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Change in the 1800's: Radicals

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In the 19th century, there were many issues in America which needed to be addressed. Some people stood up for what they believed needed to be done to reform the country. Prominent examples of these radicals are Harriet Tubman and Dorothea Dix. Tubman fought to abolish slavery while Dix fought for better treatment of the mentally ill. These two individuals had a significant impact on American life. Harriet Tubman was born between 1819 or 1821in Dorchester County, Maryland. At the time, slavery was a well-established institution in the South. Slavery was present in America since the 16th century. It was the practice of bringing Africans to the Americas because they were a cheaper and more convenient labor source than indentured servants. The lives of the slaves were marked by cruel and harsh conditions from the moment they were captured. The Triangular Trade, which was a trading process that involved the trade of alcohol, slaves and other goods, was a nightmare for the enslaved people. Africans were captured, branded, and tossed into ships, where they stood, packed, like sadines in a can. After the terrible journey, slaves were auctioned and sold to work in plantations and houses. The terrible treatment didn't stop there. Slaves were regularly abused, because they weren't thought of as people. They were property. The slaves' were deprived of basic human rights such as freedom and humane treatment. Tubman experienced all of these hardships in her life, as she was born into

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