Effects of Slavery

By: Kiara Saavedra

History
Over the period of the Atlantic Slave Trade from about 1526 to 1867:
● 10.7 million slaves had arrived in the Americas from Africa.

● Slaves were held on large units in many plantations holding 150 slaves or more.

● There was a balance of sexes to create natural reproduction.

● In 1651, Rhode Island declared that an enslaved person must be freed after 10 years of service.

● In 1787, free blacks establish the Free African Society in Philadelphia, the first independent black

organization and a mutual aid society.

● In 1868, Fourteenth Amendment is ratified making blacks citizens.

Continued
● Slave owners would give slaves minimal to no wage in order for them to make a
profit out of their plantations.
● Many people knew how to use slaves for their own personal benefit to promote
their wealth which is why slaves became common.

“It was implied, and enforced, that Africans were of a lesser

class through the means in which they were ‘used’ by the slave
owners to promote their wealth and stature. The larger their
plantation, the wealthier and more successful people were
seen. But in order to do this, the plantation owners needed
workers, but if they had to pay workers reasonable wages,
they could not yield a profit.”
Consequences: Africa
● Slavery caused for many Africans to think poorly of the United States because of the
events they went through.
● This is a statement of a former slave when he was asked about people returning to North
Carolina:

“When I think of it I can’t tell how any man of color can think of going there with
small children”
A Free Man of Color is Warned Against Returning to North Carolina,
1830 (251)
Continued
A Mississippi Opinion of Free People Of Color, 1858 (252)

“The status of slavery is the only one for which the African is adapted; and a
great wrong is done him when he is removed to a higher and more responsible
sphere.”

The African people are so ‘adapted’ to being slaves that they don’t see anything else
as normal. If a slave is freed or given a personal responsible they feel as if they don’t
deserve it or it’s something wrong.
Consequences: United States
A Demographic Snapshot of the Free Black Population,1820-1860 (253)

It brought a higher demand for slaves in some states. Overtime there is an increase
on the amount of free slaves but in some states like Texas, rarely any slaves were
freed.
Continued
● Throughout the course of slavery, exchange and trade occurred more often
which promoted America’s economic growth.
● With the resources collected from the work of slaves, trade and exchange was
able to take place more frequently; later causing for a bigger civilization
● A bigger civilization was also created because of the supply and demand
correlation while the population kept growing.
Lingering Effects
● African culture still lingers in today’s society
● Certain foods used back then are still incorporated in some meals they eat today, even if
they weren’t a part of their culture originally.

Enslaved Africans were forced to incorporate those

leftovers – such as chitterlings, oxtails, tripe, pigs
feet, cow foot, and other bad foods – into their daily
meals. Those foods are still part of the diets of many
African people today.
Continued
● Slaves a big part to do with the production of cotton.

● This map is calculated on an 1860 census of major

● cotton production areas.

● Today, people in these same areas express more

racial resentment.

● People in these areas are also more likely to be

Republican and oppose affirmative action, than citizens

in other areas.