In 1619, the first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia to grow tobacco, establishing the demand for slaves as colonists profited immensely. The demand for labor in American colonies caused slave importations to surge as “[m]ore than seven thousand Africans…stumbled off slave ships in Charleston Harbor in the year 1765…that made the colony more than 60 percent African.” Although African-Americans made up the majority in some colonies, they were still overpowered by white, American males whose freedoms allowed them to be prosperous. Fear of Britain centralizing its power in the American colonies caused white males to express their anger towards the traditional British rule by expelling courtiers, assaulting British dependency, …show more content…
To illustrate, since labor was the radical factor that led to colonial success, all men were extremely protective of their liberties as they “had much to lose” if the British oppressed their rights to prosperity. With equality and economic security on their minds, the Stamp Act Congress petitioned for all colonists to be entitled to the “inherent rights and liberties of his natural born subjects within the kingdom of Great Britain” but were rejected. The injustice within the British social structure was revealed through the privileged courtiers, “whose position or rank…flowed from the crown or court” , as they were generously rewarded for their connections to the monarchy whereas the colonists had to work for their prosperity. White Patriots, who reached success through hard labor, expelled about 80,000 loyalists and courtiers whose cherished positions came from Britain’s patronage, thus returning the liberties and entitled rights to the people. By purging the undeserving loyalists from their offices, “a republican dagger [was] driven into the heart of the old hereditary order” as Britain had no more colonial figureheads to directly manipulate to keep revolutionaries in check. With the loyalists who promoted British interests expelled, Americans gained independence from traditional British order and were equal through their …show more content…
For instance, because many relied on being faithful servants to the British “in expectation of a m[aste]r’s promise for…liberty” , men were obligated to follow policies they opposed as they had no other way to survive. Thomas Paine, advocate for American independence, noticed how colonists conceded to British rule to obtain rights in their colonies, making them “effectually enslaved by the want of laws in America as by submitting to laws made for [them] in England” . Jefferson, a well-known revolutionist, observed that “[w]ithout having property and a will of his own—without having independence…there could be no republic” as the government’s health depended on the people’s independence. To stop their enslavement to the British, as perceived by Paine, Jefferson urged the state of Virginia to grant land to every man as his token of independence. With the requirement for property met, men gained the right to vote in their republic to escape Britain control. Clearly, the assault on British dependency made it clear that land was the key to independence as it gifted white men a say in the government that in return gave everyone, not just the voters, their independence from