Colonialism- Paul B.

7/28/2019 Colonialism- Paul B.

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Agricultural Development inthe British-North American

Colonies

Paul Bruins

14.01.2013

Impact of Colonialism on Agriculture in Developing

Countries: Land, labor and plantations


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Topics to Discuss

1. Potential benefits and pitfalls to British American Colonies

under colonialism

2. Tobacco cultivation

3. Colonial farmers (post tobacco boom)

4. Land and labor

5. Choice as an indicator of development

6. Post colonialism / Modern tobacco


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Benefits & Pitfalls of Colonial

Rule in North America

BenefitsColonial rule as a means for expansion of agriculture,

gave access to:

Markets increased as the British Empire grew Growing demand for Colonial Goods

Military protection

Financing

Large amounts of young poor in Britain encouragedmigration (indentured servants)


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Benefits & Pitfalls of Colonial

Rule in North America

Pitfalls African American slavery

-Slavery first introduced by Dutch traders (1619)

Forced indigenous migration

-Native Americans were forced off of their land, thoughthey were initially relied upon by settlers

Gradual increase of control on agricultural exports, land

titles, and movement

-One of the main reasons for the signing of theDeclaration of Independence and the subsequent

revolution that followed


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Beginning of

Colonial Agriculture

Initially consumed exports from Britain, as well as products

produced through the help of natives

Colonists wished to be self-sufficient-Manufacturing tools, etc.

Colonists began receiving less from the British Government

-Subsistence farming

Cultivation of tobacco began in the early years

-Increased interest from foreign investors


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Tobacco Plantations

-The main focus of tobacco production in the British-American

Colonies was centered in Virginia and Maryland.

-Because of the massive amounts of land available, the initial

allotment of land for plantation usage was relatively

unorganized and contracts were often faulty.

The Virginia Company Formed with the aid of King

James I in 1606, the Company was tasked with

advancing the colonial settlements in Virginia.

-The development of the new world began to slow and costs

rose, which made the Virginia Company lose money.


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Tobacco Plantations

Cont.

For each share of stock in the company purchased, the

investor would be given 100 acres of land, along with an

additional 50 acres per immigrant that they brought with.*

Each plantation was given 1500 acres for public services

*These 50 acres would be rewarded within 7 years, as long as the immigrant worked for the

investor for at least 3 years, or died .

100 acres of glebe land was given along with 3 servants for the

local ministers

-Once completed, the company would begin a second,equal process, pending further investment


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Tobacco Plantations

Cont.

Plantations were extremely flexible, as long as they operated

within English Law

-Either the investor operated the land from abroad, or the

adventurer sent to manage the land would have authority.

-Plantations were allowed to trade freely with othersettlements as well as natives

Englands initial focus on tobacco exports caused them to

have a colony wholly built on smoke (Walsh, 2010)

It was not until the latter half of the century that

England began to encourage the Colonies to diversify

their agriculture.


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Tobacco Plantations

Recap

Tobacco cultivation is widely seen as the kick-starting factorin colonial North American agricultural sector.

Tobacco production in the Virginia area Colonies grew from

9,000 kg in 1617 to over 18 million in 1727 (Hemphill).

What was seen in colonial tobacco production:

Heavy investment in tobacco cultivation from Britain

Encouragement to settle

-Indentured servants, land rewards to investors, etc.

Plantation style production using slave labor

Growing international dependence on colonial output


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Colonial Farmers:

Post Tobacco Boom

Though tobacco had been quite successful, the Colonies began to

push out and expand to different sectors.

Around 80% of colonists were farmers

Colonial farmers were much less efficient than farmers inBritain.

Inefficiencies were caused by following the old tracks

Colonial farmers wished to be self sufficient, but to do so they

required farming techniques known to both Indians and

Africans


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Land and Labor

Land was cheap for much of the pre-revolutionary history of the

United States, whereas labor and capital were expensive (not

including tobacco producers).

We can buy an acre of new land cheaper than we can

manure an old acre -Thomas Jefferson (McCusker, 1991)

The aim of the farmers in this country is not to make the most they

can from the land, which is, or has been cheap, but the most of the

labor, which is dear, the consequence of which has been, much ground

has been scratched over and none cultivated or improved as it ought tohave been. -George Washington (McCusker, 1991)

In addition to Native American and African American slave

labor, the Colonies saw large-scale immigration from Europe.


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Land and Labor Cont.

The fairly quick movement towards slave labor, though inherentlynegative, aided the rapid strengthening on the colonial cash crop

sector.

