Slavery
Slavery has been defined as "a practice in which people own other people." It probably started with the development of farming about 10,000 years ago. People captured in war were the chief source of slaves in the earliest civilizations. Other slaves were prisoners or people who couldn't pay their debts. Most people of the ancient world regarded slavery as a natural condition of life that could befall anyone at any time. Few writers or influential people viewed it as evil or unjust. Slavery of ancient times reached its height in Greece and the Roman Empire. Slaves did most of the work in those societies. During the Middle Ages there was a decline in slavery. During the 1500s and 1600s the colonization of the New World by Europeans resulted in a great expansion of slavery. The first record of African slavery in Colonial America occurred in 1619 when a Dutch ship brought 20 captured Africans to Virginia. In addition to African slaves, many Europeans were brought to America as indentured servants, who were entitled to freedom after a certain number of years. Slaves were considered necessary in the growing of cotton and tobacco and other crops. After 1830, a religious movement led by William Lloyd Garrison declared slavery to be a personal sin and demanded the owners repent immediately and start emancipation of their slaves. But slavery was not abolished in America until 1865. Interesting sidelights: The religion of the slaves played a key role in helping them survive the brutality of slavery. This religion was a mixture of African and American beliefs. Slaves generally served in one of two roles: most as Field Hands, but some as House slaves. There were many instances of rebellions of slaves. One historian wrote that "Without the power to punish, which the state conferred upon the master, bondage could not have existed." Another historian has written, "State laws prohibited the education of slaves. But the slaves developed their own language, music, and other means of communication."
Slavery has been defined as "a practice in which people own other people." It probably started with the development of farming about 10,000 years ago. People captured in war were the chief source of slaves in the earliest civilizations. Other slaves were prisoners or people who couldn't pay their debts. Most people of the ancient world regarded slavery as a natural condition of life that could befall anyone at any time. Few writers or influential people viewed it as evil or unjust. Slavery of ancient times reached its height in Greece and the Roman Empire. Slaves did most of the work in those societies. During the Middle Ages there was a decline in slavery. During the 1500s and 1600s the colonization of the New World by Europeans resulted in a great expansion of slavery. The first record of African slavery in Colonial America occurred in 1619 when a Dutch ship brought 20 captured Africans to Virginia. In addition to African slaves, many Europeans were brought to America as indentured servants, who were entitled to freedom after a certain number of years. Slaves were considered necessary in the growing of cotton and tobacco and other crops. After 1830, a religious movement led by William Lloyd Garrison declared slavery to be a personal sin and demanded the owners repent immediately and start emancipation of their slaves. But slavery was not abolished in America until 1865. Interesting sidelights: The religion of the slaves played a key role in helping them survive the brutality of slavery. This religion was a mixture of African and American beliefs. Slaves generally served in one of two roles: most as Field Hands, but some as House slaves. There were many instances of rebellions of slaves. One historian wrote that "Without the power to punish, which the state conferred upon the master, bondage could not have existed." Another historian has written, "State laws prohibited the education of slaves. But the slaves developed their own language, music, and other means of communication."
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