Racism And Slavery During The 19th Century

In the 1700’s and 1800’s, the planter elite class of the American South conspired with both federal and state governments and other whites to institutionalize slavery in order to protect their economic and social power and way of life. Their efforts were generally wide spread, simple, blatant and generally very effective.

During the 19th century slavery was a very prominent and controversial issue between the north and the southern states. In the South, most people believed that slavery was a profitable way of life and if the slavery was to be abolished it would then affect their economy. On the hand the northern had different opinions about slavery and intended to stop it. The fact that the perception were different between the two led to a very difficult situation in resolving the issue.

Africa was once a thriving and wonderful continent filled with luxurious and wealthy kingdoms, but that had all changed when a new and appalling type of slavery was introduced. Around the 18th century, Africa became an ideal place for Europeans to trade and buy slaves from. The slave trade in Africa seemed to be manageable and somewhat peaceful before the Europeans brought in a new type of slavery. When the Europeans bought slaves from Africans, they kept them as slaves for life which were very different from how long slaves were kept in Africa. Europeans kept slaves in extremely poor conditions and treated them as if they were less than human. These actions caused a great spike in the slave trade all over the world and many

People used religion as a way to justify the act of slavery. They believed that God determined people’s places in life, so slavery was considered a “misfortune” controlled by God and not a social evil (Shi and Tindall, 91). Africans were also seen as “heathens” which lead people to believe that they had the right to enslave the Africans (Shi and Tindall, 92) The Africans brought the skills they had in Africa with them which made them very desirable in the American economy. Also, there was the creation of the slave code allowed slave owners more control over their slaves activates and movements (The Virginia Slaves

Racism is an issue that has plagued in country from the day it was declared the

Whites have always considered themselves superior to blacks, no matter if they were slave owners or not. Blacks were considered lower than humans, making them a main target of oppression of whites. So even when a small group of blacks were given their freedom, they weren’t truly liberated from the chains of slavery and oppression. Blacks were freed in the early 1800s, giving a limited amount of blacks the freedom they deserved. These blacks were usually rural, uneducated, and unskilled domestic servants who had to work hard to survive in the society that shunned them. Free blacks were still given restrictions and laws because of their status in society. In the early 1830s, a law in Virginia was made to prohibit all blacks from getting their education. They even took it to the level where free blacks who went out of state to educate themselves were not able to come back and return to their own state. The worst restriction was that blacks could not testify in court. When a slave owner claimed that a free black was their slave, they could not defend themselves, and would have to conform back to their slavery. Despite the terrible treatment given to blacks, some rose above the oppression and became successful, therefore achieving their goals and potentials of being a free black man, leaving a huge impact on society in the 1800s.

During the 19th century, so known “peculiar institution” of slavery dominated labor systems of the American South, also dominated most production in the US and led to a boost of the economy of the New Republic. By the 1850 's, US had become a country segregated into two regional identities, known as the Slave South and the Free North. While the South maintained a pro-slavery identity that supported and protected the expansion of slavery westward, the North largely held abolitionist views and opposed the slavery’s westward expansion. Until the 1850 's the nation uncertainly balanced the slavery subject between the two opponents. However, the acquisition of the Louisiana territories in 1803 by the Jefferson administration doubled the size of the US and the victory in the Mexican-American War extended the territory to the Pacific which quadrupled the area of the US. Ultimately, the territorial expansion led to the spread of slavery. In this essay, I will describe some of the reasons for the expansion of slavery including its influence in national politics, and consequences such as political debates and crises of 1850’s.

Slavery began before racism in North America. To prove this I will provide an analysis of chronological events that displayed acts of slavery and racism. With that being said, Initially I will be delving into the earliest implementations of slavery in North America. That being Jamestown Virginia 1619. Secondly, analysing an extract from 1655, where an African man named Anthony Johnson claimed to own another black individual, John Casor as his property. Subsequently, moving onto Winthrop D Jordan 's essay, “The Mutual Causation” of Racism and Slavery which will divulge the first instances of racism to occur in North America. Furthermore, touching on an article regarding legislators in Maryland, displaying one of the first laws enacted in North America, which were racist in nature. In contrast, expanding on a court document that was approved by white legislators showing that black individuals were allowed to own and bequeath property in the late seventeenth century. Penultimately, delving into the early eighteenth century where racism began to engulf North America. Lastly, summarizing that, due to the analysis and chronological order of the evidence presented, slavery began before racism.

