Essay about Racism and Slavery Hand in Hand - 1304 Words

The American colonies were established with the idea of freedom and liberty to all. This goal, however, is darkened by a contradictory event: racism. Racism against African Americans (Negroes) in America was a by-product of permanent and inhumane enslavement of the black population. This type slavery was built upon the need for the American colonies to achieve economic prosperity and social stability. The slavery prior to these social and economic problems was equal to that of white slavery. Black and white slaves and indentured servants received the same treatments, given equal punishments and working conditions. Both races were regarded as equally low in status and slavery itself in general carried a term of negative connotation. Free†¦show more content†¦The court later acknowledged that Tony Longo was a citizen who worked hard to maintain a living and then relieved him of his duties. The black population during this period was in all aspects equal to the white people. R acism in this period of time was rarely prevalent in the white community as a whole against the black population. One of the problems that led the colonies to implement permanent and brutal slavery upon the black population was based on economic reasons. In the 1690s, many colonies turned from naval stores and fur trade to the cultivation of rice, sugar, and tobacco. These products required great amounts of land and capital equipment for large scale operations. As a result, there is an immediate search for the cheapest and experienced laborers: African Americans. The immense profits that the landowners gained continued the incentive to work the black slaves as hard as possible. In addition, the King Tobacco Diplomacy also supported that it is the natural interest for the United States to depend on a lifetime of slave labor. The other problem that led to inhumane slavery is because of the need to stabilize society. This problem came into play when there was a great amount of English freedmen who were landless and poor. These English freedmen were the product of indentured servitude that lived out their contracts and became free. ByShow MoreRelatedSlavery and Racism1509 Words   |  7 PagesCivilization Dr. Carlson November 17, 2011 Slavery and Racism: Are They One in the Same? Aphra Behn was an extremely significant and influential English writer in the 1600s. One of her more famous works, Oroonoko, discusses the issues of slavery and racism in the Americas. Many people believe that slavery and racism go hand in hand. In fact, these two ideologies are awfully different. Slavery is the act of forcing humans to be treated property whereas racism is the belief that discrimination basedRead MoreRacism And Slavery : Black Or The Egg, Slavery Or Racism?993 Words   |  4 Pagesthe chicken or the egg, slavery or racism? 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