The Origin of Race in the USA

Summary

This video script explores the historical evolution of the concept of race, revealing its origins as a kinship marker rather than a biological one. It delves into the colonial era and the Enlightenment, showing how global capitalism, slavery, and pseudoscience shaped race into a social construct. The script examines the role of race in social structures, legal systems, and the redefinition of 'whiteness' over time, highlighting the ongoing complexity and debates surrounding racial identity.

Takeaways

• 📚 The concept of 'race' was not historically considered a biological or genetic category but evolved over time.
• 🏠 In the 16th century, 'race' referred to a category of kinship or group affiliation, rather than physical traits.
• 🌍 The shift in the understanding of race began in the colonial era, influenced by global capitalism and the Enlightenment.
• 💼 The exploitation of labor through slavery and colonialism led to the emergence of 'race' as a justification for social and legal structures.
• 🔗 The pseudoscience of race emerged in the 18th century to link physical features with behavior and legal rights, supporting the institution of slavery.
• 🧐 Anthropologist Audrey Smedley notes that 'scientific' ideas about race were largely folk ideas used to justify social norms.
• 🌟 The Enlightenment promoted the categorization of the natural world, including people, into hierarchical systems based on supposed inherent differences.
• 📜 Laws and social ideologies during the 18th and 19th centuries codified racial distinctions, reinforcing systems of exploitation.
• 🏛️ Thomas Jefferson and others used 'scientific' claims to justify the treatment of enslaved people, such as longer work hours.
• 👥 The concept of 'whiteness' was not always inclusive of all European descendants; it evolved to create a unified racial category.
• 🔄 Today, race remains a complex topic with both an increase in ethnic identification and a resurgence of outdated biological theories.

Q & A

What was the original concept of 'race' before it became associated with biology or genetics?

Initially, 'race' was largely considered a category of kinship or group affiliation, meaning that individuals were part of the same household, group, or shared a common ancestor.

How did the concept of race evolve from the 16th century to the colonial era?

In the 16th century, 'race' was used in English but was not attributed to physical traits or behavior. It meant being members of the same group or sharing a common ancestor. The shift to a more complex concept of race began in the colonial era, influenced by global capitalism, slavery, colonialism, and the Enlightenment.

What economic factors contributed to the shift in the idea of race during the 17th and 18th centuries?

The rise of global capitalism, backed by slavery and colonialism, played a significant role in the shift of the concept of race. The need for labor in the colonies, especially for growing tobacco in Virginia, led to the use of enslaved Africans and indentured laborers.

How did the labor systems of indentured servitude and enslavement differ in the colonial era?

Indentured servitude was a contractual agreement with fixed terms and could be entered willingly or under duress. Many indentured servants became property owners after completing their contracts. Enslavement, however, was for life, did not consider slaves as human, and was not based on a contract, with laws codifying hereditary slavery.

Why did pseudoscientific ideas about race emerge during the 18th century?

Pseudoscientific ideas about race emerged to justify the continuation of slavery and exploitation. These ideas connected physical features, behavior, and legal rights to create a false narrative of racial differences.

How did the Enlightenment impact the definitions and understanding of race?

The Enlightenment pushed scientific communities to categorize the natural world using reason, leading to the creation of hierarchical systems that emphasized differences among groups. Race was fitted into this mold, with physical markers being used to 'prove' a 'natural' order.

What role did Thomas Jefferson play in the development of racial ideologies during the Enlightenment?

Thomas Jefferson, while advocating for individual liberty and freedom for white men, also made claims about black slaves requiring less sleep to justify inhumane work hours, thus contributing to racial ideologies.

How did the Enlightenment's view of history contribute to social ideologies of race?

Enlightenment philosophers claimed that certain racial groups stood outside of history or had no history, which included all groups they considered non-white. This perspective deemed these groups less valuable and subordinate to others.

What were some of the legal implications of racial categorizations in the 18th and 19th centuries?

