The Growth of the Chesapeake and Barbadian Colonies

Angela Young prof Kelly Hopkins History 1377 June 18, 2012 The Growth the Chesapeake and Barbadian Colonies Many great examples of how pi hotshoters blazed trails and discovered unchartered territories outline the fabric of the Statesn history. We put a man on the moon in the sixties and discovered cures for some of our modern diseases. These are valuable accomplishments, but there is some separate that is just as square in the course of American history the colonization of our nation. Detailed accounts habilitate our history with the hardship and suffering of our forefathers.And although some historical accounts paint a bleak picture of proterozoic settlements and show that diseases, starvation and other chemical elements were unmanageable to overcome, we need to recognize that there were successes. It would be unfair to only concenter on the challenges without acknowledging their ability to thrive and prosper. To over await the strategies that the Chesapeake and Barbadian societies used to bewilder and prosper would be a mistake, because we can contribute many of their decisions and actions to the construction of todays semipolitical ashes and economy. round historians may analyze these ii societies and argue that their developing was a result of learning from the mistakes of previous settlements. However, there is considerable enjoin to show that the Chesapeake and Barbadian colonies undefeatedly grew and progressed as a society due to the use of slaves as workers in the colonies, the acquisition of worldly concern, and farming(a) exports to Eng primer to obtain wealthiness. The purpose of this paper is to examine the events responsible for the improvementment of the Chesapeake and Barbadian societies in the mid 1700s.The creation of the slave trade in America is arguably one of the major eventors that led to the evolution of the Chesapeake and Barbadian colonies. The entailment of slaves caused a large creation explosion in both col onies. The add together of blacks in both settlements increased importantly and outpaced that of the white population individually decade surrounded by 1730 and 1760. In 1730 the black population in the Virginia small town was 30,000 and doubled to 60,000 in 1740 and continued to increase steadily through 1770. 1 The doctor colonization showed similar population increases with the number of blacks al approximately two-baser in ize from 24,031 to 43,450 from 1740 to 1750. 2 The profile of the population in the Barbadian colony was as well as significant. Unlike the Virginia and Maryland colonies, blacks outnumbered white almost 4 to 1 and were the majority in the population in the midst of 1655 and 1770. For example, slaves were 83 percent of the population in 1760 at 86,600 while the white population was 17,800. 3 What is the significance of this population mystifyth and their evolution? The colonies created a formula that would secured their future for generations. When Chesapeake experienced scotch growth large orchards became more(prenominal) common.This created a need for workers. In turn, slavery led to great wealth for the colonies and became one of their superlative(prenominal) resources for economic growth. Over the course of several decades more slaves were brought to America to fulfill the take away for workers to plant and harvest tobacco and other crops. The colonist understood the care for of slave labor and the economic growth using slaves would provide. Most importantly, they also understood that the performance of the slaves influenced their profitability. We cannot discuss population growth in the colonies without acknowledging the fugly truth about slavery.Clearly one group of people suffered while another benefited. Many can criticize the colonies for implementing such a cruel system for economic growth, but we must ask ourselves did slavery help them overstep their goal of prosperity. After all, slaves and indentured s ervants were a productive labor kitty-cat that helped them prosper economically during the early and middle years of colonization. Without needing to take a position on slavery, we plainly understand that the back-breaking physical work of slaves is one of the contributing accompanimentors that led to great wealth in the Virginia and Maryland colonies.Another factor contributing to the evolution of the Chesapeake and Barbadian colonies is land ownership. Since the beginning, colonists placed great pry on land ownership. Land was a resource of prosperity and the most important indicator of wealth. To attract new settlers to America, colonists permitted them to own land. Although the colonists encouraged ownership, land was not equally distributed and was highly concentrated in the hands of a few people. Based on evidence we can make a direct connection between plantation size in the Chesapeake and Maryland regions based on the number of slaves living on them.For example, between 1 750 and 1770, twenty dollar bill or more slaves lived on approximately one-third of all plantations. Specially, 31% of all plantations had 21 or more slaves living on them from 1750 1759. 4 This average continued through 1779. We can assume that white plantation owners possessing the largest plantations have the largest number of slaves. there was a direct correlation between land ownership and wealth distribution. Those that owned the land owned the wealth. There was strong evidence of this in Barbados in 1680 where wealthy pioneers owning 60 or more slaves owned approximately 60% of all land and 60% of all slaves. Likewise, 14. 9% of Jamaican land owners possessed land mensurate at ? 1,000 or more. 6 This trend also started as early as 1669 and continued up through 1750 in the Virginia colony. For instance, between 1700 1719, the wealthiest 5. 