African Americans in the Civil War
Everyday, people wake up and take it for granted. Just the simple and small things in life, people don’t seem to really appreciate. They tend to be ungrateful for the things that have been basically given to them. Many people of today do not realize the severity of how hard it was to get to this point in history. African Americans have had to face very strenuous times in order to make this world a better place. African Americans faced difficult times during the civil rights era, some of those hardships were; segregation, voting rights, and assassination of prominent African American leaders. The role that African Americans played in the Civil War was in fact bigger than anyone could ever imagine. One of
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Most of the men and women were uncertain of what they wanted, and would debate for long periods of time about the most effective way of receiving the rights that they rightfully deserved. They didn’t want to be the inferior class much longer and while “(most) of the African Americans would think that eventually their freedom would come easy and that being submissive would give them some sort of respect from the white men.” Others however, thought that the military was in fact the correct way to go, believing that the whites would eventually see their dedication and surrender their freedom and basic rights, although, this was in fact not the case for them. The Civil War would begin to help the Union, as blacks would soon start to flow into their army.
As the start of the war, slave masters were becoming weary that their slaves would flee from their respected territory and run to the Union army to help their war efforts. To try and keep them from running off, the slave owners would try and place unrealistic laws against them. Some would even up and move their plantation more inland so that outside Northerners had no chance of communicating with their slaves. However, this did not stop the slaves from fleeing, instead it caused more to want to be near their friends and family who had already left to the North. The
During World War One, as America continued to grow in numbers, much of the new American population was made up of immigrants. America was still working on the path to grant freedom to all who considered the United States their home. Many immigrants primarily came to America in search of true freedom and to gain opportunities that they otherwise could not have access to in their homeland. World War One; however, made it extremely difficult for some immigrant Americans and African Americans to receive the true freedom that they came in search for. Not only did WWI make it difficult for certain groups to live in America, it also gave rise to contradictions between the language of freedom and the reality of restrictions made on individual freedoms. Immigrants were being treated poorly and protecting the U.S. from the enemy was becoming more important than providing all Americans with the individual freedoms that they had come to the U.S. in search for. On top of that anti-immigration movements were intensifying. The freedom the United States had promised to many, was either being limited or simply not being given.
When word of African Americans enlisting in the Union Army got out, the Confederate Army lashed out many threats. They
Throughout history, African Americans have encountered an overwhelming amount of obstacles for justice and equality. You can see instances of these obstacles especially during the 1800’s where there were various forms of segregation and racism such as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan terrorism, Jim- Crow laws, voting restrictions. These negative forces asserted by societal racism were present both pre and post slavery. Although blacks were often seen as being a core foundation for the creation of society and what it is today, they never were given credit for their work although forced. This was due to the various laws and social morals that were sustained for over 100 years throughout the United States. However, what the world didn’t
The bloodiest war in American history, that’s what most people think when they hear Civil War. Not only was it the bloodiest war, it was a war for a change. This war started off as states’ rights but as the war progressed it soon became a fight to end slavery. The Civil War was indeed a pivotal point in our nation’s history due to African Americans earning the chance to fight the same people who once enslaved and tortured them. What led to African Americans involvement in the fight? How did African Americans impact the outcome of the Civil War?
African Americans have fought a great battle to become a part of society in America. Since being taken from African as slaves in the 1600’s there has been a continuous battle for equality since. Since the end of slavery Black Americans have had many accomplishments along with hardships. In this paper I will discuss some of the Major events in African American history beginning with the end of slavery which has lead to the America we know today.
Have you ever fought for something you believed in? There was a war where many states that were fighting for their rights and what they believed in. They all had different opinions, but many states fought together to become stronger. Texans fought in the Civil War because their love for Texas and their family, for states’ rights, and to protect the slaves.
Beginning in 1861, the civil war was fought over many political questions regarding slavery, yet was barely focused on the actual freedom of the slaves themselves. It is often taught that the Union fought for the freedom of slaves at the beginning of the war. However, it is more accurate to say that Abraham Lincoln’s primary goal at the beginning of the war was to reunite the Union after the majority of the slave-owning states seceded to protect their way of life: slavery. Yet, by the end of the war, the Union’s goal was to free the slaves. Though the laws securing slaves freedom and suffrage were contributed to by many, the primary driving forces behind them was the African Americans. Through their willingness to fight and support the Union cause, African Americans made the United States acknowledge their struggles and transformed the war into a fight for reconnection and freedom. Though hindered by racist people and policies, the African Americans’ participation during the war and Reconstruction greatly contributed to tremendous cultural change as well as the securing of legal rights to blacks.
