The 1860 census found that there were 3,953,760 enslaved people in the United States, making up roughly 13 percent of the total population. Though the slave trade was outlawed in 1807, chattel slavery and the plantation economy it made possible flourished in the South. In 1662, a Virginia court ruled that children born to enslaved mothers were the property of the mother’s owner.Īs cash crops like tobacco, cotton and sugar became pillars of the colonial economy, slavery became its engine. With fewer white indentured servants arriving from England, a racial caste system developed and African servants were increasingly held for life. Servants of African origin were oftentimes forced to continue working after the end of their contract, and in 1640 a Virginia court sentenced rebellious servant John Punch to a lifetime of slavery. In the coming decades, however, slavery became codified.
Their son William is the first known African child to have been born in America, and under the law of the time he was born a freeman. Two of the Africans who arrived aboard the White Lion, Antonio and Isabella, became “servants” of Captain William Tucker, commander of Point Comfort. READ MORE: How Slavery Became the Economic Engine of the South Though the number of Africans brought to mainland North America was relatively small- roughly 400,000-their labor and that of their descendants was crucial to the economies of the British colonies and, later, the United States. The trade uprooted roughly 12 million Africans, depositing roughly 5 million in Brazil and over 3 million in the Caribbean. The arrival at Point Comfort marked a new chapter in the history of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which began in the early 1500s and continued into the mid-1800s. Despite this classification-and records which indicate that some of them did eventually obtain their freedom-it is clear that the Africans arriving at Point Comfort in 1619 were forced into servitude and that they fit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ definition of enslaved peoples. Many Europeans who arrived in the Americas came as indentured servants.
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Indentured servants agreed, or in many cases were forced, to work with no pay for a set amount of time, often to pay off a debt and could legally expect to become free at the end of the contract. Scholars note that the arrivals were technically sold as indentured servants. To obtain additional information on fire prevention and life safety, please visit /FireMarshal.WATCH: The Middle Passage on HISTORY Vault If you’re not sure if your home is protected, visit or call 70 to access our free smoke alarm resources. The Loudoun County Combined Fire and Rescue System encourages residents to take a few moments to practice their home escape plan, ensure everyone in the home knows two ways out of each room, and to check that smoke alarms are installed and working properly. The presence of working smoke alarms played an important role in waking and notifying residents to exit the home. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office. The firefighter has been released from the hospital. One occupant with minor burns and one firefighter with minor injuries were transported to the hospital. A total of 13 occupants were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross or staying with friends. The townhomes on either side of the main townhome suffered smoke and water damage. An aggressive fire attack and the use of non-combustible siding significantly aided in preventing the spread of the fire to other townhomes.įire and rescue crews remained on the scene assisting with fire suppression, salvage, and overhaul. Due to the large volume of fire present, a second alarm was requested.
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Fire was also venting from windows on all three levels in the front of the home and an offensive exterior fire attack commenced. On arrival, fire and rescue crews found heavy fire showing from the rear of the home and through the roof. First arriving units with the assistance of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that all occupants were out of the homes in the entire row of townhomes. While enroute, units requested a rapid intervention taskforce due to the large black smoke visible. While units were enroute to the scene, the ECC received multiple calls indicating a significant fire and upgraded the call to a house fire with people possibly trapped.
At approximately 2:14 AM, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, the Loudoun County Emergency Communication Center (ECC) received a 911 call reporting an explosion and fire in a residential structure in the 42000 block of Running Creek Square in Leesburg.