How did slavery start?

Answer by bill
Submitted on 4/10/2004
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Slavery and Agriculture Ancient civilizations that developed agriculture valued education, organization, stability, and city life. They valued education because they needed to develop mathematics and writing to keep track of stored grain. They needed to develop technology to understand how to cultivate and harvest grain. One of the most technologically advanced projects of these cultures was the construction of irrigation systems. Architecture required complex geometry to build huge warehouses for the grain. Someone needed to understand the seasons: the best day to plant, the best day to till the soil, the best day to harvest, the best day for a festival. All of this required organizational skills. Such complex skills required differentiation of labor. One person could not learn everything needed to run an agricultural community. Such a highly organized society needed skilled leaders. An agricultural community prized stability because everyone needed to calmly work together to plant, harvest, and to store the grain without worrying about thieves. Because they planted and harvested crops agricultural communities no longer needed to follow migrating herds of animals or wander around looking for food growing in nature to gather. Agricultural communities settled near rivers to irrigate their crops. As their communities grew they built cities surrounded by agricultural fields, and as the cities grew so did the surrounding area. Soon, the land they claimed for their city bumped up against land claimed body in neighboring city along rivers. One way that slavery may have began: Two cities claiming the same land fought to the death for the valuable arable land near rivers, but fighting to the death reduced stability in the region. The victors, instead of killing all of the losers of a war began two enslaved them. This insured better regional stability and help supply needed agricultural field labor. On the other hand, herding societies were constantly on the move following their sheep, goats, or cattle from their summer pastures to their winter pastures. If there was a drought, they just heard of their goats to another area. Hunting in gathering societies like herding societies roamed from place to place. These masculine cultures had to kill animals to survive. If disorganization and instability led to fighting, the tribe could easily divide and go their separate ways. They did not value stability or city life. They valued freedom, courage, weapons, and strength. Animal herding routes easily turned into trade routes. If their animals died, they would have to trade or fight with another tribe for food. Another way slavery may have begun: As the agricultural societies accumulated vast stores of grain, herding, hunting, and gathering societies stole their stored grain, and eventually use their superior weapons to overrun their communities and enslaved them. By doing this, hunting and gathering societies stopped hunting, and settle down in cities as a ruling class. Slavery has always been associative with agricultural societies. Hunting and gathering societies have no need for slaves.

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