America: a Narrative History by Tindall and Shi notes Chapter 2
Drawing the Color Line Racism Racism was extremely important to the United States The settlement of Jamestown needed laborers Corn was needed for food and to live Tobacco was needed to export and make money Indians couldn?t be forced to work for the white settlers Indians at this time far outnumbered white settlers Turned to black slaves as a result By 1619, 1 million black slaves had been brought over to South America Blacks were given much more harsher treatment Prejudiced in court Whites received light sentences and blacks were punished by sever whippings and brandings Black had already become a color associated with evil things in Europe However, this racism was not natural Certain conditions made white people feel superior to blacks