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The Lives of Anthony Johnson and Slaves
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Introduction continued
After twenty years years of slavery, Johnson bought his own freedom and became a succesful plantation owner. Life was all good for Anthony, but what about his sons and grandsons? This timeline explains the diminishing progress and crueltty of slavery. -
Introduction to the Diminishing Progress of 1645-1705
English people seeking treasures and fame came to the New World, America, and settled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. They had vast plantations and farms, and they knew they couldn't work all the crops by themselves. They needed many workers ,free workers, to work their plantations. That is how slavery started in the colonies. Anthony Johnson was captured into slavery and was shipped to the New World. -
Anthony Johnson Acquires Land
See paragraph 4 for more information Anthony Johnson acquires land and this is an important event showing slaves' progress to freedom. In early colonial Virginia they weren't treated that badly and were respected if they owned land. They were still treated as people and were still given some freedom. They could earn their own money and could could independently supply food and shelter for their families. -
Anthony Johnson Petitions for His Slave
Anthony Johnson returns for his slave, John Casar after he tried to transfer to another master by the name of Mr. Robert Parker. Anthony Johnson wins this court case and gets his slave back. This is a very great example of how negroes were still treated just like all Englishmen and were allowed to go to court and speak their mind about matters. They were treated fairly in court and sometimes even won their court cases, like Anthony Johnson. -
The Casual Killing of Slaves
This act shows that the slave owners could legally punish their slaves physically. If they accidentally kill the slave while they are punishing him/her, they will not break the law. This act shows the start of the diminishing progress of slaves' freedom, and the slaves being treated like property and not like human beings. This act also reduced the slaves' personal rights and legal protection of their lives. -
Punishment for Hog Stealing
This act shows the start of the diminishing progress for slaves in colonial America. If any negro or slave would steal a hog, they would get lashed thirty-nine times, and for the second offense they would stand in the pillory for two hours and have their ears cut off. This is a very cruel act that shows that Englishmen started to consider their slaves as property and that the slaves started to lose their human rights. -
Hog Stealing Punishment continued
This act was mostly made for the Englishmen to show their power over their slaves and to subdue them. -
All Non-English Become Real Estate
This act was the final straw for the slaves' freedom and human rights. After this act slaves were totally considered property and even cost money like any regular item in the store. Now the slave owners had total power over their slaves and didn't consider them humans anymore. -
Conclusion
The free Africans' freedom and human rights are the same as Englishmen at the very start of Colonial Virginia, but gradually a line of distinction is drawn between Africans and Englishmen, little bit by little bit. But now, in 2013, U.S. is a free country with no slaves at all. Imagine how would life be with slaves, discrimination, and rebellions? We could keep this freedom and fairness by choosing good leaders and looking out for even the smallest discriminating laws. Will you?
