WEBVTT NOTE 18. Slavery in Virginia 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.480 Volume 2, Chapter 18, Slavery in Virginia 2 00:00:05.480 --> 00:00:13.760 As tobacco plantations expanded, the extent of Negro slavery increased as well. In 1710, 3 00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:23.480 there were 23,000 Negroes in Virginia among 55,000 whites. In 1750, the colony contained 4 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:30.480 101,000 Negroes and 130,000 Whites. And contrary to historical opinion, the Browns have shown 5 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:40.920 that while the larger plantations were in the Tidewater area, the proportion of slaves 6 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:47.920 was no greater in many Tidewater areas than in the Piedmont. In fact, the greatest proportion 7 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:54.240 This proportion of slaves to total population appeared in the land between the James and 8 00:00:54.240 --> 00:01:01.240 Rappahannock rivers, both in the Tidewater and going back well into the Piedmont area. 9 00:01:01.240 --> 00:01:07.800 Similarly, the evidence indicates that the proportion of the value of slaves in the total 10 00:01:07.800 --> 00:01:13.840 assets of the planters was no greater for large than for small slaveholders. 11 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:18.960 The condition of the slaves was what we might expect where some people are owned by others 12 00:01:18.960 --> 00:01:24.600 as capital. Slaves were kept in compounds where they were condemned to miserable lives 13 00:01:24.600 --> 00:01:31.920 of severe labor, little food, long working hours and savage treatment. Above all, they 14 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:40.040 lived absolutely and continuously under the direction of their masters. Torture was systematically 15 00:01:40.040 --> 00:02:10.040 The Theory of Money and Credit The Theory of Money and Credit 16 00:02:10.040 --> 00:02:19.040 Legal marriages by slaves were forbidden, and unofficial slave families were often broken up. 17 00:02:19.040 --> 00:02:26.040 The prevalent practice of fornication by the masters with the female slaves was regarded as 18 00:02:26.040 --> 00:02:30.040 a pleasant method to secure slaves at a cheap rate. 19 00:02:30.040 --> 00:02:34.040 In law, the cards were stacked against the slaves. 20 00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:39.040 A slave received thirty lashes for daring to hit a white Christian. 21 00:02:39.040 --> 00:02:47.400 ." But any owner could kill a slave at will in the process of punishment. Runaway slaves 22 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:53.400 refusing to return could be killed, and if such a slave were killed or executed for any 23 00:02:53.400 --> 00:03:00.480 other crime, the government compensated the slave owner. Many runaways committed suicide 24 00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:06.680 rather than return to their owner. Along with slaves came the threat of slave rebellion, 25 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:12.460 Indeed one of the chief functions of the Virginia militia was to guard against such a menace. 26 00:03:12.460 --> 00:03:17.800 In calling for an increase in the militia, Governor Spotswood frankly declared, Freedom 27 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:24.440 wears a cap which can, without a tongue, call together all those who long to shake off the 28 00:03:24.440 --> 00:03:31.360 fetters of slavery, and as such, an insurrection would surely be attended with most dreadful 29 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:09.440 In 1722, a massive slave plot covering several counties was brought to light. Three slaves, 30 00:04:09.440 --> 00:04:16.400 Cooper, Will and two Sams, were found guilty of conspiracy to revolt and were sentenced 31 00:04:16.400 --> 00:04:23.320 to three years' imprisonment. The following spring, slaves in Middlesex and Gloucester, 32 00:04:23.320 --> 00:04:27.880 counties were discovered to be plotting to gain their freedom. Seven of the leaders were 33 00:04:27.880 --> 00:04:34.120 were sentenced to banishment. Governor Hugh Drysdale called upon the assembly to intensify 34 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:40.580 legal punishment of slave rebellion. You're too well acquainted with the cruel dispositions 35 00:04:40.580 --> 00:04:48.240 of these creatures when they have it in their power to destroy or distress, to let slip their 36 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:54.620 fair opportunity of making more proper laws against them. The Virginia legislature was 37 00:04:54.620 --> 00:05:06.620 was all too eager to comply and passed new laws forbidding all unlicensed meetings of slaves as well as the death penalty without benefit of clergy for conspiracy. 