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Wed. Feb. 4th = The Culture of Scarcity: Socio-economic divisions andBacon's Rebellion (1670s)
The Culture of Scarcity: Socio-economic divisions and Bacon's Rebellion (1670s)1. Why so few slaves in early- to mid-1600s Virginia, despite the huge amount of cheap labor needed to grow tobacco?A. Overpopulation & tensions in England, plus offer of headrights & benefitrs of indenturedservitude in the colonies create a large supply of English laborers (early 1600s)B. Planters can hire indentured servants (2/3 of all immigrants in 1600s) cheaper than buyingslaves [see 1st chart below] 2. Tensions build by late-1600sA. Navigation Acts (1660-98) cut supply of slaves to British coloniesi. England's wars with the Netherlands (1660-64) closes the Dutch slave trade into theEnglish coloniesii. Mercantilism forbids trade with any non-English colonies (including Portuguese, Spanish& Dutch trade in slaves) [see 2nd chart below]B. The downside of growthi. quantity of headrights & freedom dues decreases over timeii. quality (accessibility) of lands given decreases, increasing the anxieties of recentfreedmen (ex-servants)C. Bacon's Rebellioni. fears of Indian wars increase (1675-76)ii. to deter Indian attacks, Governor Berkeley builds forts in the Backcountry, paid for by apoll tax [see 3rd chart, below]iii. ex-indentured servants find a leader in Nathaniel Bacon, former counselor to Gov'r Berkeleya. Bacon's demands reveal divisions between Backcountry farmers and Tidewater plantersb. rebels attack plantations and sack (loot & burn) Jamestown, before Bacon dies of dysentery
 
iv. Legacy: the mystery of Bacon's and his followers' motivesi. personal power struggle with Gov'r Berkeley?ii. class struggle between farmers and planters?iii. colonists' greed for more land?iv. anti-tax/anti-big-government ideology?v. excuse for racist attack on Indians?Review of AMST themes:* land as source of real economic power and the basis for political power (voting)* "free" still an economic/financial (not racial) status for most of 1600s-----------------------------------CHARTS:
c.1620s-1650s Cost of Labor in Colonial Virginia: Indentured servants:* availability = high* cost = L.500-1,000* life expectancy = low* term of service = 5-10 years (average)
 
Slaves:* availability = low* cost = L.1,500* life expectancy = low* term of service = life (+ children until age 21)
 -----------------------------------
c.1660s-1680s Cost of Labor in Colonial Virginia: Indentured servants:* availability = low* cost = L.1,000-1,200* life expectancy = high* term of service = 5-7 years (average)
 
Slaves:* availability = very low
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