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Oct 11, 1492
Columbian Exchange
The Columbian Exchange, which began after Columbus discovered America, indroduced new products to the world. Europeans in America introduced corn and potatoes, which helped increase the world's population, because they were easy to produce. Turkey, squash, pineapple, and tomatoes was also traded by the Americans. Africans traded domestic animals, as well as bananas and yams. Disease and sickness spread as a result of the Columbian exchange, including smallpox, malaria, and measles. -
Period: Jan 1, 1500 to
Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlanic Slave Trade, which began in 1500 and ended in 1750, transported 10-12 million African slaves to the Americas on ships. Life on ships for slaves was horrific. They were put underneath the ship, like cargo, with little to no light showing. Disease spread very quickly, and about 15% of slaves died on the journey. Dead corpses were thrown into the oecan.They were chained around their wrists and ankles, and were force fed. Anyone who attempted to jump off the boat was beaten. -
The House of Burgesses passes Act XII
The House of Burgesses passed Act XII to prevent miscegenation. It clarified whether a mulatto was a slave or free. It dealt with the status of the mulatto child, as well as disciplinary acts for the parents. Act XII stated that the child's status was the same as the mother's, unlike in Britain, where the child's status followed that of the father. Miscegenation was considered repugnenet and generally looked down upon. The penalty was a $50 fine for the father, because slaves had no money. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Nathaniel Bacon began his rebellion in 1676. Bacton stood up to both the English government in Virginia and the British King, speaking out against unfiar taxation and other practices by the government. He managed to rally up 600 people, including 80 black people. Bacon pledged to stand up for poor people, such as former slaves and indentured servants. He burned down Jamestown, including the church. He raided plantations of the rich in order to feed his army. Bacon died a few months later. -
Buying and Selling of Slaves
Once arriving in the Americas, slaves were put in cages, brought out one at a time, chained, and auccioned off to the highest bidder. The person selling would make the slave do things like show their teeth, jump, or lift to show off their strengh. The slave went to the highest bidder. The second type of slave auctions was where slaves were put into different groups, and buyers came in and took any slave they wanted. -
Stono Rebellion
The Stono Rebellion of South Carolina was the largest slave uprising in British North America. At the time, 61% of the population of South Carolina were slaves. The governor of the Colony of Spanish Florida promised land and freedom to any slave who escaped to Florida. About 100 slaves had reached Florida, and they set up a militia company to help other slaves escape. The slaves killed whites along the way, but were caught near the Stono River, where many of them were killed. -
Boston Massacre, Crispus Attucks is Killed
On this day, colonists, uspet with the British, began to hit soldiers with clubs and sticks. Crispus Attucks was one of the first Americans to physically attack the British soldiers, and he was the first colonist to die in what is now known as the Boston Massacre. Attucks is considered the first martyr, or a person who sacrifices their life for a cause. -
Period: to
Slaves escape plantations
During the Revolutionary War, many slave owners weren't able to control their slaves, because they spent their time with the war. Also, some people began to realize that slavery was wrong, especially with colonists asking for freedom while they enslave hundreds of thousands of people. South Carolina's slave population dropped from 60.5% to 43.8% in a twenty year span. -
Declaration of Independence and African-Americans
The Declaration of Independence states that "All men are created equal." African-Americans believed that that statement included them, and considered the American Revolution a fight for freedom for slaves. Congress made the excuse that it didn't apply to people form distant, or African, lands. Africans heard colonists speak for freedom and equality, and tried to use it as justification for revolting. -
Beginning of Emancipation
Many slaves fought in the Revolutionary War, and their willingness to help the colonists made northern states want to abolish slavery. Because slaves were not a large part of the economy in the North, they initiated petitions, especially in New England states. After the Enlightenment, there were new morals in the world, and slavery in the North seemed outdated. -
Abolition of Slavery
Slavery is abolished by Great Britain. By that time, 1.7 million Africans were transported to the Americas. Although no more slaves were being imported, slavery continued in the Americas. By 1830, more than 2 million slaves had been brought to North America. Slavery continued in America until the end of the Civil War. -
Negro Laws
The Negro Laws of South Carolina were created in 1848. They were strict codes that were put in place to prevent rebellions and keep slaves under control. There were many consequences for slaves and free blacks, such as being punished. Slaves may be whipped for minor offenses. For more serious offenses, slaves were sometimes burned or hanged. Someitmes, slaves had a finger, hand, or foot cut off. The results for slaves were bad, and made it even harder for them to gain freedom.
