Lowcountry Rice Planting and

Cooking

Origins:

Rice planting begins in SC in early 1700’s.

Dr. Henry Woodward attempts to grow Madagascar seeds.

Rice had been successfully cultivated in West Africa by Africans since early 1500’s.

Running a plantation was very expensive.

African slaves highly desired for rice plantations due to their knowledge.

Origins: West African coast where slaves taken became known as “The Rice Coast.”

Many English settlers came from Barbados and Bahamas to South Carolina hoping to strike it rich.

Plantations had been very successful and lucrative in these areas.

The Lords Proprietors offered attractive deals to attract new colonists-Headright System. Also, plenty of natural resources and rich fertile soil.

Slavery in Charleston Charleston area becomes center for slave sales.

Hundreds of Thousands of slaves sold.

Slave trading companies arose in the area making owners wealthy.

A large percentage of slave sales occurred in Charleston.

Advertisements for slave sales were posted all over city.

Records of sale transactions kept documenting the vast number of sales in Charleston.

Life on the Rice Plantation African slaves were used to bring costs down.

Some plantations had several hundred slaves

More slaves than white colonists by late 1690’s.

Slaves were responsible for almost every operation• Planting• Cultivating• Threshing• Transporting• Cooking

Life on the Rice Plantation Without slaves, plantation system would have failed!

Slaves worked on a task system-specific jobs• Clearing • Hoeing • Digging ditches

Slaves had to complete tasks first, then they were allowed to work for themselves or families.

Slaves worked and sang in unison just they had done for ages in West Africa.

What is the first thing you notice when you look at this painting?

Can you spot some of the steps in the process of rice cultivation in the paintings?

What are the people doing in this painting?

Does this image give you any clues about the location of the rice plantation?

Can you guess where this ship might be going next?

South Carolina’s Dependence on Rice

Rice important export for SC.

SC becomes dependent on rice for economy.

Rice becomes important staple in Carolina kitchens.

Rice in high demand from 1600’s through 1800’s.

Slaves are life blood to industry until Civil War.

West African influence in the kitchen

Since African slaves were responsible for cooking rice, West African influence found in old recipes.

Many of today’s popular restaurants have rice dishes that are influenced by these old West African recipes.

Acknowledgement

This presentation was adapted from Rosamond Lawson

Charleston School of the Arts

Homework Assignment Rice Recipes From Your

Family !! Discuss the lesson you learned about rice culture in class with your

family.

Ask someone in your family if they have a favorite recipe, and if they will share it.

If there is no favorite family recipe, find a recipe in a cookbook that is one of your favorites.

Following the format on the handout I will give you, type the recipe on a piece of white paper.

Being creative with illustrations will earn you one point for creativity!

This is due tomorrow.