Racial categorizations influenced laws such as the first naturalization laws of the United States in 1790, which limited citizenship to 'free white persons.' Children of enslaved mothers inherited their mother's legal status, and Native Americans were often denied legal property rights.

How has the concept of 'whiteness' evolved in the United States?

'Whiteness' was not always considered a unified race. It was often exclusive to Anglo-Saxon descendants, with other European groups categorized separately. However, in the 1920s, these groups were subsumed into one category called 'whiteness' to create a cultural majority.

What trends have scholars observed in recent decades regarding racial identification and the concept of race?

Scholars have noted an increase in people identifying with their ethnic history and a revival of outdated theories of race being biologically determined. Despite these trends, race remains a complex topic of discussion and debate.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Evolution of the Concept of 'Race'

This paragraph delves into the historical understanding of race, challenging the modern perception of race as a biological or genetic category. It explains that race was originally viewed as a category of kinship or group affiliation, rather than a physical trait. The paragraph outlines the shift in the concept of race from the 16th century, when it referred to a common ancestor or household, to the 17th and 18th centuries during the colonial era. This shift is attributed to the rise of global capitalism, backed by slavery and colonialism, and the Enlightenment period in Europe. The paragraph also discusses the role of pseudoscience in justifying slavery and the creation of racial distinctions, primarily between black and white people, to perpetuate systems of exploitation.

05:03

🔬 The Impact of the Enlightenment on Racial Definitions

The second paragraph explores how the Enlightenment influenced the concept of race. It highlights the push within scientific communities to categorize the natural world using reason, leading to the creation of hierarchical systems that emphasized differences among species and subgroups. Race was incorporated into these classifications, with physical markers used to 'prove' social norms as the natural order. The paragraph discusses how figures like Thomas Jefferson and Samuel Cartwright used pseudoscientific claims to justify the treatment of black slaves. It also touches on the philosophical ideas of the time that certain racial groups were outside of history, which was used to justify their subordination. The paragraph further explains how these racial categorizations were codified into law, including naturalization laws, inheritance of legal statuses, and anti-miscegenation laws. It concludes by noting the historical fluidity of 'whiteness' and how it was eventually expanded to include all European immigrants during the 20th century.

10:04

🌐 The Ongoing Complexity of Race in Contemporary Society

The final paragraph summarizes the historical transformation of race from a marker of kinship to a focus on physical indicators due to the Enlightenment and labor exploitation. It raises the question of how this historical evolution of race impacts current discussions and debates. The paragraph acknowledges the resurgence of ethnic pride and the revival of outdated biological theories of race. It invites viewers to consider the positive and negative uses of race throughout history and to explore additional historical points on the evolution of the concept of race. The paragraph ends with a call to stay curious and engaged with the topic.

Keywords

💡Race

Race, in the context of the video, refers to the categorization of humans into groups based on physical characteristics, ancestry, or cultural affiliations. The video discusses how the concept of race evolved from a category of kinship to one based on biology and genetics. It highlights how race has been historically used to justify social structures like slavery and colonialism, and continues to impact social interactions and identities today.

💡Kinship

Kinship is defined as the social bonds between individuals based on ancestry, marriage, or adoption. In the video, it is mentioned that early definitions of 'race' were largely considered a category of kinship or group affiliation, meaning that individuals were grouped together based on shared ancestry or household.

💡Colonial era

The colonial era refers to the period when European powers established colonies in various parts of the world, often through conquest and exploitation. The video explains that the shift in the idea of race from kinship to more complex categories is rooted in this era, particularly due to the rise of global capitalism, slavery, and colonialism.

💡Enlightenment

The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. The video discusses how the Enlightenment contributed to the formation of racial categories by promoting the idea of classifying the natural world into hierarchical systems based on physical differences.

