Many of the northern colonies practiced slavery. NYC had a fairly high enslaved population (something like 10-15%). The ironworks of Pennsylvania and NJ were mostly staffed by slaves, as were those of the South. One county in coastal NJ had a population that was 10-15% African as a result of one ironworks in the late 1600s. When PA decided to outlaw slavery the ironmasters screamed bloody murder and PA did not end slavery, but rather phased it out. The last date for a legal slave in PA was into the early 1800s, if I've got the numbers correct. And slavery was ended not by homicidal maniacs like Nat Turner, but by the British and US Navy who imposed an embargo of the W. African coast (at the urging of abolitionists). It continued unabated in E Africa until it became European colonies. And continues to this day in some interior parts of Africa and de facto in parts of Asia, including the Middle East. It was only outlawed in much of the Middle East in the last 40 years. Oh, and we fought a bloody Civil War that eradicated slavery in the US. ______________________________________ To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html