Final answer:
Slavery in early America was a national institution, not confined to the South. Slaves were brought to the New World to work on plantations and in homes, with different treatment in the Northern and Southern colonies. Slavery played a significant role in the economic development of the United States and shaped American society during the colonial era.
Step-by-step explanation:
Slavery in early America began in the seventeenth century when the first Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619. Slavery existed alongside indentured servitude in the South, where slaves were primarily used as labor on tobacco and rice plantations. However, slavery also existed in the North, where slaves were purchased to work in fields and homes.
During the American Revolution, slavery was a national institution, not confined to the South. While only one-quarter of the population owned slaves, slavery played a key role in the successful American economy, benefiting not only slaveholders but also merchants and ship builders involved in the international slave trade.
In terms of treatment, slaves in both the Northern and Southern colonies faced harsh conditions, but there were some differences. In the North, slaves were more likely to work as domestic servants, while in the South, they worked in fields and plantations. Slavery was more prevalent and deeply entrenched in the South, with a higher concentration of slaves in states like Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Slavery played a significant role in building the foundation of the United States. African and African-American slave labor helped transform European colonies in North America into important producers of commodities such as tobacco, rice, indigo, cotton, and sugar. Slavery, although a brutal and destructive institution, played a pivotal role in shaping American society during the colonial era.