Question

I need help with this question and here is the link to the website. Please use your words to explain the answer.

Link to the website: http://www.blackcommentator.com/129/129_guest_pbs_slavery.html

What role did Bacon's Rebellion play in enacting "slave codes" in the southern colonies? What impact did "slave codes" have for those in bondage? How did you think these codes affected race relations between blacks and whites? Do you think the racial problems this country is still wrestling with today can be traced to these codes that were enacted beginning in 17th century? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Bacon’s Rebellion, one of the most influential slave rebellion that happened in America in 1676. It was the result of the suppression that was unleashed on the bonded labourers in the tobacco plantations. It was led by Nathaniel Bacon and the surprising element was that the bonded labour at that period of time included African Americans and European Americans. They came together for a common cause. Although the rebellion was successful, after a month it was totally brought under the control of the British. This made the British rethink about the way they treated Black and White. Their immediate invention was White superiority and Black inferior image which they successfully implemented thus dividing people based on race.

Slave codes of Virginia in 1705 and South Carolina in 1740 restricted the Blacks and gave full rights to their owners to treat them as they liked. In the meantime the White bonded labourers were freed and brought to the white community. It gave the property rights only to the Whites and allowed legal slavery. Slave Codes further ensured the unconditional submission of black, instilling fear in the minds of the black people not to gather anywhere in the public, made them uneducated and helpless.

These codes separated the Black and White labourers and provided more freedom and privilege to the Whites. White people started to treat the Black people like animals and sowed the seeds of hatred in the minds of the White children. In my opinion, racial problems can very well be tracked down to the 17^th century because the British were very good at divide and rule principle which they employed in most of the colonies. Even during the Bacon’s rebellion, they tried to bribe the leaders but they couldn’t. So the curse of seventeenth century introduction of race still haunts America and its holistic development.