The book Origins of American Slavery proposes a unique and captivating narration about the causes and factors of slavery in America. Wood states that in American history, slavery was one of the most important and controversial periods which had a great impact on the economic and social development of the nation. The book assesses the impact of slavery on economic conditions and its role in the economic development of America. The investigation evaluates the influence of slavery on agriculture and manufacturing. Economic analyses and participation of the slave labor force in economic development are used to analyze the impact and role of slave labor in the development of the American economy. The book consists of five main sections devoted to different problems and issues of slavery and the first decades of slavery.
I like the structure of the book and its approach based on historiography and primary sources analysis. The author mentions different sources of slavery and their significance for the American population. Wood underlines that slaves did resist being enslaved. Acts of insubordination, such as running away, were motivated by the slave’s desire to be with his family, to escape from the brutal treatment of overseer or owner, or to flee permanently from his bondage. His chances for successful escape from the South were remote since he had to go many miles through slave states to reach a free state. The slave knew this, but the act itself, a compelling impulse to remove himself from the impositions forced upon him in bondage, could not be contained. Wood pays special attention to relations between Native American and the Europeans, and analyses problems and wars took place between these groups.
I like the detailed analysis of causes and economic conditions in American before the period of slavery. Wood states that before the period of slavery, the American nation had slow economic growth rates in contrast to European countries. The productive capacity of the American Colonies was materially affected by the power of the labor market. Because of the scarcity of labor, particularly of skilled workmen, this market favored the laborer rather than the employer. With the development of manufacturing facilities and machinery, these industries required more labor to expand production. Slavery was the cheapest labor which allowed agriculture and manufacturing to save costs and invest them into production. Without cheap labor these industries would fail to meet changing social conditions and economic demands.
The sources used for analysis are based on theoretical background and economic data analysis. Both of them are academic sources written from historical and economic perspectives. Wood gives a substantial analysis of the causes of slavery, the lives of slaves and their role in national economic and social development. The book is based on economic data analysis which includes driven forces of economic development, changes in modes of production, new trade relations and growth of the manufacturing sector. The main limitation of this source is that it does not include a deep analysis of slavery seeing it as a part of economic development only. The main limitation of this source is the narrow scope and lack of facts, maps and figures important for research. Wood views slavery as wrong and evil; he looks optimistically for its destruction and recognized great problems in adapting the new slaves to the conditions of the American land.
The book is based on primary documentary sources and presents a unique vision of the slave revolts. On the one hand, it helped to attract the attention of the masses to social problems such as injustice and oppression. Its value is a clear and brief representation that helps to identify the main causes and consequences of economic development. The book proposes a unique interpretation of the period and shows that slavery gave rise to a new national ideology held by most American revolutionaries. The strength of agriculture was that it remained the core of the economy and wealth accumulation. In the beginning, the main advantage of the South was its developing agriculture, which supported the rapid economic growth of the country. Owners of the cotton plantations were interested in cheap labor to extend their crop areas. African slaves were the only source of cheap labor supply meeting the needs of a growing economy. For one thing, it should be noted that the spread and growth of new industrial relations, new industries were closely related to the growth of agriculture.
In sum, I like this book and would recommend it to everyone untested in the history of the USA, slavery and the formation of the American nation. The facts and economic data show that slavery was one of the most important engines which created new opportunities for agriculture and industry. The development of the Western farmlands and Southern agriculture was associated with the labor supply. The rise of the nonagricultural population established in American a new environment of a large volume of agricultural products. Without slave trade and cheap labor, America was not able to establish high rates of industrial growth in all spheres of the economy and compete with foreign suppliers from Europe.
Works Cited
Wood, B. Origins of American Slavery. Hill & Wang Pub; 1st edition, 1997.