Colonial Economy of America: Poverty, Slavery and Rich Plantations Essay

During the sixteenth century, colonial people in America led very poor family life. Some of them died early due to poverty and disease and the rest of them had a very miserable and terrible life. There was great discrimination among the white and black people in which the black people were treated badly by the white people, but later this attitude changed. “It was not until the reign of Queen Elizabeth that Englishmen came to realize that overseas exploration and plantations could bring home wealth, power, glory, and fascinating information.” (Jordan 3). Through plantation this society started to develop; the hardworking farmers – both the white and black – became rich. All the power came into their hands and the poor black and white slaves were under their control and they worked for the rich and obeyed their orders. “English merchant-capitalists financed the settlement of American colonies, hoping that they would gain profits from their investments.” (Kullikoff).

When the tobacco economy flourished, the white laborers expected that they can become rich through it, but later they moved on to rebellion as their hope was discouraged. So, many slaves were imported from Africa, and due to the overburden of work and disease they died soon; but the tobacco economy continued for a longer time. Thus, this country developed through this natural production, and a wealthy life was led by Americans and Africans together. Later, they also did fishing and transport for their living.

Evidence

In ‘The White man’s burden’, the author Winthrop D. Jordan reveals the attitude of American people towards the black people in the early centuries. In his book, the author talks about what exactly blackness is and about whether black people’s intelligence level is higher than that of white people and all. To disclose the racial discrimination among the people of America, he included some actual events in his book. Among the black, there were also some persons like Benjamin Banneker, “general” Gabriel in Virginia who have been a part of a slave revolt. The author also discusses the cruel mentality of white people towards these personalities. “Most importantly the author discusses the “why” of racism and postulates some theories for the white man’s prejudice.” (Jordan Back Cover).

The export-driven is the major method that influences the American colonial economy. In the colonial economy, the white persons played the superior role and they acquired almost all benefits from the sales. The colonial American economy didn’t make any effect on the slaves because the slaves were all black people (African American) and they didn’t get enough money for their work. The reason behind this was the effect of racial discrimination that existed between the white and black in those centuries. They didn’t get any benefit from the colonial economy and also whenever the economic system was going down it affected the black people in such a way that they had to suffer due to lack of food and which led to a threat to their life. The author of ‘The White man’s burden’ exposes the racism that occurred in America in the early 17th century and the reason behind racism.

This topic deals with life in the colonial economy of America and the approach of white people towards black people. During the early centuries, the black people were the servants of Americans and they were badly treated by the white people. The white people made the poor African slaves work hard, and quickly they died due to overburden and poverty. But, later the attitude towards the black people changed and by the combined efforts of the Americans and Africans, the country developed. Mainly through natural production, the people became wealthy and they led a typical way of life.

Works Cited

Jordan. Withrop D. The White Man’s Burden: Historical Origins of Racism in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. Web.

Kullikoff, Allan. US History Companion: Colonial Economy. 2009. Web.