The Beginning of Slavery

Slavery in America began in 1619 when the colonists first came to Jamestown, Virginia. These “slaves” were white bond servants who paid for their passage across the ocean from Europe, they were also called indentured servants. Soon following this, African American people were brought from Africa to work on tobacco plants, which was the main industry of the time. They were transported in ships, stacked with thousands of people on top of each other. If a person died while on board, which many did, the body was thrown into the ocean. The stench was unbearable because the under carriage was never cleaned. The floors were covered in urine, feces, vomit, and rotting flesh. However, this was just the beginning. Once in America, the slaves were separated, stripped of any clothing, poked and prodded to see who would be worth more money, and eventually sold to the highest bidder. Once sold, they had no control over their lives.