The American Paradox Nash Analysis

448 Words2 Pages

David Childress Period 4 11/11/15
Nash Reading Review Nash’s essay examines the development of commercial slavery in the 15th century starting in Africa up until the 19th century in America. He discusses the real way that slave trade happened that is contrary to popular belief. He also analyzes the causes and effects that led to slavery’s commercialization and development. One cause-and-effect arguments Nash makes about slavery's development is as the need for labor increased because of agricultural development, the need for slaves also increased. Expansion of slave trade was caused by the high demand for cash crops like tobacco and sugar. American colonies were in need of a cheap labor force and saw Africans as fit for the job since there were so many of them. Indentured servitude was just not working for the colonies because of the intense work needed to be done to farm cash crops. Another cause and effect argument Nash uses is that the English entry into the slave trade business allowed southern plantation owners to buy slaves more and for cheaper than ever before. But how did all these slaves get to the colonies? Nash points out some misconceptions pertaining to how the capturing and trading of slaves really occurred. He states that the African people contributed greatly to the enslavement and capture of their …show more content…

Without it, America wouldn’t have survived or been able to succeed in the way it did. However, Morgan focuses on the political side of slavery, most of his essay is about Jefferson and his political views and his views on slaves. Nash is more focused on the economic reasons why slavery was so critical to the success of America, and the economic reasons that caused colonists to turn away from inefficient, paid indentured servitude to efficient, free slave