Question

For this assignment you will examine three primary source documents from the British colonial period in North America, and then write a one-paragraph journal entry explaining the similarities and differences among the labor systems. The following three sources can all be found in the AP U.S. History Research Library: Thomas Minor, Excerpts from "Diary of Thomas Minor" Richard Frethorne, Letter to His Father and Mother Illustration, "Iron mask, collar, leg shackles and spurs" In your analysis, include a brief description of the system that appears to have existed in each region. What about these systems is similar? What is different? Your journal entry should be at least eight sentences long.

Answer 1

The British colonial labor systems included family and hired labor in New England, indentured servitude in the Chesapeake colonies, and chattel slavery in the Southern colonies and the Caribbean, differing in personal freedom and legal status.

Step-by-step explanation:

The three primary source documents from the British colonial period in North America depict various labor systems that were prevalent during that time. Thomas Minor's 'Diary of Thomas Minor' reflects on the labor system in New England, where labor predominantly consisted of family and hired workers within small-scale farming communities. Richard Frethorne's letter provides insight into the harsh conditions faced by indentured servants in the Chesapeake colonies. The illustration of 'Iron mask, collar, leg shackles and spurs' represents the brutal system of chattel slavery that was especially dominant in the Southern colonies and the Caribbean, where African slaves were dehumanized and treated as property.

The similarities among these labor systems include their ultimate goal to sustain the economic demands of the colonial period, often involving agriculture. However, significant differences lie in the freedom, treatment, and legal status of the workers: slaves were considered property with no personal rights, indentured servants were bound to labor under a contract for a certain number of years but had the prospect of freedom, and the labor system in New England was much more oriented towards free labor with family workers and hired hands.

Answer 2

The examination of the British colonial labor systems through primary sources shows differences among family-led agriculture, indentured servitude, and racial slavery in terms of labor demands, economic activities, and degrees of coercion.

Step-by-step explanation:

In examining the three primary source documents from the British colonial period in North America, similarities and differences among the labor systems become apparent. The Diary of Thomas Minor provides a glimpse of the farming and small-scale societies in New England where labor was often conducted by the family unit and indentured servants. Richard Frethorne's letters reveal the harsh conditions faced by these indentured servants in the Chesapeake region, who worked under contract for several years before gaining freedom. The illustration of iron masks, collars, leg shackles, and spurs signify the brutal reality of racial slavery that was prominent in both the Southern colonies and the Caribbean.

The similarity among these systems lies in their purpose: to meet the labor demands in the colonies. However, the differences are stark, particularly between the relatively less coercive indentured servitude and the downright inhumane conditions of slavery. While indentured servants could hope for freedom after their servitude, slaves were considered property for life with no liberty in sight. The regional disparities in labor were influenced by the economic activities predominant in each area; agriculture in the South necessitated more labor, leading to the greater entrenchment of slavery, as opposed to the North where smaller farms and diverse economies required less permanent labor force.