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Period: to
Diminishing Progress
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Anthony Johnson (introduction)
Anthony Johnson was an African in colonial Virginia. In early colonial Virginia, life wasn't so bad for slaves. There was a way to get out of it and start a new life. Free Africans could live a life almost as good as some poor Englishmen. In early colonial Virginia, slaves had hope of someday being free. -
Anthony Johnson Acquires Land
Anthony Johnson acquires land from Captain Taylor. Along with land, Anthony received corn too. This shows prgress because Anthony was an African who got out of slavery and had land. Most Africans at this time were slaves that didn't have anything. When he gets the land, he can grow crops or have livestock on the property and then make money and have a good life. -
If you were a slave and were baptised, you could be freed
Anthony Johnson was able to be freed if he was baptised. This is because of the Siete Partidas laws. These laws acknowledged that slavery was not the natural condition for mankind so the slaves could either be baptised or buy their way out of slavery. This shows progress because slaves had a way out of servitude. -
Act III
This act is the act declaring that the baptism of slaves does not free them. This makes it harder to become free if you are a slave. This law shows that the Englishmen wanted the slaves to stay slaves and not have the choice to become free. This shows diminishing progress because the slaves now cannot become free as easily as they used to. I think this law was passed because the Englishmen were scared that if enough slaves become free, something bad could happen like a rebellion. -
Act I
This act declares that if you are punishing your slave, and they are accidentally killed then you will not be charged with murder. This law gives the Englishmen more power and control over the slaves. This shows diminishing progress because the slaves now can be killed for their actions. -
Chapter XXII
This law declares that any African, Mulatto, or Indian slave is real estate. Mulatto means the person is bi-racial. This law was a very bad law because this finally puts a price on slaves. The slaves are not considered people, but property. This is the law that made slavery really bad. Slaves had no hope of getting out of slavery. I think this law was passed because the Englishmen wanted a lot of control over the slaves. -
Conclusion
Slavery in early colonial Virginia wasn't so bad. There was a way to get out of it. As time passed on, more and more laws were passed and slavery got worse. Soon, there was no way to get out of it and the slaves were considered property. Slaves had no hope of one day being free.