6 % of the male population owned 61. 5% of the total wealth and between 1720 1750 the wealthiest 2. 7 percent of males owned 33. 2% of wealth. 7 One of the greatest values colonists recognized from land ownership was the acquisition of economic and political power. They could influence the future of their society because of the economic power they possessed.Most importantly, they had the ability to advance their own interests. For example, they could make the rules for who owned the land and where they owned it. They could give land to their heirs to ensure that it remained in their familys possession for generations. Land ownership and wealth also meant political power. Those with the wealth could hold political office and trope the future of their colonies by making laws that would benefit them directly. The colonists experienced many long benefits from land ownership.However, they benefited at the expense of others by setting up a system that would intentionally prevent them from achieving any level of prosperity and success. Some people may disagree with the method used by the colonies to prosper. However, the fact that they used others to advance their own goals does not cancel out the fact that land ownership and wealth moved them one step adpressed to securing their position as a viable society. Agricultural exports also contend a role in progression of the of the Chesapeake and Barbadian colonies.Both colonies practiced exportation bucolic products to England and would eventually build the wealth and improve their standard of living. introductory to the 1620s growing crops was difficult for the colonist because early settlements did not confirm the knowledge and tools needed to grow them successfully. Barbadian settlers tried to grow crops such as tobacco, cotton, ginger, and indigo, but were unsuccessful. Over time, they learned which crops would grow successfully in their region. After much trial and error, tobacco became the right plant to grow for Chesapeake and sugar for Barbados.Tobacco exports to England became the main source of income from Virginia and Maryland. Bet ween 1660 and 1760 tobacco exports increased distributively decade. Along with the number of pounds increasing, the price per pound of tobacco also increased. In 1740 England imported 35,372 pounds of tobacco at a price of 0. 80 pence sterling/pound. By 1770 the amount increased to 38,986 at 2. 06 pence sterling/per pound. Furthermore, the value of exports to England reached $435,094. 8 Additionally, sugar exports to England from Barbados yielded positive financial results for the colonies.Sugar exports steadily increased from 1651 to 1698 with the highest being 15,587 slews in 1698. 9 This discussion about the impact of exports on the evolution of the colonies is not complete without acknowledging the role slavery played. As exports to England increased, the import of slaves also increased to support the demand for tobacco. The more slaves owned by the colonists, the more crops could be harvested and exported to generate more revenue for the colonies. A closer look at the evidenc e doesnt always show a successful progression toward prosperity.Increases in the black population did not always significantly outnumber that of whites. Also, there is evidence that illustrates a drop in the value of exports to England from 1755 to 1770. While the value of exports was at their highest in 1750 at ? 508,939, they decreased to as low as ? 435,094 in 1770. 10 Tobacco exports to England also dropped in 1770. Additionally, once land ownership opened up to indentured servants and other settlers in the Chesapeake colony, the largest distribution of wealth transmuteed from the wealthiest to the middle class.For example, between 1700 1719 5. 8% of the wealthiest males owned 61. 5% of the wealth. From 1720 1750, 2. 7% of the wealthiest males owned 33. 2% of the wealth while 26% of the male population owned 31. 3% of the wealth. 11 This shows an important shift in wealth within the colony. Some may read this evidence and disagree with the factors that contributed to their ad vancement and decide not to give full assign because of these inconsistencies. The Chesapeake colonies established a formula long before the mid-1700s to promote and take for their future growth.Although the statistical evidence changes for some of the factors, it is clear that the Chesapeake and Barbadian colonies progressed as a society as a result of slavery, land ownership, and agricultural exports. The focus should not only be on the evidence, but the overall impact these factors had on the colonies ability to evolve and the impact their prosperity has on our economic situation today. Notes race Growth, Virginia, 1640-1770, p 67 2 Population Growth, Maryland, 1640 1770, p 68 3 Population Estimates, Barbados, 1655 1770, p 73 orchard Size in Virginia by Number of Slaves, 1700 1779, p 71 5 Wealth Distribution, Wealthy Planters, 1673 and 1680, p 74 6 Wealth Distribution, Jamaica, 1674 1701 (percentages), p 74 7 Wealth Distribution in Middlesex County, Virginia individual( prenominal) position of Deceased Adult Males, 1699 1750, p 68 8 Tobacco trade by England from Virginia and Maryland (in thousands of pounds) and Maryland Tobacco Prices (in pence sterling/pound), 1620 1770, p 69 9 Estimated Sugar Exports from Barbados to London, 1651 1706 (tons), p 75 10 Value of Exports to and Imports from England by Virginia and Maryland, 1700 1770 (in pounds sterling), p 72 11 Wealth Distribution in Middlesex County, Virginia Personal Property of Deceased Adult Males, 1699 1750, p 68 Works Cited Wheeler, William Bruce, Susan D. Becker, Lorri Glover, and earth-closet Hart. Discovering the American Past. Kentucky Cengage Learning, 2012. Print