APUSH: Period 2, 1607-1754 - Slavery in the British Colonies

Why This Matters

Slavery in the British Colonies is a pivotal topic in understanding the development of the United States and the broader Atlantic World. The institution of slavery was a driving force behind the American Revolution, the Civil War, and the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States. This topic connects to the AP theme of American Identity, as it highlights the contradictions and complexities of American values, particularly the idea of liberty and equality. The legacy of slavery continues to shape American society, politics, and culture, making it essential to understand this period in American history.

Key Events & People

• The Triangular Trade (1600s): A system of trade that connected the Americas, Africa, and Europe, with enslaved Africans being a primary commodity.
• John Locke (1632-1704): An English philosopher who argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, influencing the American colonists' ideas about liberty and equality.
• The Royal African Company (1672): A British company granted a monopoly on the slave trade in Africa, leading to increased slave imports to the Americas.
• The Somerset Case (1772): A British court case that ruled that slavery was not supported by English law, influencing the abolitionist movement in the American colonies.
• George Washington (1732-1799): The first President of the United States, who owned slaves and struggled with the moral implications of slavery.
• The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804): A successful slave revolt that led to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black nation in the world.
• The Fugitive Slave Act (1793): A law that required Northerners to return escaped slaves to their Southern owners, contributing to the tensions leading up to the Civil War.
• William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879): An American abolitionist who published The Liberator, a newspaper that advocated for the immediate emancipation of all slaves.
• The Underground Railroad (1800s): A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved individuals to escape to freedom in the North.
• The Emancipation Proclamation (1863): A presidential proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln that declared all slaves in Confederate territory to be free.

Cause & Effect Chain

• Cause: The Triangular Trade and the Royal African Company's monopoly on the slave trade led to a significant increase in slave imports to the Americas.
• Effect: The growth of slavery in the Americas contributed to the development of a plantation economy and the expansion of slavery into new territories.

• Long-term consequence: The legacy of slavery continued to shape American society, politics, and culture, contributing to the Civil War and ongoing debates about racial equality.

• Cause: The Somerset Case and the influence of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke led to increased criticism of slavery in the American colonies.

• Effect: The abolitionist movement gained momentum, with figures like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass advocating for the immediate emancipation of all slaves.

• Long-term consequence: The abolitionist movement contributed to the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States, but also left a legacy of ongoing racial tensions and inequality.

• Cause: The Fugitive Slave Act and the Underground Railroad contributed to the tensions leading up to the Civil War.

• Effect: The Civil War ultimately led to the abolition of slavery, but also resulted in the deaths of an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and civilians.
• Long-term consequence: The legacy of slavery and the Civil War continues to shape American society, politics, and culture, with ongoing debates about racial equality and justice.

Essential Vocabulary

• *Triangular Trade*: A system of trade that connected the Americas, Africa, and Europe, with enslaved Africans being a primary commodity.
• *Enlightenment*: A philosophical movement that emphasized reason, individual rights, and the social contract, influencing the American colonists' ideas about liberty and equality.
• *Abolitionist*: A person who advocates for the immediate emancipation of all slaves.
• *Fugitive Slave Act*: A law that required Northerners to return escaped slaves to their Southern owners.
• *Underground Railroad*: A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved individuals to escape to freedom in the North.
• *Emancipation Proclamation*: A presidential proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln that declared all slaves in Confederate territory to be free.
• *Plantation economy*: An economic system based on large-scale agriculture, often relying on slave labor.
• *Haitian Revolution*: A successful slave revolt that led to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black nation in the world.
• *Somerset Case*: A British court case that ruled that slavery was not supported by English law.
• *Royal African Company*: A British company granted a monopoly on the slave trade in Africa.
• *John Locke*: An English philosopher who argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.

Common Student Mistakes

• What students often get wrong: The Triangular Trade began in the 1600s and was primarily a British institution.
• Correction: The Triangular Trade began in the 1500s and involved multiple European powers, including the Portuguese, Dutch, and French.
• What students often get wrong: The Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1850.
• Correction: The Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1793, and while it was amended in 1850, the original law was enacted decades earlier.
• What students often get wrong: The Underground Railroad was a single, organized network.
• Correction: The Underground Railroad was a loose network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved individuals to escape to freedom in the North.

DBQ / LEQ Connections

• Possible essay prompt: Analyze the role of the Triangular Trade in shaping the institution of slavery in the British colonies. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the Royal African Company's monopoly on the slave trade.
  • Possible evidence: The Triangular Trade, Royal African Company, John Locke's ideas about liberty and equality, Somerset Case.
• Possible essay prompt: Evaluate the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the abolitionist movement in the United States. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the writings of William Lloyd Garrison and the Underground Railroad.
  • Possible evidence: Haitian Revolution, William Lloyd Garrison's writings, Underground Railroad, Emancipation Proclamation.
• Possible essay prompt: Discuss the significance of the Fugitive Slave Act in contributing to the tensions leading up to the Civil War. Be sure to include specific examples from the period, such as the Underground Railroad and the abolitionist movement.
  • Possible evidence: Fugitive Slave Act, Underground Railroad, abolitionist movement, Emancipation Proclamation.

Quick Self?Check

1. What was the primary commodity traded in the Triangular Trade?
   • Correct answer: Enslaved Africans
   • Explanation: The Triangular Trade was a system of trade that connected the Americas, Africa, and Europe, with enslaved Africans being a primary commodity.
2. Who argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property?
   • Correct answer: John Locke
   • Explanation: John Locke was an English philosopher who argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property, influencing the American colonists' ideas about liberty and equality.
3. What was the result of the Somerset Case?
   • Correct answer: The Somerset Case ruled that slavery was not supported by English law.
   • Explanation: The Somerset Case was a British court case that ruled that slavery was not supported by English law, influencing the abolitionist movement in the American colonies.

Last?Minute Cram Sheet

• The Triangular Trade began in the 1500s, not the 1600s.
• The Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1793, not 1850.
• The Underground Railroad was a loose network of secret routes and safe houses, not a single, organized network.
• The Royal African Company was granted a monopoly on the slave trade in Africa in 1672.
• The Haitian Revolution led to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black nation in the world in 1804.
• The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
• The Somerset Case was a British court case that ruled that slavery was not supported by English law in 1772.
• John Locke argued that individuals have inherent rights to life, liberty, and property in his Second Treatise of Government (1689).
• The Underground Railroad was used by enslaved individuals to escape to freedom in the North.
• The Fugitive Slave Act required Northerners to return escaped slaves to their Southern owners.