Slaveowners saw these people as a private good that should satisfy their wants and make a profit. Education is a tool of liberation. People with access to information have a greater capacity to defend themselves and to claim rights. In this context, it was not interesting for owners to provide any kind of education to slaves. Moreover, the time that slaves would use to learn to read would be lost during working hours. Unfortunately this was a reality that is part of our history.
Answer: The colonies had been practicing limited forms of self-government since the early 1600s. And often used this influence to keep the governors in line with colonial wishes.
