LABOUR DURING THE COLONIAL PERIOD

SLAVES

In the 16th century Europeans established sugarcane plantations using African slaves in the

Atlantic coastal islands. This was traced to the origin of transatlantic slaves. In America,

territories were set up using African slaves. During the mass migration, the number of slaves

imported was by far more than the number of immigrants. About 10 million slaves were

imported until 1869 when the last ship arrived in Cuba. Slaves worked in mines and also worked

in farms of cotton, sugarcane, and tobacco to meet the demand of consumers.

Most slaves went to British West Indies, South Carolina which became the world’s leading slave

trade. They also worked in Urban areas- up to 10 percent of the slaves lived in cities. There was

a variety of occupations for the slaves in the cities which included draymen, blacksmiths, and

also a carpenter.

In the fields, there was only one rule for work that is from sunrise to sunset six days a week.

Moreover, the food they took was sometimes even not suitable for animals to eat. The slaves

lived in dirty shacks with little or no furniture.

TRANSPORTED CONVICTS

More than 50,000 prisoners were relocated by Britain to their colonies that is before the

American revolution. They were then sold to their new employers and they then served as

independent workers. Thereafter Britain sent almost 170000 prisoners to its Australian colonies,

that is between 1787 and 1868. Moreover, a small number was sent to Bermuda and Gibraltar.
The other colonial powers also sent prisoners to their colonies. Some Indian prisoners were

deported to Mauritius and Bay gal.

The prisoners were mostly used in the construction of their infrastructures such as roads,

buildings, bridges, and booths. This was required for the establishment of primary food

production. Some of the other prisoners were involved in the production of goods that entered

the global market. For instance, prisoners of French were involved in nickel mining. Even in

Australia prisoners worked as shepherds in industries that produces wool. They were also

assigned, private employers.

FREE MIGRANTS

In the 19th century, over 50 million Europeans migrated overseas, therefore, reducing the flow of

immigrants. Between 1840 and 1920 the migration was very large and the period was referred to

as “weather disaster”. A small portion of the migration went to Australia, New Zealand, and

South Africa while most traveled to America. The migration was significantly affected by the

agricultural trade of wool, maize, wheat which had entered the global trade. The period was also

for gold-rush for California Victoria and South Africa. After this period the Europeans continued

to travel but not as much as the mass migration.

REFERENCE

1. Colonial labor. (n.d.). San José State

University.  https://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/coloniallabor.htm

2. Labor, types of. (n.d.). Encyclopedia.com | Free Online

Encyclopedia. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/news-wires-white-papers-and-

books/labor-types
3. British North America | The American yawp. (n.d.). The American

Yawp. https://www.americanyawp.com/text/03-british-north-america/