Purpose Of Slavery In The United States

In attempt to give slaves equal rights to the common American man, activists argued that “thay (they; slaves) have in Common with all other men a Natural and Unaliable (inalienable) Right to that freedom which the Grat Parent of the Unavers hath Bestowed equalley on all menkind and which they have Never forfuted by any Compact or agreement.” The slaves feel violated because they look just like the average white American citizen and are not given guaranteed rights that white citizens have.

The peculiar institution, Slavery, is always a highly debated topic as to what role it played during the civil war. Questions about why the Civil War occurred leads to many narrower questions all with different answers. However the sole reason for the war wasn’t slavery but the questions it brought about such as states rights, economics and political control of slavery, territorial expansionism, and the election of Lincoln. I agree with Howard Zinn that “the clash was over slavery as a moral institution, rather the war was brought on by northern and southern elites who recognize the incompatibility of two distinct economic systems.” The Union and Confederacy had an economic system and ideals too different that it was impossible to avoid a war.

In the United States of America after the Revolutionary War, freedom was a very relative term. According to the constitution all men were created equal and therefore all men are free. However, in this time prior to the American Civil War this was not the case. There existed, what would eventually be called an immoral evil by some abolitionists in, slavery. Slaves were African-Americans brought to the United States, specifically the South, and treated and sold at auction as if they were property not human beings. This would lead to a great many conflicts both physically and verbally as time progressed, eventually sparking a Civil War. The focus of this paper is on the

It is easy to see that slavery affected the agriculture in the United Sates, and how the labor of slaves was important to the growing crop of the Unites States, especially the South. The South was notorious for its vigorous production of tobacco, rice, sugar and cotton, as well as other world agriculture as well. Although the population of the south was a mere 30% the size of the north, in 1861 they grew more than one third of the corn, one sixth the wheat, four fifths the peas and beans and over half of the tobacco in the United Sates. That amount of production in the South was phenomenal, which made it simple to overlook the labor that they used. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation revolutionizing the country, the economy of the South remained stunted and the emancipated slaves were unable to fain economic freedom.

The Unites States during the 1850s was a harsh time for African Americans, not only were they treated extremely harsh; but many of them were slaves as well. Slavery was the topic of every discussion during this time period and the United States was literally split on the issue of slavery. A lot of the Southern States wanted to continue slavery because it was a way of life. Many of the southerners depend on slavery to help grow and harvest crops that were on acres and acres of land. Northerns, on the other hand were against slavery. Slavery to them were not only inhumane, but Northerns rarely depended on slaves. Abolitionists were present throughout the United States, they created escape routes and safe houses for slaves who wanted to escape. The Underground Railroad was a prime example of this, not only was this risky for the slaves themselves but it was also risky for the people who helped them along the way. With the Fugitive Slave Act in full affect, Abolitionist were indeed breaking the ‘law’; but for equality for everyone no matter the skin color was a risk many were willing to take and die for.

Freedom or liberty, a term often used interchangeably, generally meaning exemption from control, is arguably the most fundamental right that American’s identify with, both as individuals and as a society. It is most notably rooted in American history and politics, and is often the justification for political decisions and beliefs, even still today (such as war, “operation Iraqi Freedom”). Historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and even newer political documents, all reference freedom or liberty, defining their purposes and intentions. Furthermore, the American person tends to love representing their idea of freedom by showing their patriotism and by partaking in patriotic landscape design (liberty

Being a slave was never easy, because the will never be free and will continue to be slaves forever even for the master’s unborn child. In addition, colonies was skeptical about the slaves they were taking in each season. Colonies didn’t trust slaves that come from other places except Africa, because they believe the ones that was sent from the other countries were to escape and even attack. Although statistics say slaves commits less crime than whites, colonies made improvement to their systems to keep slaves in check. On the other hand, slaves could be free if their masters wish them to be free, however, even to get free slaves have to do extra work to secure their freedom.

In early America, there was a system called slavery in which people would purchase other humans to work for them for no pay and often cruel treatment was involved. Many people today would find this asinine or ridiculous, questioning why another human being would ever have to though cross their mind about doing this, but this was the harsh reality of what slaves had to face. People were ripped from their homeland, chained and put on ships, an action no one could atone for. In 1776, most of the American colonies allowed slavery, but when we fought for our freedom from Britain the northern colonies began to end slavery. The slave population in the south began to augment. People, both black and white, began to speak against slavery and tried to

Slavery was the center of the Southern economy. The culture of the South made it a necessity to have labor to work and harvest the crops of the cotton, tobacco, sugar and more. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1794 and once it was introduced to the South, more cotton could be picked. The purpose of the cotton gin was to have some of slaves work be lifted from their shoulders, but it resulted in the opposite. After the invention, slaves became in even more high demand and the number of slaves before the cotton gin and after the invention increased by approximately 400%. As there were more slaves more cotton was being grown and sold and the southern economy became extremely dependant on slave labor. Most slaves worked in the fields, but some slaves worked as maids, seamstresses, and cooks. These are jobs that white people would not do so, the “bad jobs” were taken care of for very cheap.

First, the slaves originated from French, and later Spanish, colonies rather than from British colonies. After the Louisiana Purchase, an influx of slaves and free blacks from the United States occurred. Secondly, Louisiana’s slave trade was governed by the French Code Noir, and later by its Spanish equivalent the Código Negro as written; the Code Noir gave unparalleled rights to slaves, including the right to marry. Although it authorized and codified cruel corporal punishment against slaves under certain

“I didn't know I was a slave until I found out I couldn't do the things I wanted” (Quotes). These words emphasize how helpless the slaves felt, how they had no chances, opportunities and worst of no all rights. The slaves were not treated as humans, but as property. "Where Slavery is there Liberty cannot be; and where Liberty is there Slavery cannot be" (Quotes). America was founded on three basic rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Slavery went against all three of those, and left damage to the minds of slaves forever. The government taking these actions was no way justified, or correct, it is completely unacceptable to deny a citizen rights because of their

In an 1860 census, taken before the civil war, there were almost 4 million slaves or 13% of Americas population. Slavery was in 15 out of the 33 states during the war and 13 of these succeeded. Slavery stared the civil war, which was, the bloodiest war of American history. Slavery was one of worst decision America made, because it is: cruel, against God, and was not necessary.

According to History for kids, “Slaves were not allowed to vote, hold a political office or claim any legal rights.” Even though all slaves at the time were unable to vote anywhere, it still did not give slaves many rights which is being treated unfairly. Also research from History for Kids, “ A slave could either be freed by his or her master in return of services rendered or he or she could buy their freedom from their own earnings.” Some slaves could be freed, but most slaves were poor, and their masters usually would not treat them

“Every man has a property in his own person. This nobody has a right to but himself,”- John Locke. Those who are born into America today are farther and farther removed from a dark chapter in U.S. History. In America, the second you are born you have the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This wasn’t always the case. The enslaving of African American’s was a way of life in America, especially in the Southern states. Black people were either forced or born into slavery. These people had these unalienable rights stripped from them and they were at the mercy of whomever they “belonged” to. This was the way of life in the Colonies for 100’s of years until something changed. Attitudes towards Great Britain were changing as the colonies neared an inevitable revolution. The great awakening and enlightened writers such as John Locke and Thomas Paine changed the attitudes of colonials in terms of their own freedoms and rights as people themselves and although this shift in thinking wouldn’t necessarily change the attitudes toward slavery right away, it would plant the seed for an eventual fight for the abolition of slavery.

Ho, James. Defining ‘American ': Birthright Citizenship And The Original Understanding Of The 14th Amendment. Digital image.