As their servitude was for life, blacks did not have to be provided with tools or land upon their release. Also, blacks did not make up a large free population and therefore didn't pose a threat to other colonists. Although these factors played a large role in the prevalence of black labor, Woods states on pg. 55, that "no form of labor seemed sufficiently cheap of superior or plentiful to preclude the others." In the end, what set the Africans apart from other forms of labor was their compatibility with the Carolina climate and their knowledge of the environment.
The blacks had an advantage as labor during the early year of the pioneer frontier. Coming from Africa, many already had resistance to tropical disease such as malaria and yellow fever. Also, they possessed skills that were vital to the growth of the Carolina economy. They were skilled in cultivation, breeding of livestock, lumbering, warfare, fishing and much more. In short, the African frontier skills were far superior to those of the Europeans, making the blacks crucial members of the expanding society. Without the Negroes, the whites would not have been able to prosper. .
It was during these years of growth that the Africans had the greatest chance for realistic thoughts of freedom. Combined hardships and shortage of labor put different races on a more equal level than they had been in previous generations. The exportation of rice during this time was limited, therefore leaving the slaves to control the skilled labor. The number of interracial relationships rose dramatically during this time, resulting in a greater number of manumissions. The Negroes were also crucial in the colony's defense, often fighting against Indians in hopes for manumission. (Woods, pg. 125) The blacks were a central force in nearly every aspect of early colonial life. However, it was not until the Yemasee War of 1715, that African involvement reached its peak.
