What Was Key to Making the Enslavement of Africans an Enduring

question 91

Multiple Choice

What was key to making the enslavement of Africans an enduring economic and social institution in colonial America?

• A) Enslaved Africans in the American colonies were far more likely to die from diseases known in Europe than the Native Americans had been and, thus, slave traders constantly needed to replenish their labor source.
• B) Unlike in Africa, the skin color of enslaved Africans in America made it difficult for them to escape into surrounding society, and slavery became perpetual, as the children of slaves were slaves too.
• C) The English had long been accepting of alien peoples such as the Irish, Native Americans, and Africans, and the colonists wished to differentiate themselves from England through alternative labor sources.
• D) Slaves' terms of service automatically expired in the American colonies after a decade, so slave traders were compelled to return to Africa again and again to force more Africans aboard slave ships.
• E) Enslaved Africans in the American colonies could claim the protections of English common law and thus were more likely to stay on the continent when freed or after escaping bondage.

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Definitions:

Adverse Selection

A situation in which one party in a transaction has more or better information than the other, often leading to imbalances and inefficiencies in markets, especially insurance.

Insurance Company

A business that provides coverage, in the form of compensation following a loss, in exchange for premium payments.

Commodities

Basic goods used in commerce that are interchangeable with other goods of the same type.

Norman Daniels

A philosopher known for his work in health ethics, particularly his theories on justice, health, and healthcare.