Depicting multiple aspects of cultural beliefs that Europeans had about Indians and Africans, Betty Wood’s The Origins of American Slavery creates the perfect distinctions between the various slave systems that were used in the American colonies. Although there was no physical division of the colonies, one could draw imaginary lines to divide the colonies up into systems of slavery. Even though all the colonies held the same belief in God and cultural belief of European dominance, the way they treated the Native Americans and the Africans varied from different areas of the colonies.
Motivating factors of the Southern ring of slavery can be sought in the inherent capitalist roots that were formed after the industrialization of Europe. With all the fertile land that existed in the south, and the perfect agricultural weather, it became inevitable that more manpower was going to be needed to properly reap the south of all its benefits. The Virginia Company made the colonies in Chesapeake for the sole purpose of being more productive. Upon arriving in the Chesapeake area, the Virginia Company and friends passed several reforms that would grant more land and workable area to citizens of Europe. The only problem was that there was a
The Puritan beliefs of the New Englanders allowed for slavery, even though there was no economic incentive for them to own them. The belief that the Puritans were God’s chosen ones elevated them to a status of untouchableness from the Africans and Native Americans. It only made sense that God’s chosen one should have servants that are always loyal to the superior race. To the Puritans, the Native Americans and their culture was outside of God and was an example of barbaric people that inhabited the New World. The Native Americans were seen as rejecting God’s presence with their culture, which justified the Puritans bringing them under the awe of God. The Puritans used the Body of Liberties statute to determine that Native Americans and African Americans were “strangers” and thus could be taken into bondage. The Puritans used the Old Testament to claim the servants as their property, to be owned, managed, and sold by them alone. They further justified their slavery of the indigineous people by claiming that their servitude led to greater knowledge of God through service to the owner, which was the best thing these people could achieve in life. Since the slaves were still a servant of God and not an
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