Were there Africans with the first settlers at Jamestown?

Answer 1

No, but Africans came in 1619

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It's highly possible..According to William Thorndales 1977 article in the Magazine of Virginia, there were 32 Africans (Non-Christians) and 4 Indians living in Jamestown during the year 1618. He obtained this information from the Ferrar Papers held at Magdalene college in Cambridge, England. Sir Nicolas Ferrar stated that some of the 32 counted in 1618 arrived onboard a Dutch Frigate.

The 1618 census was the first one taken as far as we know so we have no idea when each of those who were counted arrived and from where. (Europe or Africa)

The Angolans who arrived in Jamestown on Aug. 1619 originally sailed to the New World onboard a Portuguese slave ship called the San Bautista. Two British ships called the White Lion and Treasuror intercepted the ship an took posession of captives, nearly 300 souls. They sank the San Bautista.

The Treasuror sailed into Jamestown on Aug. 1619 where John Rolfe provided food and supplies in exchange for the 20 & so odd Africans.

Source: William Thorndale, "The Virginia Census of 1619," Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Vol. 33, Summer 1995, No. 3.

Source: 1624/1625 census of Jamestown

Source: The Ferrar Papers, Magdalene college (also found on the Libaray of Virginia's web page

Source: Records of the Virginia Colony

Answer 2

African Americans arrived in the colonies first as indentured servants, but in 1619 a Dutch ship arrived in Jamestown with 20 slaves. This began slavery in the English colonies and after the introduction of the cotton gin the population of slaves grew. By the 1860's there were 4 million slaves in the southern states.

Answer 3

yes, due to the fact that starvation was taking place, so they needed someone to do the harvesting, because everyone was being lazy.

Answer 4

Africans arrived in Virginia in 1619. These first arrivals were most likely indentured servants for the most part.