Slaughterhouse Case Analysis

What are currently the poor conditions for animals in the American slaughterhouses, what are the causes of these conditions, and what are the best methods for preventing slaughterhouse cruelty?

Throughout America’s history people have fought for more rights and freedoms. Civil rights and civil liberties have been at the center of these arguments. Whether the argument was to have more rights or have our freedoms enforced people have been using civil rights and civil liberties as their rationale. American history has been defined by the many rights and freedoms the people have been granted.

When Confederate states wanted to join the Union after Civil war, they were required to undertake “Civil War” Amendments. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments were developed, with each supporting equality within the states. However, these Amendments proved to be insufficient in the provision of equal rights to African American citizens (Medley,2003). In the late 19th Century, laws limiting civil rights of the Blacks swept through state legislatures. Segregation then became a requirement in both Southern and Northern states.

“The purpose that brought the Fourteenth Amendment into being was equality before the law, and equality, not separation, was written into the law.” A state and its capabilities all come from within itself; therefore, what brings a nation forth is its ability to unite for a cause and to consistently keep the members of its nation steadfast in its belief. The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified not only to guarantee “equal protection of the laws” , but to also guarantee a more prosperous country in which its members are not distinguished based on gender, race, culture, ethnicity or religion. Consequently, every citizen is given a set of rights and the people are reassured that these rights define a government by the people for the people , but during the 1800s, the law was not just nor equal.

During the early 1860's the discussions over states v. Union rights had reached its breaking point and outraged the South seceded from the union. The following years would see not only one of the nations bloodiest wars, but the period of reconstruction that was to follow. Freed slaves now had to find their place within a nation that was less that ready to except them. The battle between legislature passed down by the government and the social ideologies of the past began both during and after the period of reconstruction as it was made evident that changing the minds of the current generation would not be easy. While the years 1860-1877 brought major constitutional changes regarding the rights of African Americans following the civil war,

The Constitution of the United States and the amendments that follow established the principles of our country. After the north won the civil war, reconstruction began in the south and several new laws were passed to support African American equality. In 1865, the 13th amendment was passed, which resulted in slavery being abolished. These newly freed men were made many promises. Among them were the promises of political, social, and economic justice. It seemed as though these promises would be kept as violating them was deemed unconstitutional. For example, the 14th amendment granted 3 rights to all men: the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, states cannot pass laws to abridge these rights, and the right that all men were seen equal before the law. Also, the 15th amendment was passed, which established the right to vote for all men, and thereby gave African Americans political power. In reality, however, these newly freed African Americans were still treated as inferior members of society. Reconstruction did not provide political, social, or economic justice to freed slaves.

The thirteenth and fourteenth amendments attempted to establish the freedom and rights of former slaves, but was not entirely successful in its goals. Legally, former slaves gained their freedom in 1865 when the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, and received “equal protection of the laws” as well as other privileges in the Fourteenth Amendment, passed in 1868. (Document A) The years following the Civil War brought on many changes for both former slaves and former slave owners. While slavery was prohibited in the United States, white landowners found ways to twist the laws and create a system beneficial to themselves. The Reconstruction era was filled with a changing economy, a large predicament for white landowners, and unfair situations for

Following the civil war Congress passed three amendments. The Thirteenth Amendment was passed by Congress in January 31, 1865. This states that no form of slavery should exist within the United States. Followed by the Fourteenth Amendment which was passed on June 13, 1866; that states that anyone born or naturalized in the United States cannot be denied life, liberty, and property without due process of law. Nor be denied equal protection of the law. Then the Fifteenth Amendment was passed on February 26, 1869 stating that any citizen of the United States regardless of your race should not be

During the reconstruction a the 14th Amendment was passed, it protected the rights of the freedmen. Document A states, “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge [take away] the privileges or immunities of all citizens of the United States.” This was to protect the rights of the citizens of the United States’ rights and to avoid discrimination. This protects the citizens from the state government. Aslo in Document A it states, “nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” This segment states that all the citizens must have equal treatment from the government. These laws are still used today and are brought up in courts all over America.

An understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment begins not in Congress, but in the history leading up to the Civil War. The first crucial story in understanding the Fourteenth Amendment is the striking changes in the law of race relations that took place in the North - especially in Bingham’s home state of Ohio - in the dozen or so years before the Civil War began. The second story is about the South, and the legal repression and brutal racial violence that took place there immediately after the Civil War ended (Finkelman, 2003).

Once the civil war came to an end, of course this ended slavery and provided African Americans freedom, but it didn’t provide them security or equality. African Americans had to still be dependent on the white man for things that they weren’t able to just provide to themselves. At first, the states were supposed to be providing and protection the rights of individuals. But, by being able to have these amendments, they provide political equality and equal treatment for all American’s within the United States regardless of their

To begin with, after the war and during Reconstruction, even though the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were established to help

These developments included the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments. During the Civil War African Americans were allowed to fight for the union and were paid; however, they were not paid as much as the white soldiers. This lead to the Emancipation Proclamation, which caused the 13th amendment to fall into place. The thirteenth amendment stated that slaves were now free. It is true that African Americans were considered to be free but because of elements such as, sharecropping, they were stuck in this economic slavery. The fourteenth and fifteenth amendments were ratified together. The fourteenth amendment stated that former slaves or African Americans were now considered to be citizens. The issue of African Americans being citizens could be traced back to the Dred Scott vs. Sandford trial in 1857. This case directly involved, the requirements for being a citizen. While it is true that African Americans were technically citizens, they were still not treated as if they were. However it is not completely true that they had citizenship because, “the courts will not receive negro testimony…. Is this the fruit of freedom, and the reward of our services in the field? …" as stated in a Petition from American citizens of African descent to the Union convention of Tennessee. The fifteenth amendment stated that African Americans could now vote. This played out nicely compared to the

The 14th amendment was passed three years after the most gruesome war in American history took place. This war is known as the “Civil War” but in aged southern textbooks it is known as the “War Between the States”. The Civil War was a prime example of why the 14th amendment should be passed. Looking at what influenced the war and what the 14th amendment stood for, showed a common influence. A huge influence on the 14th amendment was freed slaves because of the rights they were entitled to. On July 28th, 1868 the secretary of state issued a proclamation ratifying the 14th amendment. This granted citizenship to all born or naturalized in the United States. The 14th amendment forbids states from denying any person life, liberty or property, without

Animal cruelty continues to plague the meat and dairy industry and a policy to reverse this is enacting stricter regulations on meat and dairy labels that explicitly state the additives and preservatives used on the product. Moreover, my policy will persuade people to purchase meat and dairy that is ethically raised and is not made with preservatives or additives, this is my value of health. Moreover, my policy is for those who eat meat and dairy and are unaware of the health side affects of consuming it and the animal cruelty that goes into producing a piece of meat or glass of milk, which encompasses my value of compassion. We are a compassionate species who turns the channel during an ASPCA commercial. We root for Nemo, Babe and Bambi yet we watch the movie whilst eating fish, pork or venison. The hypocrisy is unbelievable yet not talked about. Most Americans do not recognize this link between our compassion and the animals we eat and the hypocrisy that surrounds it. In this essay I address the compassion humans posses and how it is being wiped out through eating meat and dairy. I also address how we have the potential to rid the meat and dairy industry of the abuse. I will also discuss how meat and dairy is detrimental to our health.