The plantation system is the basis of South Carolina’s economy. Significant income comes from agriculture of rice, tobacco and indigo. Plantation are privately owned units of land meant for the production and export of raw materials. Yet, cultivating this crops is intensive labor, and there is a pressing need for laborers. It is arguable that the use of African Americans for this task would solve the issue; it would be economically convenient, yet it also raises a moral dilemma when considering the harsh work and living conditions slaves endure.
The need for people to work the plantations cannot be fulfilled by Native American nor Europeans. Europeans come to the colonies in search of land of their own, and because of this, they are often
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Cultivating this crops requires intensive labour, and African are bodily suited for this. Africa is closer to this lands than Europe. They can always be kidnapped and brought over, even encouraged to mate to increase their number. Remember, “Every child born in slavery is property of the mother’s master.” (Constitution) Also, they know how to grow rice, which is an important crop in this …show more content…
Breaking young horses and mules to send them to market, yoking young oxen and training them, is proper Sabbath work. Piling and burning brush on the back part of the lot, grubbing brier patches that are out of the way, and where they will not be seen. Sometimes corn must be shelled in the corn-crib; hemp is baled in the hemp-house” (Spartacus)
Yet, “Europeans argue that the so-called ‘uncivilised’ Africans are hardly human. This sort of thinking allows the inhumanity of slavery to be dismissed.”(Bristol)
Using African slaves to work the plantations is a necessity for the colony’s economic thrive, yet there are ethical obstacles that arise when considering the type of labor and treatment these people