Jamestown and Its Legacy
The arrival of the first known Africans to British North America impacted race and society by enabling the presence of permanent labor force. Since areas such as Jamestown in North America desperately needed labor, they realized the African slaves would become an easier target (William & Mary, 2019). English North America realized they would make blacks slaves because they were different. The slaves did not speak the same language as the English, they did not share the same culture, they did not have allegiance to the English crown where they could demand their rights as citizens, and they looked different. Also, the Africans provided permanent cheap labor, unlike the indentured servants who had to be released after serving four to five years (William & Mary, 2019). The use of humans as slaves for cheap labor changed how society viewed blacks and contributed to the perception that some are more deserving than others, something that persisted for a long time.. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Another impact of the arrival of the Africans in British North America is the development of the caste system. The Africans quickly became the lower class and race. Before 1619, slavery still existed but was not classified by race. Given that blacks did not speak English and did not belong to the English culture, they were quickly designated as servants (William & Mary, 2019). Also, since they were not Christians, it was assumed that they fitted the position of servants. This made blacks take on the position of the inferior group compared to whites. They worked and toiled as servants for lower pay and lived in harsh conditions (History, 2019). Ultimately, the lower value placed on Africans helped create the race problem that is still evident even today.
References
History. (2019, Fen 7). Life aboard a slave ship [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmQvofAiZGA&feature=youtu.be
William & Mary. (2019, Sep 13). 1619 at Jamestown: racialized slavery begins [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1M4VrdM3DY&feature=youtu.be