Should the British Empire supported the CSA?

[Greg Boeser]

Uh, no - the British brought African Slaves to North America and the Caribbean.
So did the Spaniards, French, Dutch and Danes.

Britain aboloshished slavery in 1834 - two hundred years after they first brought slaves to North America.

Yes, but the first African slaves didn't arrive in British North America until 1619. The first colony was established in 1607. So for twelve glorious years, the British held the moral high ground.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Uh, no - the British brought African Slaves to North America and the Caribbean.
So did the Spaniards, French, Dutch and Danes.

Britain aboloshished slavery in 1834 - two hundred years after they first brought slaves to North America.

I not contesting any of that. I'm only wondering how the USA would look today without African slavery.

 

[Greg Boeser]

I not contesting any of that. I'm only wondering how the USA would look today without African slavery.

Like Canada?

 

[Shortround6]

Yes, but the first African slaves didn't arrive in British North America until 1619. The first colony was established in 1607. So for twelve glorious years, the British held the moral high ground.

When they weren't stealing land from the Native Americans

 

[Shortround6]

Like Canada?

They never figured out how to grow cotton in Canada.

 

[Greg Boeser]

When they weren't stealing land from the Native Americans

Weren't stealing. Found it. No one around. Finders keepers. The king said so.

 

[Greg Boeser]

They never figured out how to grow cotton in Canada.

There has to be a viable commercial use for cattail fluff.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

I not contesting any of that. I'm only wondering how the USA would look today without African slavery.

Perhaps better off. Fewer modern racial issues? More early investment capital to find more efficient crops or industry (Georgia, big on slave agriculture, sat on a lot of iron, other states in coal) right at the start of the Industrial Revolution, and immigration ramping up, meaning industrialization happening earlier?

Or maybe our native tribes would have been more enslaved instead, with all the modern racial problems which that implies.

 

[SaparotRob]

Perhaps better off. Fewer modern racial issues? More early investment capital to find more efficient crops or industry (Georgia, big on slave agriculture, sat on a lot of iron, other states in coal) right at the start of the Industrial Revolution, and immigration ramping up, meaning industrialization happening earlier?

Or maybe our native tribes would have been more enslaved instead, with all the modern racial problems which that implies.

So young and yet so wise.

 

[Greg Boeser]

Perhaps better off. Fewer modern racial issues? More early investment capital to find more efficient crops or industry (Georgia, big on slave agriculture, sat on a lot of iron, other states in coal) right at the start of the Industrial Revolution, and immigration ramping up, meaning industrialization happening earlier?

Or maybe our native tribes would have been more enslaved instead, with all the modern racial problems which that implies.

It's my understanding that Africans were brought in because the natives were not amenable to slavery. Kept running off into the wilderness. Indentured Europeans were a bad investment because after seven years, you were supposed to let them go, at which point they became your competitors.

 

[swampyankee]

It's my understanding that Africans were brought in because the natives were not amenable to slavery. Kept running off into the wilderness. Indentured Europeans were a bad investment because after seven years, you were supposed to let them go, at which point they became your competitors.

Slaves were also brought in for skills, especially rice cultivation. Also, with no real identity documents, the indentured servants could run and travel a few miles and blend into another community. Race-based slavery made that far harder.

As an aside, indentured servants did have legal rights, that is they could petition the courts, testify in court, and legally marry ( although they made need permission of the holder of their indenture). Slaves couldn't do any of those things: they could be (and were) deliberately mutilated and maimed or even killed by their owners, who would not face any legal repercussions.