In the early 1700s, slavery had become an entrenched economic and social institution in the English colonies due to the growing need for labor and the increased availability of slaves in America. The growth of slavery had a major lasting impact on society in the English colonies and both positive and negative consequences.
The demand for labor increased as the economy of many English colonies (especially those in the south) depended on the cultivation of cash crops. Colonies such as Virginia and Maryland mainly depended on the cultivation of tobacco, while southern colonies cultivated a variety of crops such as rice, beans, and maize. When less and less people were coming from England to the American colonies, the need for labor in order to cultivate a large yield of crops grew. To fill this demand, slaves were brought from the Indies (who were previously brought over from West Africa) to work under the authority of the free English men in the colonies. .
This not only affected the economic institution in the colonies in a positive manner (more labor to cultivate crops that were later traded among the market) but also changed society in the colonies. The population of slaves changed the social aspect of English colonies as the ratio of slaves to slave-owners grew. The demand for labor in the English colonies made slavery a rooted system in order to increase economic profit and also changed the population of society.
Another main reason why slavery became so popular and greatly used the colonies was because during the early 18th century, the ability to obtain slaves became easier. This was due to the fact that in 1698, the Royal African Company, that monopolized the slave trade and made direct trade of slaves with the English colonies before difficult, had ended. The end of this monopoly allowed more companies to enter the slave trade market and the importation of slaves dramatically grew.
