I believe that it is essential to know the origins of our country to further comprehend the world surrounding us today. From the video and the lecture, I have learned the history of the first settlement in America and the controversies around it. For instance, some authorities believe that the original base in America was Plymouth founded in 1620. However, it would seem that the experts have proved it wrong, and the initial settlement was Jamestown dating back to 1607 (Oppenheimer Ranch Project, 2018). Nevertheless, what impressed me most in this situation was the process of how historians obtained information from the ages past. The archeological and linguistic component is definitely something that I have underestimated in my comprehension of historical work. I am also amazed by the story of Pocahontas, a native American girl, that potentially saved our civilization by protecting the Virginia Company. Such narratives always fascinate me and make the studies of history even more alluring.
It is terrifying to think that the proposition of slavery in America was put forward due to the mere greed and selfishness of just a few people. As stated in lecture 4, “Black slavery as an institution evolved from a British culture of feudalism (British serfs become indentured servants) to institutional racism”. During the initial stages of colonization, the African people were brought to America as indentured servants. However, the officials of the Virginia Company saw the opportunity and turned African workers into slaves based on racial identity. The injustice and flaws of the law system also became apparent in the case of John Punch, who was condemned to slavery while his white partners in crime were punished with prolonged service. The African community could not assemble a resistance to the oppression due to small numbers – by 1650, there were only 300 Africans in the settlement. A few runaway attempts could not be possibly considered dangerous for the slavery policy, so the African people had no choice but to obey this atrocious practice.
Reference
Oppenheimer Ranch Project (2018). Death at Jamestown – narrator: Liev Schreiber – 17th century Jamestown’s dead secrets. [Video File].