Even though New England colonists typically did not have many slaves, they still benefitted from the system shown by this map. Using details from this map and Unit 2, explain why this was the case.(4 points)
There are several reasons why New England colonists, despite not having many slaves, still benefited from the system depicted in the map.
1. Trade: The New England colonies were heavily involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Slave ships often departed from New England ports, carrying enslaved Africans to the Southern colonies and the Caribbean. The profits from this trade contributed significantly to the New England economy, as they facilitated the exchange of goods and services. Therefore, even though New England colonists may not have directly owned slaves, they still profited from the sale and transport of enslaved individuals.
2. Industries supported by slave labor: New England colonists were involved in various industries that relied on slave labor. One such industry was the rum trade. New England merchants would send ships loaded with rum to West Africa, where it would be traded for enslaved Africans. These individuals were then transported to the Americas to work on plantations, which produced commodities like sugar, tobacco, and cotton. The profits from these plantations were used to purchase more New England goods, including rum, thus further benefiting the New England economy.
3. Economic interconnectedness: The colonial economy was highly interconnected, and the prosperity of one region often impacted the others. The Southern colonies, heavily reliant on slave labor for their agricultural plantations, generated significant wealth that circulated throughout the colonies. This wealth was used to purchase goods and services from other regions, including New England. Therefore, the economic benefits from the system of slavery were not restricted to the colonies with large slave populations but extended to all regions through trade and economic interconnectedness.
4. Access to goods and resources: The profits from the slave trade and industries supported by slavery allowed New England colonists to have access to goods and resources that were essential for their own prosperity. For example, the profits from the slave trade enabled New England merchants to invest in shipbuilding, which created a prosperous maritime industry in the region. Additionally, the colonies heavily relied on plantation-produced commodities, such as cotton and tobacco, for their own manufacturing and trade industries. The availability of these resources facilitated the growth and expansion of New England's own economy.
In summary, even though New England colonists did not have many slaves, they still benefited from the system of slavery through participation in the slave trade, support of industries reliant on slave labor, economic interconnectedness, and access to goods and resources generated by the system.