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Overview of Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson arrived in Virginia around 1620. The African worked as an indentured servant for many years. Anthony was a man who adapted well to his surroundings. He became a Church of England Christan, and changed his name to Anthony while on the ship to Virginia. These are some of the progressions Anthony made, fighting the laws that promted diminishing progress. -
Africans are prohibited to own firearms.
The law prohibiting the African usage of firearms made a big impact on the African community. The free Africans were expected to do withought many activities. They were not allowed to hunt. They were not allowed to protect themselves. They were not allowed to use guns on any occasian because of their race and social status -
Anthony Johnson Accuires Land
At the end of Anthony Johnson's servitude, Captin Taylor divides his corn field amongst the negroe and himself, resulting in Anthony Johnson's first ownership of land. Anthony Johnson can now become part of the social normality.He can own farmland. He can now earn a reasonable profit. He can even now petition for a slave to work his farms just like everybody else. This made a depending relationship between the Africans and englishmen that lasted for many years to come. -
Deposition of John Johnson
John Johnson, son of Anthony Johnson, made a complaint that John Johnson sr. was ignoring the fact that this 450 acers of land belonged to John Johnson the negro. After days in court, the trial played out in John Johnson the negro's favor. this may have been one of the last times that an englishman lost in court to an African. -
The Fate of a Child Tied to its Mother.
This act states that the status of a newborn child is the same as its birthmother. This means that if a free African, or Englishman were to have a child with an enslaved woman, the baby would be a slave no matter what the race or status of the father. This is important because the children of Africans had a very unlikley chance of being born free. This also made slaves seem more like property than people than ever before. -
An Act About the Casual Killing of Slaves
This law states that any slave owner may be exemt from trial if he/she were to kill their slave. According to the law, the owner would never intend to harm their estate. Now the englishmen are not only getting off the hook for murder, but are classifying slaves as "estate". This is important in diminishing progress because it opens up a new social normality, and power to the englishmen. -
Conclusion
When we think of slavery today, it is disgusting and moraly wrong. Today, we have grown to belive that we are not at all what we were in the 1600's. That is true, but we do things today that in another 200 years, may be as unthinkable as slavery is to us. While slavery was at its full potential, barely anyone thought they were doing wrong in owning slaves, even the slaves and in other countries. So who were the English men hurting?
