Effects of Slavery on America

The Constitution Convention was made, some of compromise which was balancing power between the federal government and state government in 1787. Because of some issues was emerging at a constitution convention like lager and small states those the key compromises helped to create a perfect constitution of the united states.

What was the Three-Fifths Compromise? It was an agreement between the north and the south

During early 19th century, the entrenchment of Southern slavery, there was discussion between planters who benefitted from it and abolitionists who fought against it. Most Americans, especially those in Southern states, understood that slavery system could not help parting from their economic and social system. Southern slavery system brought big economical benefits. However, it negatively influenced American society as a whole rather that positively.

The Constitutional Convention was the gathering point of the fifty-six delegates from the twelve states where the latest Constitution was written. This historical event took place at the Annapolis Convention in Philadelphia. The Constitutional Convention met between May and September of 1787. They argued on almost everything, some delegates argued over the powers that the president should have, and other argued about the number of representatives each state should have. To settle these problems, compromises were proposed. The most important compromises that led to the creation and ratification of the Constitution of the United States were: The Great Compromise, The Three-Fifths Compromise, The Slave Trade Compromise, and The Massachusetts Compromise.

Slavery was a harsh system that consisted of forcing other human beings to work in harsh conditions; as well as restrict their freedom to the point where they had none. Slavery was first introduced into Colonial America in 1619, and lasted for 245 years. During those 245 years, slavery harshly affected those who were involved in its system. The institution of slavery has profoundly influenced and shaped multiple aspects of Colonial America and the United States. Slavery influenced the 13 Colonies and the U.S. by the growth in sales for Cotton, and farming. Slavery shaped Colonial America and the United States culturally, by proving to the slaves that white people were far more superior than African Americans, religion and Cult of Domesticity. Lastly slavery shaped Colonial America and the United States politically by causing rebellions, and abolitionism.

Issued by Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation set all slaves, under Confederate control, free, and armed black troops for the Civil War. A year later, beginning in September of 1864, Maryland, Tennessee, Missouri, and Louisiana abolished slavery. Shortly after, approved by Congress in February of 1865 and ratified in December, the Thirteenth Amendment was official. This amendment abolished slavery throughout the entire Union, which finally freed Kentucky and Delaware slaves. The war started as a fight to preserve the Union, but the new amendment went to show that the war had shifted to a fight to end slavery. The Thirteenth Amendment resulted in the abolition of slavery permanently. Although this freedom did not mean equality. Northern African Americans had been battling for their civil rights before and after the war. They were petitioning and campaigning at the state level, and created the National Convention of Colored Men and the National Rights League at the national level. None of these had as big of an impact as when the Radical republicans in Congress got involved to help overturn the inequalities.

Ratified by the states in the winter of 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment was put into play. It declared, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” (Primary Documents). Officially, this amendment outlawed the practice of slavery, there was, however, an exception. That exception was the use of involuntary servitude, or slavery, as a form of punishment. More than four million African Americans walked free in 1865, this had a rather negative impact on the Southern economy. And so came the Convict-lease system. Many white Southerners saw this system as a solution to their economic hardships; nonetheless, it was often seen as being worse than slavery. In addition to the convict lease system was the practice of Sharecropping and Peonage. These forms of subjugation brought even greater distress to the newly freed African Americans. Despite the ratifying of the Thirteenth Amendment the abhorrent treatment of this newly freed race did not change significantly thanks to programs like the Convict Lease system, Peonage, and Sharecropping.

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in an effort to the end Civil War by taking away the workforce of the South and preventing the intervention of foreign powers. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not free all slaves in the South, it was a major step in the direction of the abolishment of slavery. Abolitionists in Congress began to push for a more permanent law that abolished slavery everywhere in the United States. On December 6,1865, the 13th Amendment was ratified. It illegalized the institution of slavery in the United States. Thousands of slaves were freed from their masters and allowed to live the lives they wanted for the first time since the were captured. The newly freed slaves

However, the Three-Fifths Compromise would not be adopted until the Constitutional Convention in 1787 when it was again proposed by Roger Sherman and another founding father James Wilson. The North and South were able to agree on the 3/5ths Compromise because the South both gained and lost as a result. While the South received more representation in the House of Representatives, the South also had to pay more taxes. According to the constitution, the 3/5ths compromise states “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.” This compromise was ultimately crucial in solving the conflict and preserving the

“Jealousy, and local policy mix too much in all our public councils for the good government of the Union. In a words, the confederation appears to me to be little more than a shadow without the substance.” George Washington. There were many conflicts that arose during the Philadelphia Convention and many left unresolved. Some of the different conflicts that were addressed during the Philadelphia convention this included: Larger states v.s the smaller states, Three- fifths clause and fugitive slave clause between the North and the South.

Two of the three bargains included in the constitution by the first individuals in the Constitutional Convention, are the Connecticut Compromise and the three fifths trade off. The Connecticut Compromise was the most essential bargain. It was an understanding that every state bargained on, where they would have two administrative houses. One being the House of Representatives that are in light of every states populace, and the second would be the Senate where every state would have two legislators, with the Senate being the more grounded of the two (Magelby, et al 2008).

The Constitutional Convention held in 1787 was a major step in America’s foundation. The compromises reached at this important meeting would end up shaping the country into what it is today. The Constitutional Convention was created in order the correct the Articles of Confederation which were deeply flawed. The meeting included the important founding fathers ranging from George Washington to Benjamin Franklin. After careful thought, the Articles of Confederation were soon scrapped and the delegates at the meeting began to create an entirely new government system. However, some states had their own private agendas. Different regions wanted different things and it reflected their ideals through their plans. This made coming to a compromise

Slavery had been enshrined in the Constitution through provisions such as Article I, Section 2, Clause 3, known as the Three-Fifths Compromise, which detailed how each state 's total slave population would be factored into its total population count for the purposes of apportioning seats in the United States House of Representatives and direct taxes among the states. Many slaves are free because of President Abraham Lincoln 's 1863 Emancipation Proclamation, their post war status was uncertain. On April 8, 1864, the Senate passed an amendment to abolish slavery. After one bad vote and extensive legislative maneuvering by the Lincoln administration, the House followed suit on January 31, 1865. The measure was quickly ratified by nearly all Northern states, along with a sufficient number of border and "reconstructed" Southern states, to cause it

The first source that helped identify whether slavery helped or hindered the confederacy was the Emancipation Proclamation. This document was established by President Lincoln on January 1, 1863. The purpose of establishing this document was to free slaves located in the Confederate states. The values of this document are that it was the first step in letting the slaves be free in the United States. The document is valuable to the research because it displays a step towards African American freedom, however, it does not offer the rights to exercise their freedom. The document is limited because of the fact that it only offers freedom to the slaves of the Confederate States and not to slaves all over the United States. The United States Constitution issued the Thirteenth Amendment in the year 1865 on

( Madison's Journal) The delegates were dedicated to forming the constitution and would make whatever “compromises seemed necessary”. (Oakes 220) In the end the convention came to a compromise that would ultimately lead to a Nation divided.