7. The Role of Race in Colonial America
Race played a central role in shaping colonial society. Africans were subjected to a system that marked them as inherently inferior and created a permanent underclass based solely on skin color. Irish laborers, although initially marginalized, were eventually absorbed into the ranks of white Europeans—gaining rights and social mobility over time. This process of assimilation underscores why comparing Irish servitude to African slavery is misleading. For deeper context, see Britannica’s entry on whiteness and racial identity.
