavery
A system where enslaved people are treated as personal property (chattel) and can be bought, sold, or inherited, with their status typically passed down through generations.
Example:
The shift from temporary servitude to chattel slavery meant that enslaved individuals and their descendants were considered property for life, fundamentally altering colonial society.
Cotton Gin (1793)
An invention by Eli Whitney that efficiently separated cotton fibers from seeds, significantly increasing the profitability of cotton and solidifying the South's dependence on enslaved labor.
Example:
The invention of the cotton gin inadvertently expanded slavery's reach into the Deep South, as the demand for cotton production surged.
Covert Resistance
Subtle and indirect forms of resistance to slavery, such as feigning illness, slowing down work, damaging tools, or maintaining cultural practices.
Example:
Enslaved individuals often engaged in covert resistance by intentionally breaking tools or working slowly to disrupt plantation operations.
Cultural Resistance
The act of enslaved people preserving and developing their own distinct African-American culture, including religion, music, dance, and family structures, as a means of maintaining identity and dignity.
Example:
Despite the brutal conditions, enslaved people practiced cultural resistance by secretly holding religious services and passing down oral traditions.
Indentured Servants
Individuals, often European, who voluntarily worked for a set number of years in exchange for passage to the Americas, food, and shelter.
Example:
Many early colonists, including both Europeans and some Africans, arrived as indentured servants before the widespread adoption of permanent slavery.
Maroon Communities
Settlements formed by escaped enslaved people, often in remote or inaccessible areas like swamps and mountains, where they lived independently and sometimes raided plantations.
Example:
In the Great Dismal Swamp, maroon communities provided refuge and a degree of freedom for those who successfully escaped slavery.
Middle Passage
The brutal and deadly sea journey that forcibly transported millions of enslaved Africans from West Africa to the Americas as part of the transatlantic slave trade.
Example:
The horrific conditions of the Middle Passage, with its overcrowding and disease, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 20% of enslaved Africans during the journey.
Overt Resistance
Direct and often violent forms of resistance to slavery, including rebellion, escape, property destruction, or attacking slaveholders.
Example:
The Stono Rebellion was a significant act of overt resistance, where enslaved people directly challenged their bondage through armed revolt.
Racialized Slavery
A system of slavery where enslavement is based on race, specifically targeting people of African descent, and is enforced by law and social custom.
Example:
By 1700, the institution of racialized slavery was firmly established, legally binding people of African descent to perpetual servitude.
Religious Justifications for Slavery
Arguments used by some slaveholders and religious figures to defend slavery, often claiming it was divinely sanctioned or a means to Christianize Africans.
Example:
Some proponents of slavery used religious justifications for slavery, citing biblical passages or the idea of 'civilizing' Africans, to rationalize the institution.
Slavery in the Northern Colonies
The practice of slavery in the Northern colonies, which was legal but less widespread than in the South, with enslaved people often working in domestic service, maritime trades, or skilled crafts.
Example:
While less reliant on large plantations, slavery in the Northern Colonies still existed, with enslaved individuals contributing to urban economies as dockworkers or artisans.
Slavery in the Southern Colonies
The widespread and economically central practice of slavery in the Southern colonies, driven by the demand for labor on large agricultural plantations cultivating cash crops like tobacco, rice, and indigo.
Example:
Slavery in the Southern Colonies was fundamental to the region's economy, with vast plantations relying entirely on enslaved labor to produce lucrative cash crops.
Stono Rebellion (1739)
A major slave revolt in South Carolina where enslaved people seized weapons, killed white colonists, and attempted to march to Spanish Florida before being suppressed.
Example:
The Stono Rebellion was one of the largest slave uprisings in the British mainland colonies, leading to stricter slave codes.
Triangular Trade
A transatlantic trade network connecting Europe, Africa, and the Americas, primarily involving the exchange of manufactured goods from Europe, enslaved Africans from Africa, and raw materials from the Americas.
Example:
The Triangular Trade system fueled the economic growth of European nations and the American colonies, while simultaneously devastating African societies through the forced removal of millions.