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History Of The United States Before The Civil War

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Shaquanna Patterson
December 6, 2015
HIST 2303:03
An Unfree Exchange: 1600-1800 The history of the United States before the Civil War is not only a history of democracy, freedom, and constitutional rule, but also one of slavery. By the time colonial America started buying and selling captured Africans, black slavery had become an institution in the Spanish and Portuguese colonies in South America and the Caribbean islands. The discovery of raw sugar and rum in the Caribbean created a lucrative opportunity for the Spanish and Portuguese, but they needed people to do the work. With such little population and difficulty enslaving the natives, the Portuguese found it easier and beneficial to enslave African slaves. The use of mass slave labor enabled Spain and Portugal to benefit without having to pay workers. With established slave labor proving to be economical in these nearby areas, it seemed far easier to also enslave blacks in America as well. Although America was able to profit greatly from the unregulated slave trade, we must ask: At what cost? The moral injustice it brought on African slaves outweighs all of the economic gains and advancements made by America. The history of slavery dates back to before the 9th century. The establishment of slavery was widespread but not specifically associated with skin color. Most slaves in past history were told to be war captives. A slave was expected to do the bidding of his or her master because the act of conquest had

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