As we learnt in this chapter that Sugar crop was gaining popularity and it’s revenue was even 4 times than the revenue of Virginia tobacco. Thus the trade of African slaves for hard laboring Sugar crop started by the Royal African Company for the profit and welfare of the entire English Colonies. The human trade with the lifetime service, without any agreement turned the slaves as a piece of commodity. To discipline and punish the slaves, harsh culture of violence against the slaves was common norm. In Virginia, even the free blacks lost their rights to vote, hold arms, employ any non-black servants. In 1739 the british colony was shaken by the slave uprising for their liberty, called Stono Rebellion led by few slaves, mostly all were killed later by white colonists. Owning…show more content… It was the time when everyone was fascinated by the racial views of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Banneker took a bold step and wrote to Thomas Jefferson. He stated that such views of him on race and slavery were wrong. He penned the words “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence. He responded to the comments of Thomas Jefferson that God created all men equally and diversify all of us in different situations and skin color but we all are the members of the same family.
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Reasons for Fontaine’s defense of slavery
Peter Fontaine had mixed feeling about the slavery system and was not in the favor. He blamed the Africans and mother country for slavery and cleared himself of any responsibility. According to him “The Negroes are enslaved by the Negroes themselves before they are purchased by the masters of the ships who bring them here.”
Second reason that Fontaine blamed for slavery was the pressure from the mother country to buy slaves for more profit and it was forced upon them.
His other reason that slavery is needed and necessary for the whites to survive