As Europeans colonized the Americas, they were typically motivated by one thing: acquiring wealth. They found themselves in a new world with ample natural resources, which were immensely valuable. The only problem was that someone had to do the work of turning those resources into sellable commodities (trade items) - and most upper-class colonists considered physical labor to be beneath them. 

What was their solution? Get someone else to do the work!

In this web-quest, your research will be guided by the following questions: 

• How did LABOR SYSTEMS develop in the colonies? 

• How did each labor system operate differently, depending on who was doing the work? 

• Whose labor was being exploited, and in what ways? 

Use the People Not Property historic site  (below) to complete your research. As you explore the site, answer the questions in your note-catcher. 

• As you read, toggle the “GLOSSARY” button at the bottom of the page to see definitions of key terms.

• The questions in your note-catcher are written out below, with the corresponding pages linked (in case you get lost :)

Website sections w/ links:

• Native Americans

• Europeans

• Africans

While the colonies grew in population and wealth, white landowners and business-owners were terrified of enslaved African people uniting and rebelling against them. The white colonial upper-class had reasons to be afraid; they were well aware that their treatment of enslaved people and indentured servants was inhumane. Additionally, throughout the southern colonies, enslaved Africans outnumbered the white upper class. This meant that if they joined forces, they could overpower white land-owners and upend the socio-economic status quo. 

Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676 was the last major uprising of enslaved Black people and white indentured servants in Colonial Virginia. One consequence of the failed rebellion was the intensification of African slavery and the social separation of Black and white people in Virginia.