38 00:05:06.620 --> 00:05:18.620 Furthermore, the crackdown touched even the few free Negroes. They were deprived of the vote, burdened with discriminatory tax rates and forbidden to possess arms. 39 00:05:18.620 --> 00:05:26.620 Moreover, even voluntary manumission of slaves by masters was restricted by the legislature, 40 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:30.820 and approval was required by the governor and the council. 41 00:05:30.820 --> 00:05:36.180 When twelve years later, the English Board of Trade wanted to know why free negroes could 42 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:42.780 no longer vote, Governor William Gooch, revealing the colony's great fear of negro revolts, 43 00:05:42.780 --> 00:05:48.420 explained, there has been a conspiracy discovered amongst the negroes, wherein the free negroes 44 00:05:48.420 --> 00:05:54.180 Negros and mulattoes were much suspected to have been concerned, which will forever be 45 00:05:54.180 --> 00:06:00.020 the case, and though there could be no legal proof so as to correct them, yet such was 46 00:06:00.020 --> 00:06:06.380 the insolence of the free negros that the assembly deprived them of the vote, well-knowing 47 00:06:06.380 --> 00:06:12.640 they always did, and ever will adhere to and favor the slaves, and to preserve a decent 48 00:06:12.640 --> 00:06:16.540 distinction between them and their betters. 49 00:06:16.540 --> 00:06:22.440 Despite all the restrictions, in the year 1729 a number of Virginia slaves rebelled, 50 00:06:22.440 --> 00:06:28.900 procured arms, ammunition, and agricultural equipment, and escaped west to settle in the 51 00:06:28.900 --> 00:06:35.980 Blue Ridge Mountains. There the former slaves harmed no one. But the force of their example 52 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:41.120 could have been a standing reproach and a beacon light to the colony of Virginia and 53 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:47.640 and even to the entire system of slavery. Hence, Virginia mobilized a strong troop of 54 00:06:47.640 --> 00:06:54.200 whites to march against the Negro settlement to destroy it, which they did after a pitched 55 00:06:54.200 --> 00:07:01.120 battle. The Negroes left alive were taken back to bondage. Governor Gooch reacted by 56 00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:07.260 strengthening and training the militia to prevent similar episodes in the future. Yet 57 00:07:07.260 --> 00:07:15.660 Not only one year later, in 1730, slave conspiracies were again revealed and suppressed in Virginia. 58 00:07:15.660 --> 00:07:20.860 An absurdly optimistic rumor spread among the slaves that the Crown had authorized the 59 00:07:20.860 --> 00:07:27.680 freeing of all baptized slaves. The spread of the rumor led to numerous meetings of slaves 60 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:35.260 and loose discourses among them about individual liberty. Virginia promptly arrested and severely 61 00:07:35.260 --> 00:07:46.100 A few weeks later, 200 Negro slaves of Norfolk and Princess Anne counties gathered and chose 62 00:07:46.100 --> 00:07:52.260 officers for their imminent rebellion. But the plot was uncovered and four of the slave 63 00:07:52.260 --> 00:07:58.400 leaders were executed. Governor Gooch smugly conveyed to the Crown his hope that the slaves 64 00:07:58.400 --> 00:08:05.220 would now rest contented with their condition. During the early years of the French and 65 00:08:05.220 --> 00:08:11.420 In Indian War, when defeats were being inflicted on the English west of Virginia, the slaves 66 00:08:11.420 --> 00:08:20.200 took the opportunity to become rebellious. Governor Robert Dinwiddie, 1751-58, remarked 67 00:08:20.200 --> 00:08:27.240 on the notorious villainy of the Negroes in any emergency of government. He ordered trial 68 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:32.980 for any Negroes guilty of seditious talk and placed a number of soldiers in each county 69 00:08:32.980 --> 00:08:42.100 to suppress any Negro revolt. In late 1767, Negro slaves near Alexandria revolted by poisoning 70 00:08:42.100 --> 00:08:48.700 and killing several of their overseers. In consequence, eight of the Negroes were brutally 71 00:08:48.700 --> 00:08:55.940 executed and their heads exhibited in the public square. A mob of Negroes also rioted 72 00:08:55.940 --> 00:09:03.220 in Frederick County in the same year. Altogether, slave revolts occurred in Virginia in the 73 00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:15.740 following years, 1722, 1723, 1729, 1730, 1755, and 1767.