💡Global capitalism

Global capitalism refers to an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, investment in production for profit, and an extensive trade network across different regions. The video connects the rise of global capitalism to the shift in racial understanding, as it was backed by slavery and colonialism, which necessitated a justification for the exploitation of certain groups.

💡Slavery

Slavery is a system in which individuals are treated as property and are forced to work against their will. The video explains how the need for labor in the colonies, particularly for the cultivation of tobacco, led to the enslavement of Africans. This system required a justification, which was provided by the emerging pseudoscience of 'race'.

💡Indentured servitude

Indentured servitude was a form of labor in which individuals would work for an employer for a set period, often in exchange for transportation to a new country. The video contrasts indentured servitude with slavery, noting that while both were exploitative, indentured servitude was for a fixed term and did not involve the same level of dehumanization as slavery.

💡Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience refers to beliefs or practices that are claimed to be scientific but lack the rigor and evidence of the scientific method. The video describes how pseudoscience was used to justify racial differences and the institution of slavery, by linking physical features to behavior and legal rights.

💡Naturalization laws

Naturalization laws are the legal statutes that govern the process by which a non-citizen becomes a citizen of a country. The video mentions the first naturalization laws of the United States, which limited naturalized citizenship to 'free white persons,' illustrating how laws were used to codify racial distinctions and exclude certain groups.

💡Anti-miscegenation laws

Anti-miscegenation laws were laws that prohibited marriage between individuals of different racial groups. The video discusses these laws as a means to maintain racial purity and prevent racial mixing, reflecting the deeply ingrained racial ideologies of the time.

💡Whiteness

Whiteness, as discussed in the video, refers to the social construct that has historically been used to define and privilege individuals of European descent. The video notes that the concept of 'white' was not always inclusive of all European immigrants, but was later expanded to create a unified racial category against other racial groups.

Highlights

Race was historically not considered a biological or genetic category, but rather a category of kinship or group affiliation.

The concept of race has evolved significantly, with its definition and implications changing over time.

In the 16th century, the term 'race' referred to members of the same household or group, not physical traits.

The shift in the understanding of race began during the colonial era, influenced by global capitalism, slavery, and colonialism.

Enlightenment thinkers contributed to racial categorization, using 'reason' to create hierarchical systems that emphasized differences among groups.

The pseudoscience of race emerged in the 18th century to justify the perpetuation of slavery and exploitation.

Early English settlers in North America initially attempted to enslave Native populations but faced resistance, leading to the importation of enslaved Africans.

Indentured servitude and enslavement were distinct, with the latter being lifelong, hereditary, and devoid of human status.

Racial distinctions were used to justify different legal statuses and rights, such as the naturalization laws of the United States in 1790.

The Enlightenment's formulation of history deemed certain racial groups as having no history, thus justifying their subordination.

Racial categorizations were not always consistent with skin tone, and the definition of 'whiteness' evolved over time.

In the 1920s, various European ethnic groups were consolidated under the category of 'whiteness' to form a cultural majority.

Race continues to be a complex and debated topic, with modern discussions reflecting both ethnic pride and the resurgence of outdated racial theories.

The historical use of race has had both positive and negative impacts, shaping social structures and influencing individual identities.

The video encourages viewers to explore the works cited for a deeper understanding of the evolution of the concept of race.

Audience engagement is highlighted through comments and discussions on the implications of historical events, such as the Battle of Tours.

Transcripts

Did you know that race was not always considered a biological or genetic category?

So how did we come to understand it that way today?

We all have a working definition of race.

Whether you kinda understand it, hate it, claim to not see it, or study it (hint hint,

cough cough: that’s me), it still plays a role in our daily lives.

From the way that people interact, to the places they live and stereotypes they face,

race is still a determining factor in our social structures, both inside and outside

of the U.S.

But full disclosure, I do a lot of U.S. history so this is a U.S. specific video about race,

since these histories operate differently across various contexts.

Ok, so let’s get started by asking:

What were some of the earliest definitions of “race”?

