Unrequited Toil: A History of United States Slavery

Unrequited Toil traces the history of slavery in America from the early colonial period through emancipation. The book focuses on the economic and social systems that enabled and perpetuated human bondage across the developing nation. The narrative follows key developments in American slavery through specific locations and time periods, examining how the institution evolved alongside the growth of capitalism and territorial expansion. Through accounts of plantations, ports, and urban centers, Schermerhorn documents the experiences of enslaved people and the various ways their labor built American wealth. The work connects local slave economies to broader national and international markets, demonstrating how slavery shaped America's development from colony to world power. The author examines both the daily realities of enslaved life and the larger economic forces that drove the system's expansion. This economic history reveals slavery not as a separate institution but as a foundational element of American capitalism and nation-building. The book contributes to ongoing discussions about the long-term impacts of slavery on American society and economic inequality.

Readers describe this as a concise economic history of American slavery that focuses on commercial and financial aspects rather than social conditions. Many emphasize its accessibility for undergraduate students and general readers. Likes: - Clear writing style and organization - Focus on slavery's role in capitalism and economic development - Inclusion of detailed primary sources and data - Effective use of individual stories to illustrate broader patterns Dislikes: - Some find the economic focus too narrow - A few note it moves quickly through complex topics - Limited coverage of slave resistance and culture - Some readers wanted more detail on specific regions Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (21 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comment: "Manages to cover an enormous amount of ground in a relatively short space while remaining readable and engaging." - Goodreads reviewer Review counts and ratings are limited since this is primarily used as an academic text.

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🔹 Author Calvin Schermerhorn teaches at Arizona State University and specializes in the business history of slavery, showing how the institution was deeply intertwined with early American capitalism and banking. 🔹 The book traces slavery's evolution over 250 years, from the first African captives in Virginia in 1619 to the post-Civil War era of sharecropping and convict labor. 🔹 The term "Unrequited Toil" comes from Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, referring to the centuries of unpaid labor extracted from enslaved people. 🔹 Unlike many slavery histories that focus solely on cotton, this book examines slavery's role in multiple industries including tobacco, rice, sugar, mining, and urban manufacturing. 🔹 Schermerhorn's research reveals that by 1860, enslaved people in the American South produced 88% of the world's cotton and generated more wealth than all of America's factories and railroads combined.