Morgan - American Freedom American Slavery

Morgan's American Freedom American Slavery documents the early and late beginnings of Virginia, and the factors that both hindered and encouraged the growth of the colony. It chronicles the most difficult and almost impossible survival of the first colony. The Trouble with Tobacco, Chapter 9, addresses exactly that the trouble with tobacco. In 1644 for the first time since its founding the colony was able to sustain a population that was not only healthy but was far out living their predecessors; of course they were nowhere near the age and health of if they had stayed in England but for Virginia they were setting records. Because of the new health there was a boom in population, more and more people were joining the colonists and less were passing away due to disease. This can be attributed to several factors, the rise in revenue due to tobacco and the new found ability to grow fruits and vegetables. However because the population was sturdily rising out of control things slowly got out of hand. Everyone wanted to be a part of growing the money crop and every attempt to limit the production was stinted. With the rise in tobacco production and the fact that it ruins soil, the colonists slowly began to burn through land. Due to the fact that so many were moving and living their houses were rickety and shelter was lacking extremely. Sire William Berkeley, a former parliament chair, had plans to renovate the colony, a New England of sorts minus the Puritanism. He suggested towns and several other implementations that would build the strength of VA as a colony. The Golden Fleecing, Chapter 10, discusses the trouble of tobacco at an economic standpoint. As we saw an increase in both production and life-span we saw a great dip in the way of England. Tobacco had quickly become the cash-crop due to its great demand, and there for its taxation was high due the money it would make the king, however as production boomed there was a decrease in demand but not a decrease