In the mid 19th century racism had started to occur. Then it quickly transferred into slavery where than African Americans were slaves to the whites. The African Americans were not brought to America by choice but because the whites decided to use them for slavery. Some whites would trade them for any house supplies they needed, and they were sold to the colonist of Europe. Where then they had labor work that needed to be done, African’s did not get a wage for doing this labor. There was a law that Africans were not considered humans, but objects that worked. When Americans won the land from the british, Africans were not exactly free from slavery. Slavery was a hard subject to talk about but they still did not receive the respect they needed. They were not even

It's hard to believe that there was a time in American history where human beings had no rights, were considered possessions, and could be treated in the most horrific ways and then be prosecuted for being pushed to the limit where they break down and do terrible thing they wouldn't naturally do just because of their skin color, ethnicity or gender. By The time of the mid-1800's slavery in the northern states seemed to have been getting better not to say the same for the south. Slavery was still a big part in the southern state; you had indentured servants and field workers. Each was having their own task given by their master. However, slaves were not just used for field work or helping out with crops or around the yard. White men would also get woman slaves to be a "wife

America entered the 19th century as a young nation that had many problems to solve, and the biggest one was slavery. The nation was divided, the North a supporter of abolition while the South wanted to keep slavery. How did the South and slavery supporters justify and defend an institution that was barbaric and unethical? They used the Southern economy as the main justification for slavery. They thought that if Slavery was abolished, they would no longer be able to make money. They wouldn’t be able to find anyone who could work on the plantation for free or for a small amount of money. Many slavery supporters also argued that slavery was a divine institution, and god encouraged slavery. Many Christians at this time thought that slavery was good for Africans because they were in a more “civilized society” which improved them “morally and

In the early years of the 19th century, slavery was more than ever turning into a sectional concern, such that the nation had essentially become divided along regional lines. Based on economic or moral reasoning, people of the Northern states were increasingly in support of opposition to slavery, all the while Southerners became united to defend the institution of slavery. Brought on by profound changes including regional differences in the pattern of slavery in the upper and lower South, as well as the movement of abolitionism in the North, slavery in America had transformed from an issue of politics into a moral campaign during the period of 1815-1860, ultimately polarizing the North and the South to the point in which threats of a Southern disunion would mark the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 (Goldfield et. al, The American Journey, p. 281).

Every since the start of slavery, in 1619 and all the way up until now 2016, people have been socially, religiously, and sexually profiled by their race. It could be something just as simple as where they come from, how they talk, their beliefs, or the color of their skin. We all are very aware of the history of slavery and how things went on in that time. I was far more horrific and blood-curdling back then. Unlike today protesting, rallying, and fight back was not an option back then, of course some stood up for what they believed in those were the boldest. Those who dared to challenge the authorities were the bravest, those who sat back at waited for a change were the patient.

During the Antebellum Era in America, there existed a culture of racism, particularly in the North. Free Blacks were constantly degraded, as whites were afraid to lose social status by associating with them. The deeply racist ideals held in the North were maintained due to the notion that blacks would compete with whites for opportunities. Whites engaged in mistreatment of to dissuade the blacks from entering their towns. The culture in the North was directed against blacks with exhibits of extreme prejudice, such as minstrel shows. Racism truly had no boundaries, as it was increasingly prevalent in the free soil states.

Slavery in the middle of the 1800's was abolished except for the rebellion states in the south. In 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was issued which made slavery illegal in the states that had rebelled and allowed black slaves to serve in the army and get other jobs, or continue to work on the plantations, as employees making money. The nightmare of slavery was over but a new one was to begin. One that was worse for it was prevalent but was secret and silent. One that exists today. One that does not shrink but rather grows. Racism was and is still upon us.