An Inevitable Homecoming - The Enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act
The Civil War era was a time of great turmoil for the people of America, but most notably for the African American population. Around the year of 1862 the war was being fought with the primary goal to seize the Confederate South. At this time both Northern free, male slaves and runaway slaves from the South could enlist in the Northern Union army. However, most African Americans in the Confederacy were labored slaves on plantations and in the homes of plantation owners. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 discouraged the idea for slaves to run away, as it required that all escaped slaves, upon capture, to be returned to their respective masters. The presidential election of 1860 brought Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln into office, a political figure known for his extreme opposition to the practice of slavery. Despite his fervent beliefs, no true impact would be made until the Emancipation Proclamation was introduced in 1863. Until the abolishment of slavery at the end of the Civil War in 1865, African Americans continued to face the horrors of the institution, which is given a glimpse into with the photograph that I have chosen to analyze and present to you all today. The photograph that I selected is housed in Wilson Library’s Special Collections under the North Carolina Civil War - Social Aspects collection. It dates back to March of 1862, during the height of the Civil War, and was taken in
During the mid-1800s, it was challenging being a slave. Belonging to another human being instead of being free brought numerous hardships African Americans had to endure. It brought about unimaginable pain, frustration, disruption, and stress. In America, slavery was glorified, even though, families were separated and destroyed. Slavery made it tedious to have stability in families because of the effects it had on the African American people. After reading “How Affected African American Families” and “Narrative of Jenny Proctor,” slavery caused African American families to cope with separation, unfair marriage stipulations, horrible living condition, mistreatment and labor, and also the ending of slavery.
Following the Civil War, America was in shambles. There were many groups with strong, conflicting ideas of how things should be. However, most groups had one idea in common: reducing the rights of African Americans as much as possible. Freed slaves had very little freedom under the law, were treated like a lesser species by those around them, and faced dangerous environments everywhere they went. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation may have legally freed slaves, but African Americans were barely more than paid slaves.
In The Long Emancipation: The Demise of Slavery in the United States, Berlin draws attention to various parts of anti-slavery resistance that often escape consideration. He emphasizes the efforts of African Americans themselves. Berlin brings together main ideas, events, and people who made slave emancipation in the U.S. possible and that American freedom as a complex, disputed process. The author is not focused on speeches, written arguments, and petitions against slavery but with how slaves and free blacks took steps to permanently pull apart forced servitude in the face of crushing hostility. Author Glenn David Brasher of The Peninsula Campaign and the Necessity of Emancipation: African Americans and the Fight for Freedom zooms in and focuses
With the eruption of the Civil War came one of the biggest tribulations and trials that this country has ever faced, but as we understand the motives of one of the greatest Presidents in American History we can see that the Civil War was inevitable. From his original intentions of merely preserving the Union and holding the country together, to permanently abolishing slavery we can observe why prevailing in the struggle of the Civil War is one of Lincoln’s defining legacies. Thus, as the civil war draws to a close, an old tumultuous era has ended, and a new more prosperous era has
The Civil War of the American had led to the major change to the American society in general and also the status of black Americans specifically. During the period prior to the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln had contributed not only his ideal but his passion of a nation in which every person is created equal based on the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln was elected president in 1860 and started his plan on freeing the slaves and also to put an end to the American Civil war in order to reunite the States through the Emancipation Proclamation. His ambitious of emancipating the slaves and reunite the nation are the importance factors that helps Abraham Lincoln deserves his accolade of “The Great Emancipator.”
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.
The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The “house divided”, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the Civil War, with the Emancipation Proclamation, although when it more closely studied he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When following the many famous quotes and speeches of Lincoln’s life, it appears that he was against all slavery and bondage. At the same time, when more closely examined, the quotes and speeches actually leaned towards his lack of strong opinion on the outcome of slavery. Lincoln is perceived as the most famous revolutionary of American history, but he does not live up to his legacy of being the eradicator of forced servitude.
The American Civil War was ending and African Americans gained freedom, freedom from slavery and to live life as common folk. However, being set ‘free’ was not enough for African Americans to really experience what freedom was really like. Respect and rights of citizenship are by themselves weak in the ability to survive without also obtaining economic power. This paper will examine the progression of African Americans after the Civil War of 1865.
African Americans have come a very long way from 1865; they have fought many battles to earn their place in America’s Society. From the ending of slavery African Americans have had various achievements from their suffering. Some fought, some spoke, some marched, some sat, some cried, some died, some even dreamed, but all of these things left a footprint in history. In this paper I will discuss some very important events in African American history beginning with the ending of slavery which has brought us to the America we all enjoy today.
The Fugitive Slave Acts came into place in 1850, it’s meaning was to prevent slaves from coming north by threatening people with jail sentences and a hefty fine of $1000. This law rooted back to the Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 which were very similar to the Fugitive Slave clause which stated that all slaves found escaping to the north must be returned to their owner or the Northerners who were found with slaves would be fined $500. Northerners thought that this law was unfair because it favored the Southerners because it promoted slavery in a sense. This law stated that if
In 1850, the Fugitive slave act was passed, which made it illegal for citizens to assist in the escape of runaway slaves, escaping from their masters.
For years and years, African-American people spent their time in the fields against their will, the boiling heat of the sun looming above. Something needed to be done. Multiple people, including Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass stepped up to the plate in an attempt to prohibit slavery. While Frederick Douglass did a lot to support the abolishment of slavery, Abraham Lincoln’s method of support had a bigger impact with more results, thus being superior.
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.
The freedom of America’s slaves has always been accredited to Abraham Lincoln, but he was not always the complete abolitionist as he is commonly portrayed. The “house divided”, as Lincoln depicts it in his famous ‘House Divided’ speech, of the United States during the Civil War, was not always lead towards the freedom of all mankind, and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. The sixteenth president is most commonly remembered for inducing the courage and determination to end the Civil War, with the Emancipation Proclamation, although when it more closely studied he did not cross the great divide of enslavement vs. freedom with the submittal of that fabled document. When following the many famous quotes and speeches of Lincoln’s life, it appears that he was against all slavery and bondage. Although when they are more closely examined, the quotes and speeches actually leaned towards his lack of strong opinion on the outcome of slavery. Lincoln is perceived as the most famous revolutionary of American history, but he does not live up to his legacy of being the eradicator of forced servitude.
Reporter noted it has been an ongoing issue with the step-mother. This morning (12/01/15) they had an argument over clothes for due to this being their homecoming week. Reporter noted the girls asked Rhonda last night (11/30/15) could they wear legging and she said she would think about it. Reporter Jasmine was questioned about it because they had them on this morning. They were told to go take them off in the process there was a verbal disagreement between her and Rhonda. Rhonda grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the drawer looking for some scissors. She couldn’t find any so she got a knife to cut them off of her. Reporter noted Jasmine was trying to fight her and in the process she was trying to reach for the knife and cut her hand.