Slavery in the United States
The enslavement of blacks in the American Colonies began during the 1600's. Slavery flourished in the South, where large plantations grew cotton, tobacco, and other crops. The plantations required large numbers of laborers. But slavery was less profitable in the North, where economic activity centered on small farms and industries.
By 1860, the slave states had about 4 million slaves. The slaves made up nearly a third of the South's population.
Excerpt adapted from the "Slavery" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999