Headright System
The headright system is a term that went down in the history of the development of the American colonies. This system was a policy that took place in American Virginia in 1618. Its key essence was to stimulate the interest of people to come to Virginia, and as a bonus, fifty acres of land were offered to those who wished. In addition, if a person was willing to pay for a trip to the New World for an immigrant, fifty acres of land were also offered. Despite the fact that initially, the purpose of this system was to expand the labor potential of the colonies and the influx of new workforce, the headright policy is often viewed in the context of the controversial practice. The reason is that, according to many, it was this system that gave rise to the active slave trade in the southern regions of America, where planters needed cheap labor. At the same time, from a significance perspective, politics was important to the development of the colonies and elevated tobacco farming to the rank of one of the most lucrative agricultural activities.
The Middle Passage
The Middle Passage is a term used during the active slave trade period. It was a water route in the form of a transport network, along which captive African slaves were transported to Europe and to the New World. In the farthest direction, this route took approximately eighty days. For slave traders, drawing up the optimal route for moving free labor was convenient, but slaves themselves lived in inhuman conditions during these sea voyages. Constantly chained and unable to move freely, many of them did not survive transportation to America. In general, the attitude towards slaves was extremely cruel, but the key goal of the slave traders was the fastest possible delivery. The Middle Passage lasted for many decades, and during this time, due to active movement, a stable trade network between Europe and America was established, and a sea connection was laid.