With the various ways slavery was spread throughout the geography of the United States, these variations formed different cultures and conflicting laws on slavery. Due to inconsistent systems of slavery, it resulted in the Civil War, dividing the North and the South over the issues of slavery. In the end of the Civil War, many individuals with every sense of positive intentions gave opportunities and support to freed slaves developing into beneficial members for the nation. The United States came together as a nation to solve the issues of slavery, freedom, and the reorganization problems particular to African Americans. It is seen throughout our history all efforts to solve these issues but sadly African Americans still face many of the these problems today. These problems and issues of the 20th century needed to be solved by the leadership of African Americans, for their African American community. W.E.B Du Bois is a tremendous example of an African American leader for what was best for the United States at that time.
In the 19th and 20th centuries Europe was thriving and wealthy while most of their colonies in Africa were suffering under their rule. The Europeans all wanted a piece of Africa’s land with its plentiful resources and free labor. Around this time, Europe was going through the industrial revolution and because business was booming the European countries need more resources than they already had. The Africans had the land the Europeans wanted to use to continue having booming businesses, they also had African slaves and workers that they can use so they don’t have to pay for labor. In the 19th century leader of the Europeans countries want to discuss how they will divide Africa without the leaders of Africa knowing. The Europeans then started to invade Africa and take control over the citizens. As the Europeans got more powerful, the Africans become more miserable. Unable to match the guns Europe had, African countries began getting claimed, one by one with the exception of two. The Europeans ruled in a cruel way that left many Africans dead or suffering. Many countries tried and successfully broke away from Europeans after many years under colonization. The Europeans had a negative impact on the lives of many Africans in the 19th and 20th centuries, especially with racism and assimilation. People were taught to be a human they had to be like a European which led to many racist views on African people and culture and is why some nations like France used assimilation to make
As of the mid-19th century and on was when African Americans and women were beginning to gain somewhat equal rights or were still disputing them. It is also well know that both have suffered in vastly different manners, but in some cases are very similar in certain struggles. African American men and women had to survive the terrors of the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states, managing life with the Black Code looming over their every move. They were basically fighting for something that a lot of people take for granted, their right to live as a regular citizen. White women on the other hand had their fair share of discrimination as well, when it came to labor, labor organizations and, equal wages.
About 180,000 African American people comprised 163 units that served in the Union Army, during the time of the Civil War, and many more African American people had served in the Union Navy. Both the free African-Americans and the runaway slaves had joined the fight. On the date of July 17, in the year of 1862, the U. S. Congress had passed two very important acts that would allow the enlistment of many African Americans, but the official enrollment had occurred only after the September, 1862, issuance of the, Emancipation Proclamation. In general, most white soldiers and officers, had believed that most of the black men, who had served in the Civil War, lacked the courage, and the will to fight
African Americans in the early United States faced strenuous hardships dealing with discrimination and inequality. Even decades after slavery ended, African Americans never achieved true freedom. An opportunity known as World War I allowed black people to serve in the United States military. They thought they could gain their right to be considered a true American and gain acceptance from the white man. Little did they know, risking their lives would barely change anything. This was true with many other wars, as well. After they came home from fighting in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, segregation still existed along with discrimination, but their service did not go unrecognized. Little things such as military service helped change the minds of white Americans.
African Americans were a very important addition to the American Civil War such as fighting and spying for both the north and the south sides. The American Civil War was a war fought in the United States between the North and South states. The war was from 1861-1865 and was because the South wanted to establish itself as a separate nation. The northern states were called the Union and the southern states were called the Confederate. Between the north and south states were the Border States, which did not belong to either of the sides. The Border States included Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. In the north, slavery did not exist but the south was the opposite. In the war, the north and south states fought against each other while the Border States were neutral. Before the war and during the war, African Americans were treated very unfairly compared to white people. This essay will examine how African Americans were treated before, during and after the Civil War.
Throughout history the struggle for recognition of African Americans and their rights, has been a steady fight that has yet to be won. Since the beginning of our nation, even Thomas Jefferson could notice the “cruel war against human nature.” But even he of course just wanted to grant freedom to all men, women once again being excluded. What motivates these people is constantly being oppressed, and trying to convince people that they have gained, their rights which they were born with as human beings.
African Americans have been through so much since being uprooted from their home in Africa. Most people do not understand what happened to African Americans and they understand what they had to go through to be where they are today. It went from being kings in the comfort of their home to being thrown on a boat packed like sardines to be forced to work in the fields. The trip was a massacre itself because many did not make it due to the treatment from others. African Americans have always been treated like outsiders and it took many people to sway the perception of others to be where they are today. Through all the ups and downs African Americans persevered and made it out the struggle. African Americans has always been treated badly all groups of people and they always looked down on African Americans. Throughout the history involving African American, it showed the constant inferiority treatment. African Americans were slaves years ago, people still look at blacks as less important than other people. Slavery has a huge impact on our society today because people are still bias and unfair towards African Americans, most African Americans are still living in poverty and don’t have proper education beyond high school which is why they don’t have the equal opportunity for jobs. African Americans still continue to sit in the shadow behind white people.