Overview of Early Tobacco Cultivation in Colonial-Era America
Unlike the deep south where slaves were predominantly used for harvesting cotton and rice, Chesapeake and North Carolina's main use of slave labor was the production of tobacco. Chesapeake, also known as Chesapeake Bay, is an estuary covering the easternmost edges of Maryland and Virginia (see image left). Its unique agriculture is what made it so ideal for tobacco production, in that the tidewater region surrounding Chesapeake was fertile and rich in the nutrients necessary to harvest such a crop.
Before the 17th century, the only people in Virginia who were planting and harvesting tobacco were the Native Americans. The first man to successfully cultivate tobacco in the States was John Rolfe in 1612. Born and raised in England, he saw a opportunity to undercut Spanish tobacco imports by growing it in England's new colony: Virginia. Rolfe's first harvest of tobacco was soon met with huge demand from English consumers and, within the span of a couple years, had created Virginia's first cash crop.
Before the 17th century, the only people in Virginia who were planting and harvesting tobacco were the Native Americans. The first man to successfully cultivate tobacco in the States was John Rolfe in 1612. Born and raised in England, he saw a opportunity to undercut Spanish tobacco imports by growing it in England's new colony: Virginia. Rolfe's first harvest of tobacco was soon met with huge demand from English consumers and, within the span of a couple years, had created Virginia's first cash crop.
The quick-growing demand for Rolfe's tobacco resulted in a huge need for cheap labor in Virginia. Due to the decreasing amount of indentured servants willing to immigrate to the states from England, the settlers in Virginia began importing massive amounts of slaves from West Africa. The amount of slaves in Chesapeake went from 100,000 to 1 million during the 17th century alone.
The slave boom that occurred in Chesapeake as a result of tobacco's popularity dramatically shifted the previous dynamic between slaves and slaveowners on tobacco plantations. Cultivating tobacco is a multi-step process that involves skilled workers strenuous labor. Because of this, it had been common for the white planters to work alongside their slaves to show them the ropes. Racial boundaries were characteristically less distinct in the tobacco plantations before the 17th century. However, once the slave population increased so dramatically, the environment for slaves on tobacco plantations was much less hospitable. Slaves had grown to be around 40% of the population surrounding Chesapeake, which inevitably made the racial boundaries on tobacco plantations more distinct and harmful.
The slave boom that occurred in Chesapeake as a result of tobacco's popularity dramatically shifted the previous dynamic between slaves and slaveowners on tobacco plantations. Cultivating tobacco is a multi-step process that involves skilled workers strenuous labor. Because of this, it had been common for the white planters to work alongside their slaves to show them the ropes. Racial boundaries were characteristically less distinct in the tobacco plantations before the 17th century. However, once the slave population increased so dramatically, the environment for slaves on tobacco plantations was much less hospitable. Slaves had grown to be around 40% of the population surrounding Chesapeake, which inevitably made the racial boundaries on tobacco plantations more distinct and harmful.