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institution of slavery dates
back to antiquity it arrived in
the Americas with a european
colonists in Virginia for
tobacco was a colonies primary
cash crop slavery took root as
early as the 17th century by the
early 18th century the system
flourished and thousands of
enslaved Africans were sold each
year to labor in the tobacco
fields as well as to serve the
homes of the colonies elite the
system of slavery that develop
in the American colonies was
known as chattel slavery whereby
a slave was the absolute legal
property of its owner George
Washington was born into a
family and a society that
accepted the idea of slave labor
although not at the highest
level of that society
washington's family was still a
member of the elite landed
tobacco culture society which
was dependent upon the labor of
slaves Washington became a slave
owner at the age of 11 when his
father Augustine died leading
young George 10 slaves in 1754
Washington began leasing Mount
Vernon from the window of his
older half-brother lawrence he
inherited the estate outright
upon her death in 1761 Mount
Vernon was comprised of
approximately 2,000 acres and 14
slaves in 1759 Washington
married the wealthy widow Martha
Dandridge Custis the marriage
brought him an instant family
has two children by her first
husband Daniel Parke Custis as
well as one-third of all customs
property including an additional
80 for slaves these slaves were
referred to as dour slaves
because get your customs died
without a Will Virginia law
one-third of his property went
to his win over the duration of
her life but with certain
restrictions Martha Washington
could not free those slaves any
she sold them the monies raised
would revert to the Custis
estate furthermore our slaves
and any children born to female
dour slaves would revert to the
customs estate upon her death
eleven of the tower slaves came
to Mount Vernon with the newly
married mrs. Washington in 1759
bringing the estate's enslaved
population to approximately 50
the period at 17:59 to 1775 was
a time of tremendous growth in
Mount Vernon
Washington expanded his land
holdings switch from tobacco to
weed as cash crop and open
emerge until the slave
population grew through purchase
a natural increase the late
seventeen seventies vs putting
our family Washington stop
selling slaves without their
permission by $17.99 the year of
Washington's death Mount Vernon
had grown to 8,000 acres divided
into five farms living on the
estate were about three hundred
forty men women and children
which included the six members
of washington's immediate family
and higher white workers such as
overseers are managers Miller's
housekeeper the remaining 360
waves 123 remount Vernon slaves
153 word our slaves and 40 were
rented slaves