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Tag Archives: Virginia

Transported Convicts in the New World: The Reaction of the American Colonies

Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies. That the British policy of transporting convicts to America was not well received by colonists should come as no surprise to anyone. American colonists complained that Britain was using their land as a dumping ground for their undesirables in the […]

Transported Convicts in the New World: The Buyers of Convicts

Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies. Convicts from Great Britain made up the largest number of forced immigrants from Europe to America in the eighteenth century, with kidnapping victims and forced political exiles trailing far behind. One of the ideas behind the creation of convict transportation […]

Transported Convicts in the New World: At Auction

Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies. Once transported convicts arrived in America and were prepared for sale, prospective buyers were invited on board to enjoy some rum punch and inspect them. The Sale Potential buyers examined the convicts in the same way as they did slaves: […]

Transported Convicts in the New World: Arrival in America

Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies. At the end of their voyages across the Atlantic, most convict ships entered the Chesapeake Bay and headed for a port in Virginia or Maryland. The captain then sent for the factor, an American representative of the convict merchant, who […]

Convict Voyages: From Prison to Convict Ship

Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies. Once the convict merchant was ready to make the trip to America, the convicts were released from prison and loaded onto the ship, along with dry goods and perhaps a few indentured servants. Convict voyages were generally timed to leave […]