Slave Labor In The American Industrial Revolution
Plantation labor wasn’t always the same and differed from plantation to plantation, sugar plantations in the Indies was not the same as that on plantations in South Carolina, which was different from what slave’s laborers faced on tobacco farms in the Chesapeake. Those who did common labor, and those who carried technical skills directly, impacted the need for skilled workers to fill the specific type labor need. Whether slaves were building barrels or building fences, making furniture or repairing harnesses people with know-how and skilled capability were in short supply and when found, were very expensive. Slavery was very much a part of the southern economy. The way the South operated made it a necessity to have slave labor to harvest the crops of the fields. When the invention of the cotton machine was introduced to the South, more cotton could be picked and produced.
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As more slaves were present, more cotton was produced, leading to more money being generated, while increasing the ability to purchase more slaves. This continued for many years, leading to a greater need for slave labor. I believe this might be one of the reasons why the support of slavery was more economic than anything else at the time. Slaver labor had little to no impact on the capital that funded the European industrial revolution. The profits made during the slave trade and West Indian plantations did not account for even five percent of Britain's overall national income at the time of the industrial revolution. However, Slavery was vital to Europeans development of the new colonies. Without the slaves, European colonists couldn’t have settled and developed North and South America and the
As more slaves were present, more cotton was produced, leading to more money being generated, while increasing the ability to purchase more slaves. This continued for many years, leading to a greater need for slave labor. I believe this might be one of the reasons why the support of slavery was more economic than anything else at the time. Slaver labor had little to no impact on the capital that funded the European industrial revolution. The profits made during the slave trade and West Indian plantations did not account for even five percent of Britain's overall national income at the time of the industrial revolution. However, Slavery was vital to Europeans development of the new colonies. Without the slaves, European colonists couldn’t have settled and developed North and South America and the