Well, before we started thinking of race along the lines of biology, genetics, or phenotype

(aka physical appearance) did you know that it was largely considered a category of kinship

or group affiliation?

In the 16th century, we started to see the use of the word race in English, but it isn’t

attributed to physical traits or behavior.

It meant, quite literally, that you were all members of the same household, group, or shared

a common ancestor.

But, when did “race” shift to being less about kinship groups, to sounding more complicated

than the lyrics to “I’m my own grandpa”?

Well we can see that starting in the colonial era.

And that brings us to our second question:

Why did we see the shift in the idea of race in the 17th and 18th century?

The answer to this question is firmly rooted in two things: the rise of global capitalism

that was backed by slavery and colonialism, and a period of theorizations in Europe known

as the Enlightenment.

When the Spanish began the colonization of the Caribbean, and later Latin America, after

1492, they looked to Native populations to mine silver and gold under brutal working

conditions.

They set about enslaving, attacking, and murdering those who didn’t comply.

Thousands of Native people died as a result of over work, genocide, or because they were

exposed to new diseases brought over with the Spanish settlers.

And when England established its first successful long term colonies in North America in Virginia

in 1607, they looked to mirror this pattern of enslavement with Native people, while also

seeking copious amounts of silver and gold.

But they had limited success with this route because: 1) Virginia wasn’t exactly rich

in gold and 2) Native populations were able to resist the efforts of early settlers through

fighting back, or escaping and blending into adjacent Native groups.

English settlers still wanted to make money off of this venture so they began to look

to alternative ways of making Virginia profitable, and that came in the form of tobacco.

But a major problem with growing tobacco is that it requires a ton of labor, and the laborers

needed the agricultural skills to turn the crop into cash.

Because they had already met with sustained resistance from Native populations, English

settlers looked to other potential labor sources: enslaved Africans and indentured British laborers.

There are some important distinctions to make between these two groups.

First, indenture was a contractual agreement with fixed terms that varied widely.

Some indentured servants were brought to the colonies against their will either as a punishment

or because they were children.

Terms of these contracts were often very exploitative.

But many came willingly in exchange for their passage to the new colonies.

Many of these indentured servants finished the terms of their contracts and began lives

as property owners.

Enslavement of Africans was an entirely different category of labor from indenture.

Because 1) Slavery was for life, not for a fixed term or number of years.

2) Slaves were not considered human.

3) It was not a contract, because it takes two consenting humans to enter into a contract.

And 4) Slave laws were enacted codifying hereditary slavery, meaning that if you were enslaved

and had children, then those children would also remain in slavery.

With the expansion of this system there was understandably some resistance, even from

Europeans.

So in order to continue to justify slavery we start to see the pseudo science of “race”

emerge that connected physical features, behavior and legal rights, right around the 18th century

when colonial use of slaves was expanding.

Anthropologist Audrey Smedley notes that “scientific” ideas about physical appearance and racial

difference in the 18th century were largely “folk” ideas used to justify already existent

social norms.

So as a result of a desire to perpetuate systems of exploitation, more and more distinctions

were made about the supposed differences amongst races, primarily the differences of black

people from their white counterparts.

This evolution of race became more concretized after social structures of slavery were in

place and not before and was solidified by the Enlightenment.

Which brings us to our third question:

How did the Enlightenment impact definitions of race?

The Enlightenment was a period of primarily European thought and ideological development

that saw the emergence of some key concepts that tie back into today’s discussion.

First: there was a push in scientific communities to categorize the natural world using “reason”

and creating elaborate hierarchical systems that emphasized the similarities between different

species and subgroups and the inherent differences amongst others.

And race was fitted into this same mold.

As European theorists looked to classify the world into “scientific” groupings, physical

markers that were already established social norms through enslavement and genocide were

ways that they sought to “prove” that this was the “natural” order and not a

social construction.

