Slavery and subsequent contributions to the United States
Description
English colonists in America built a system of racial slavery over time, and rather than doing so just by practice or custom, they used legislation and court decisions to construct an increasingly rigid and seemingly indestructible legal structure that would come to consign trafficked Africans and their descendants to perpetual bondage. While each colony passed its own laws at different times, all established slavery, and the legal framework was similar from colony to colony. First, why did colonial leaders choose to build this system? And then, what were some of the key features of the laws they passed, and what were these laws’ contributions to this ever more defined system, up through about 1740? You should plan to write a cohesive, formal essay, 1300 to 1600 words (this is about four to five pages), in which you develop an argument and advance it through making points and using evidence to back them up. The formatting is the usual – double-spaced, standard margins, normal sized font (11 or 12 point, depending on which you choose) and so on. Do not use or consult outside sources for this assignment. You should only be referencing class materials – the textbook, the “Legislating slavery” set of documents on Canvas, and lectures. You do not need to use all the documents, but you should use some of them, along with the textbook and information from lectures. The best papers tend to blend together a variety of different types of sources, making for a stronger case. You will have all the information you need to write an outstanding essay. You can just use parenthetical citations (Author, page number) after something you wish to cite. All essays should have citations. Those with none or very few will likely earn a failing grade. Since you will all be using the same sources, there is no need for a works cited page. and it should be a full draft, in the vicinity of 1300 to 1600 words.
