USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In the early 1600s, indentured servants did much of the hard work on plantations. As the number of plantations grew, however, southern planters began to use enslaved Africans as laborers. More and more enslaved Africans were brought to North America during the 1600s and 1700s.

Detailed explanation-2: -Tobacco and cotton proved to be exceptionally profitable. Therefore, cheap labor was used. Initially, indentured servants, who were mostly from England (and sometimes from Africa), and enslaved African and (less often) Indigenous people to work the land.

Detailed explanation-3: -As described earlier, complications with maintaining populations of enslaved American Indians and European indentured servants meant that plantation owners turned to African slavery as their central labor source.

Detailed explanation-4: -The First and Second Gang slaves were divided into two groups, with the first group working 12 hours during the day, and the second group then working 12 hours during the night, after which they repeated the cycle. The canes were taken to the mill (which might be powered by wind, by animals or by people.