For example, Thomas Jefferson, who was a proponent of concepts like individual liberty and freedom

for white men or those he considered his peers, also made claims that black slaves required

less sleep than their European counterparts to justify excruciatingly long and inhumane

work hours.

And Samuel Cartwright, who falsely claimed that “drapetomania” was a mental defect

that caused enslaved black people to run away from slavery, as if wanting to escape a lifetime

of enslavement was...illogical?

The Enlightenment formulation of History also played a crucial role in the development of

social ideologies of race.

Kang, Hegel, and other philosophers of their day claimed that certain racial groups stood

outside of history or had no history, and this included all groups that they considered

non-white or outside of European ideals of modernity.

This meant that groups that were devoid of history and culture were inherently less valuable

and therefore subordinate to other races.

They were cast as the natural sacrifices of supposed “progress.”

These assumptions were also codified into law in the 18th and 19th century.

The first naturalization laws of the United States in 1790, limited naturalized citizenship

to “free white persons” and excluded other groups.

Children born of enslaved mothers were said to inherit the legal statuses of their mother,

effectively keeping them in bondage perpetually.

And Native Americans were often denied legal property rights, which helped to expedite

the process of Westward expansion across the North American continent.

And “anti-miscegenation” laws were drafted in order to assure that people from different

racial backgrounds did not intermarry or have children in order to protect ideals of racial

purity.

But these racial categorizations did not always neatly align with skin tone.

In his book Whiteness of a Different Color: European Immigrants

and the Alchemy of Race, historian Matthew Jacobson notes that in the U.S. “white”

or “caucasian” was not always considered a unified race composed of anyone of European descent.

Whiteness was often considered exclusive to Anglo-Saxon descendants, while other European

groups were broken into different ethnic categories such as “Celt,” “Slavs,” “Iberics,”

and “Hebrews”, which were considered separate races from the 1840s to the early 20th century.

But in the 1920s, when there was a stemming of migration from Europe, these different

races were subsumed into one category called “whiteness” to shore up a cultural majority

against other racial groups and immigrants.

And this persisted throughout the 20th century.

So how does it all add up?

Well race started as a marker of kinship.

But then we see it shift to become less about familial inheritance and more focused on physical

indicators due to the rise of Enlightenment reasoning and labor exploitation.

But where does that leave us today?

Well, in the past several decades scholars have noted both an uptick in identifying with

your ethnic history, for example pride in your country or culture of origin, instead

of just being “white” or “black.”

But we’ve also seen a revival of outdated theories of race being biologically determined

and attached to certain traits, like considering all people of one physical type as prone to

certain behaviors.

But regardless of how people identify themselves, race continues to be a complex topic of discussion

and debate.

With that final thought in mind:

Do you have any other historical points to add to the evolution of “race”?

And how has race been used in both positive and negative contexts throughout history?

Definitely be sure to check out the works cited this week, since there was a LOT of

material and ground to cover and this was only just the surface!

Well that’s it for this week.

Drop them below, like, share, and subscribe and we’ll see you next week!

Hey guys, thanks for all of your comments last week on “what would happen if Islamic

armies had won at the Battle of Tours?”

Here’s what some of you had to say:

Rachel on Facebook speculates that European architecture would have been much different

and perhaps the influence of Moorish architecture would have spread past Portugal and Spain

and into France.

Thanks for watching, Rachel!

PoseidonXIII on YouTube (who is a person, and I’m assuming not an aquatic God?) says

that he’s really digging the new format of the episodes and enjoying the hypothetical

questions.

Thanks for watching from under the sea, Poseidon!

And our last shoutout is actually from our American Revolution episode, I wanted to say

“hi” to Mr. Miller’s class in North Carolina, I heard you were finishing up your

unit on the American Revolution and used our video in class.

That’s super awesome!

Stay curious and thanks for watching.

So that’s it for now, and we’ll see you next week!