Land continued to be cheap, while labor prices began to drop

Large plantations used slave labor near the coast and in theSouth, while inland and Northern farmers became subsistence

farmers.

Massive population increases led to increase in production to

meet consumption needs.

-North American Colonies were a focal point of commerce, whereas

the British West Indies grew by only 50% during the same time period.


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Indicators of Development

Choice as a measure of development more options in aneconomy = more growth empirically correlates positively

with increasing economic indicators in the Colonies.

However, 1/3 of the population were slaves.-Post 1650, the Colonies saw a higher population increase in

slaves than in free populations

Additionally, economic indicators would tell us that there was an

overall shift in welfare of the nation.


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**Later in U.S. history, the more diversified regions in the Colonies showed much

higher amounts of economic gain (i.e. Virginia, Maryland, and other coastal states).

See map on next slide

Though there was large scale income stratification, the lower classdid not fail completely

-Impoverish people from Britain were those who found

themselves in relatively far better off conditions in the Colonies

Indicators of Development

Distribution among White settlers was also unequal.

Southern Colonies were more wealthy from plantations

Northern Colonies had more diversified economies**


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Choice as a Driver in

Development Cont.


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Post Colonialism

Massive increase in participation of the slave trade until the late

1800s.

As the Chang article notes, heavy investment was funneled into

agricultural development

-Land Grant UniversitiesMorrow Plots (1876)


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Modern Tobacco

Tobacco continues to have an influence on both British andUnited States economies

Both countries have seen a decline in output, however four of

the top six tobacco companies are based in either Britain or the

U.S.

-Production has shifted from developed to developing

countries

This is consistent with consumption levels and imports seen in

developed countries

*China is the largest producer of tobacco, with 35% market

power


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Modern Tobacco Cont.


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Concluding

Assumptions

1. Successful early cash crop (tobacco)

2. Protection and heavy encouragement for foreign investment

from Britain

3. Foreign trade made agricultural development possible (i.e.

export driven economy)

4. Plantations and the use of slavery led to increased agriculturaloutput into the international market in the South, while the

Northern Colonies diversified their economies.


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References

FAO. 2003. Projections of tobacco production, consumption, and trade to the year 2010. Rome. Accessed on12.01.13 from ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4956e/y4956e00.pdf

Growing a Nation: The Story of American Agriculture. Historical Timeline17th-18th Centuries. Accessed

on 13.01.13 from http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/timeline/17_18.htm

Hemphill, John II. Tobacco. Accessed on 13.01.13 from http://www.history.com/topics/tobacco

Historic Jamestowne. Virginia Company. Accessed on 13.01.2013 fromhttp://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22

Kulikoff, Allan. Colonial American Economy. Accessed on 12.01.13 from

http://www.history.com/topics/colonial-economy

McCusker, John. 1991. The Economy of British America. University of North Carolina Press.

The Tobacco Atlas. Tobacco Company Profits. Accessed on 13.01.13 fromhttp://www.tobaccoatlas.org/industry/tobacco_companies/profits/

University of Illinois Champaign Urbana. 2001. The Morrow Plots: A Landmark for Agriculture. Accessed

on 13.01.13 from http://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4956e/y4956e00.pdfhttp://www.agclassroom.org/gan/timeline/17_18.htmhttp://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22http://www.history.com/topics/colonial-economyhttp://www.tobaccoatlas.org/industry/tobacco_companies/profits/http://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22http://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/industry/tobacco_companies/profits/http://www.history.com/topics/colonial-economyhttp://www.history.com/topics/colonial-economyhttp://www.history.com/topics/colonial-economyhttp://apva.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=22http://www.agclassroom.org/gan/timeline/17_18.htmftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/006/y4956e/y4956e00.pdf


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References Cont.

U.S. Census Bureau. Household Income for States: 2010-2011. September 2012 accessed on13.01.13

from http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdf

Walsh, Lorena. 2010. Motives of Honor, Pleasure and Profit: Plantation Management in the Colonial

Chesapeake 1607-1763. The University of North Carolina Press.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/acsbr11-02.pdf


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Questions

2. Is it easier to develop a countrys agricultural sector

by using cash crop wealth (relying on imports), rather

than focusing on domestic production of grain,

livestock, etc?

1. Overall, did colonialism have a direct positiveimpact on the development of the United States?

3. Why do you think advertising of cigarettes andother tobacco products in the United States has

changed so drastically, given its historical value?

Colonialism- Paul B.

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