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[WARNING: Some images may disturb.] Slavery has been a part of human civilization from its very beginnings and continues to persist in various forms today. This article uncovers some lesser-known facts about slavery, offering a historical perspective on its development and survival through the ages.
10. First Legalized in Virginia
Slavery was legally recognized in Virginia in 1654, when Anthony Johnson, an African man, persuaded a court that his servant, John Casor, should serve him for life. Johnson himself had arrived in Virginia as an indentured servant, working to pay off a debt or fulfill a contract for a set number of years in exchange for food and shelter. After saving enough money, he bought out the remainder of his contract and his wife’s as well. The court ruled in his favor, officially recognizing Casor as the first state-sanctioned slave in Virginia. Johnson later became wealthy and began importing enslaved Africans, receiving 250 acres of land for each person he brought. However, the consequences of his legal victory came back to haunt him. His land was eventually seized and given to a white man because Johnson was classified as a “Negroe” and thus an alien.
9. A Devastating Invention
By the late 18th century, slavery was on the decline in the United States as farmers turned to crops that required much less manual labor. Many slaveholders freed their enslaved workers, and it seemed that slavery might eventually disappear. However, everything changed in 1793 when Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a machine that revolutionized cotton processing. This innovation allowed one person to process fifty times more cotton in a single day, making cotton an immensely profitable crop. As a result, many other crops were replaced with cotton, and slavery was deeply reestablished, remaining entrenched until its eventual abolition.
8. The Significance of the Word
The term 'slave' originates from the Byzantine Greek word 'sklabos,' which referred to the Slavic people. This association arose because the Vikings would capture Slavs and sell them to the Romans as slaves. The term only appeared around 580 AD, as the Latin word 'servus' was more commonly used beforehand for all kinds of servants, enslaved or otherwise.
7. The Bible and Slavery
The Bible neither explicitly endorses nor condemns slavery. In the New Testament, Jesus heals a slave and praises his owner's faith, without condemning the practice of slavery itself. Saint Paul advises slave owners not to threaten their slaves, as both they and their slaves are equal in the eyes of God (Ephesians 6:9). The Old Testament goes further, urging kindness toward slaves. This moral ambiguity likely reflects the historical context in which the Bible was written—at a time when slavery was widespread and socially accepted, making it an issue few would have questioned. Moreover, slaves in biblical times were often treated better than those in later eras and could eventually gain their freedom after a certain period of service.
6. The Land of the Free
Liberia, located on the west coast of Africa, is bordered by Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Established in 1822, Liberia was founded by freed American slaves who named their capital, Monrovia, in honor of President James Monroe. The land was originally inhabited by various native ethnic groups, and the freed slaves often regarded them as uncivilized. Liberia declared its independence in 1847, becoming a nation. For 133 years, the Americo-Liberians, descendants of these freed slaves, dominated the country as the only citizens with the right to vote. Today, Liberia stands as the first African nation to elect a woman, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, as its president. The official language, Liberian English, is a variant of the English spoken by African American slaves in the 19th century. The former slaves replicated American city life, a legacy evident in the decaying Masonic Temple in Monrovia.
5. A Mark of Honor
Before European slave traders arrived, slavery was a normal institution in many African societies. Unlike the brutal treatment in European slavery, African slave ownership was often viewed as a sign of high social standing. A slave owner’s reputation was tied to how well they treated their slaves. The more respect and kindness shown to slaves, the more esteemed the owner was within society. Harsh treatment, such as the abuse commonly seen in European slavery, was seen as unethical, and owners who failed to provide for their slaves risked their social standing and honor.
4. Charles Lynch
Charles Lynch was a farmer and American revolutionary from Virginia. During the American Revolution, he led an unofficial court that tried and penalized those loyal to the British. The punishments included property confiscation, flogging, or forced enlistment into the army. After the revolution, Lynch served in the Virginia Senate. He is most remembered for lending his name to the term 'lynching' or the infamous 'lynch mob.' Initially, the practice of lynching involved flogging, but it soon escalated to summary executions, often by hanging. Lynchburg, Virginia, is named after his brother, John Lynch.
3. Slavery Today
Anti-slavery organizations report that there are currently more slaves than ever before in history! Approximately 75% of them are women, and more than half are children. It's estimated that around 27 million people are enslaved today. This figure does not include those in conditions similar to slavery, often referred to as 'unfree labor.' The average price of a slave today is about $90, compared to upwards of $40,000 (adjusted for inflation) in the past. A study from Berkeley University estimates that there are around 10,000 slaves in the United States at present. [Source]
2. Papal Permission and Prohibition
Though the Catholic Church has long condemned slavery, there was a brief period in the 15th and 16th centuries when it was sanctioned by papal decree. In 1452, Pope Nicholas V issued a papal bull granting King Afonso V of Portugal the right to enslave pagans captured during war. The text of the bull reads:
“We grant you [Kings of Spain and Portugal] by these present documents, with our Apostolic Authority, full and free permission to invade, search out, capture, and subjugate the Saracens and pagans and any other unbelievers and enemies of Christ wherever they may be, as well as their kingdoms, duchies, counties, principalities, and other property […] and to reduce their persons into perpetual slavery.”
In 1537, Pope Paul III reaffirmed the Church's traditional anti-slavery stance.
1. Ancient Practice
Slavery is an ancient institution, mentioned in some of the earliest human records such as the Code of Hammurabi (1760 BC, shown above), the first known legal code from Babylon. It also appears in the Bible, and some ancient philosophers, including Aristotle, argued that certain individuals were naturally born to be slaves, thereby justifying their enslavement. In these early times, slavery was often a punishment for debt, with the individual being freed once the debt was settled.
