American slave trade and ownership and colonialism: Contrast and similarities

Americans adopted the culture of slavery from the British Empire once they have settled in America in the late 1600s. Colonialism was performed through the conquering of less dominant civilizations by the more dominant ones. Correspondences State - Both systems mainly functioned in the manner where people with the lower social status served people from higher social classes. In American slavery, slaves were treated as goods. During the 1600s and 1700s, slavery increased to a prominent degree due to the rising demand for labor in cotton, rice, and other growing products. (Stuchtey) Laws - Both systems, slavery, and colonialism were authorized by the law. The Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi referred to slavery as common among many people and also termed the practice as being an established institution.

Treatment- In both practices, treatment of the lesser party was oppressive. Since there was no law for the protection of the slaves and colonies, most oppressive practices went unpunished.

Punishments- In both cases, the law provided no protection for the slaves or the colonized. Therefore, punishment was administered only to the slaves and the colonized, but not their masters.

Differences

Condition- in the practice of slavery, it was a practice which was largely instigated by the need for laborers for profit, but colonialism was largely encouraged by the need to increase colonies and territories. (The Colonization of Africa)

Laws- The colonial laws were mainly for the purpose of effective administration and governance, while that of the American slavery was mainly for the purpose of providing codes of trade and handling of slaves.

Treatment- In the colonial practice, treatment of colonies had less direct effect on the colonized, as opposed to that of the American slavery. This is because the latter involved a direct contact with the subjects in daily work and activities.

Punishments- The colonial punishments had a patriarchal system for administrations of justice while the American slavery; punishments were meted directly to the subjects through whipping and other crude punishments. (Slavery in America - Black History - HISTORY.com)

Works cited

Slavery in America - Black History - HISTORY.com. .

Stuchtey, B. Colonialism and Imperialism, 1450–1950 — EGO. 24 January 2011. .

The Colonization of Africa. .