Anti-Slavery Society Vs. American Colonization Society

The introduction of Africans to America in 1619 set off an irreversible chain of events that effected the economy of the southern colonies. With a switch from the expensive system of indentured servitude, slavery emerged and grew rapidly for various reasons, consisting of economic, geographic, and social factors. The expansion of slavery in the southern colonies, from the founding of Jamestown in 1607 to just before America gained its independence in 1775, had a lasting impact on the development of our nation’s economy, due to the fact that slaves were easy to obtain, provided a life-long workforce, and were a different race than the colonists, making it easier to justify the immoral act.

n 1619 a Dutch ship brought 20 slaves to America and it took nearly 240 years for slavery to end in 1865. In the absence of rights or freedom, my ancestors were put to work growing anything from cotton to tobacco. For centuries, my people fought for equality. Although we are “free” the fight has still remain. As a black women raised in America, I was hit with some harsh realities at a very young age.

Founded in 1817 the society had advocated the relocation of free blacks and freed slaves to the African colony of Monrovia, present-day Liberia. The public and private funds raised by the American Colonization Society led to the settlement of approximately thirteen thousand African Americans in West Africa by 1867 and the establishment of the independent nation of Liberia. The organization’s guiding philosophy represented a middle ground between abolitionists and proslavery advocates.

African American’s first legal sight of freedom came in 1799 with the Gradual Emancipation of slaves that were born on or after 1799. Many whites against slavery helped with their efforts in bring the Gradual Emancipation’s approval. The Quakers were the first to help the slaves fight for freedom. The New York Manumission Society contributed the most for the emancipation of slaves, but let’s not give all the credit to the whites. Black efforts undeniably helped in the process of gradually abolishing slavery as well.

It is important to note that in the event that it cannot be determined whether a

America owes a debt to slavery that can never be repaid. That's not to say it shouldn't be. At the very least, it should be acknowledged, validated, and honored with the respect that it deserves.

Although slavery is no longer an issue in the modern era, it was an important predicament from 1776 to 1852. This conflict split America in half, those for slavery and those opposed to slavery. As time passed, the opposition to slavery grew tremendously. Starting with America’s Declaration of Independence where it states “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Starting with the creation of America, there have been those opposed to slavery, holding the Declaration of Independence as a weapon against it specifically because “all men are created equal.”

And the reasons definitely did change over time. In the 1820s, many Americans thought the best method of dealing with slaves was to repatriate them to Africa. The American Colonization Society even proposed a plan to Congress for this idea in 1820 (Document 4). The Society’s goal was to keep government abolition from occurring, while gradually ending slavery through repatriation. Though this plan ultimately did not succeed, it drew awareness to the issue of slavery, and showed that greater numbers of people were supporting abolition, however gradual. By the 1830s, many citizens in the North and West began to favor absolute abolition, or the end of slavery coupled with citizenship and equal rights for freed slaves. Societies such as the American Anti-Slavery Society were founded, and strove “to secure to the colored population of the United States, all the rights and privileges which belong to them as men, and as Americans” (Document 5). William Lloyd Garrison, when giving the speech containing these words, had the particular point of view of supporting equal rights for all people- whether black, white, or female. He viewed slavery in a manner that was becoming more common- as a blight upon society, and a “deadly curse” resting upon the

Slavery is an unethical practice, and this wrongdoing should be acknowledged. The U.S. government is not taking blame for this practice nor will take it upon themselves to make up for its citizens that did enslave African Americans. This is not the first time where our nation has acted immorally and was pushed to make amends. Native Americans received compensations from the U.S., as did Japanese Americans who were imprisoned during the Second World War by the Roosevelt government. All of these reparations however did occur after the formation of the U.S. government and the constitution that set the guidelines for governing. The thirteenth amendment officially labeled slavery an unlawful practice. Government is not supporting reparations, which as in the constitution, does not make them responsible for any of the previous

However in 1816 a second movement emerged after the American Colonization Society(ACS) -- the leading proponent of free black repatriation to the African continent -- was established in 1816. Before long ACS boasted of support from several Protestant denominations, reform clergy, gradualist antislavery societies, fourteen state legislatures, and a host of prominent political figures, including Henry Clay, James Madison, James Monroe, and Daniel Webster. The ACS hoped its considerable political influence would persuade the federal government to finance its newly created Liberian colony on the West African coast. Within a decade, the ACS had acquired reobust leadership, broad support, and a fully treasury devoted to recruiting black settlers and chartering ships to transport them to Liberia.

Slavery has been entwined with American history ever since Dutch traders brought twenty captive Africans to Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Slavery in America is a subject with minimal truths and stories rarely told. The public school system excludes the fact that eight of the first twelve American presidents were major slaveholders. Emancipation brought freedom, but not approximation. The civil rights movement killed Jim Crow, but shadows remained. Affirmative Action created opportunities, but racism continues.

Their were very few whites that thought African Americans deserved freedom. Abraham Lincoln believed that everyone should be their own free man. He has many quotes that talk about slavery, like this one. “ Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves; and, under a must of God, can not long retain it” (8). As he is saying in this quote that it shouldn’t be fair for one man to have less freedom than another man. Nobody even blacks, or any other race should have to work hard hours for another person without fair pay for their

     The history of the United States is filled to the brim with an abundance of significant events. Over the course of this nation’s young history there have been numerous social institutions. Many have been a necessity in our development. However, the US was home to one of the greatest atrocities committed on mankind. The institution of slavery is not only the most embarrassing but most sever infraction on the natural rights of man. At times there were in excess of three million black Americans enslaved in this country. It was not the dismal living conditions nor the bleak existence they lived that led them into a resistance of slavery. It was the theft, the

In order to talk about the abolition of slavery it is necessary to know the meaning of slavery and abolition. According to Dictionary.com the word “Slave means: a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person and abolition means: “the legal prohibition and ending of slavery, especially of slavery of blacks in the U.S.” Now that both words were defined we can begin. “It is said that the first African slaves were brought to the United States near the English Colony back in 1619 to Jamestown, Virginia by some Dutch traders. If we were to discuss the origins of slavery we would have to start not in the United States, but we would have to shift gears to Brazil were they were the biggest slaves traders of all times” according to History.net

Before I explain my reasoning, understand that I in no way would wish slavery on any people. One could only imagine what it would be like to live as a slave. I was to simply analyze both sides of the panel's debate and draw a conclusion based on the arguments presented. Based on the arguments presented, I deliver my opinion that reparations should not be awarded to those ancestors of the Atlantic Slave trade. I do agree with the pro-reparations panel that slave trade was and is still wrong. The selling of humans is not human and should not be tolerated. I firmly believe that slavery even though