The Struggle For Equality And Rights During The Civil War

Before the war, women had very little rights. A married woman could not control property that was hers before marriage, keep control of her wages, acquire property while married, she could not transfer or sell property, she couldn’t even bring a lawsuit. A husband could do anything he wished to with a woman’s material. He could sell them, break them, and his wife couldn 't sell or give away the exact same things. It was immensely unfair to women. But, they would not stay quiet for long. The sexism had to stop!

Many people around the U.S sit in classrooms and learn about the Civil War. A lot of students are taught that the War was fought over Slavery, this is a misnomer. In spite of what we are taught in school, the Civil War was not just over Slavery, but also over a states right to choose by popular sovernity. The Definition of Popular Sovereignty is "

Post-Civil War, Northern women became increasingly active in the Black-suffrage movements in the North. They strategized that by enforcing the right of suffrage for African-Americans they would automatically receive the right to vote. Their calculations were based off of the hierarchal rules implied by the Jim Crow South. During the Jim Crow Era, segregationists feared that reconstruction would mess with the inherent order of their society by making Black men equal to White men and beneath them allowing Black women to be equal to White women. Their restoration period stressed that the gender/racial hierarchy be preserved as follows: White men, White women, Black men, and then Black women. The Northern women assumed that there was no way they would give Black men the right to vote without giving White women the right to vote first, since they were higher up on Jim Crow’s hierarchy. However, their initial plan was unfeasible due to mutual disagreement amongst men in regards to women’s suffrage. Even the radical men believed that supporting women’s suffrage was pushing things too far and risked the nullification of the fourteenth amendment. Regardless of, they pushed for its ratification.

During the 20th century, male and females were not being treated equally a lot of women started getting mad because they weren’t getting jobs or the right to vote as men, so it led to the Civil Rights Movement, the Equal Rights Amendment was involved, because women weren’t treated equally or given the same rights as males. The Civil RIghts Movement was when there was a lot of racism and black and white people weren’t given the same rights, it was unfair to the black because they couldn’t do so many things like vote and also there was sex discrimination. In 1923, Alice Paul, leader and founder of the National Woman’s Party, considered that ERA should be the next step in the 19th Amendment in granting equal justice under the law to both sexes, male and female, in the U.S. Alice Paul said “ We women of America tell you that America is not a democracy. Twenty million women are denied the right to vote.” A text from the amendment said “Equal of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

The concept of equality changed from 1804 to 1865. 1804 was when northern states abolished slavery, this began the division that tested our nation, “...slavery divided the nation and states were forced to determine if the fight for equality was worth it.”₁. During this time, so many people thought equality was just concerning the rich, just among the white people who “worked hard”, to earn their pay. Little did they know, slaves were the ones who were working hard and not earning their pay. When the Civil War began in 1861, people in the U.S. were threatened because they felt that their jobs and hard work would soon be taken away if slaves became functioning members of society. Throughout the civil war, northerners begun to see what equality

Since the 1800’s, the human race has progressed exceedingly in almost all aspects may it be in our sciences,humanities, and even the arts. One thing that remains, however, is racism. The argument that one “race” is greater or lesser than another, is at its core, wrong. From the beginning of civilization this idea of unequality has found its’ niche amongst those who garner, and employ the feelings of hatred and hostility. These feelings continue to wreak havoc in today's society, and are just as prevalent as they were during the civil war and beyond. It is even possible that they shall still remain until the end of time. One man in particular whom I feel did not harbor such monstrous feelings is Abraham Lincoln.

During the 19th century, the topic of slavery tore America apart. The tension from this serious topic caused the South to separate from the Union. The Civil War began in 1861 and lasted for four long years. The war ended in 1865, not only was the North victorious but so were the slaves. The constitution states that all men were created equal, but during the 1800’s the promise of equality and opportunity did not apply to African Americans.

The Civil war was over. The former slaves were now free to play music and share their influences. They have contributed an immense amount to the modern

It’s upsetting how certain people were discriminated for their skin tone, so they were treated like property instead of what they really Where; People. Battles of equality of the civil rights movement, many famous people stood up for what they believed There Rights were as human beans. Many African American people Bought to for their rights so one day they would be respected and treated equally as white folks. Throughout the civil rights movement there were many boycotts that many African American people participated in allowing them to prove to other that they too are as equal as others.

In 1865, four brutal years of the Civil War ended, and Congress passed three amendments that eliminated slavery, gave citizenship to everyone born in the United States, protected people’s rights to due process, required equal protection under the law, and guaranteed voting rights to all American men. However, African American men were still segregated in terms of housing, work, equal pay, and schooling. Despite this unfair treatment, African American men received better treatment compared to their female counterparts. After the Civil War, all American women did not have the same rights as men. While the men fought to keep the Union together,

Slavery and Racial oppression of the blacks was considered a norm centuries ago in America. The ever rising black population had a strong impact on the South in many aspects. This impact was not only felt outside the Black race, but also within the race itself. This is because, Blacks molded the south with their food, language, religion, music, and also their accents. All these factors affected how the Blacks grew to the level they are in today. It is very vivid that the Black artist in America today is extremely honored. All these would not have been possible without the slavery and racial discrimination they faced those days, which affected them culturally, psychologically, and also economically.

I would fight against civil rights, and women rights/ feminism. I would fight against civil rights because I do not like the inequalities that blacks' faced through the years because of their skin color. Negroes are people too, they eat, sleep, play sports and etc just like everyone else in this world. So, why are they treated as if they are completely different and as if they were going to hurt us or like they are animals. Put yourselves in their shoes, imagine yourselves in the 1800's when Negroes were working in plantations ,and whipped and not fed very well when being transported, that's pretty harsh right. So why did you do that? Just because your lazy to do your own work so your killing,and bruising slaves so that they do your work, and

Whenever human rights is brought into question, may it be locally or internationally, It is very common for people to point out their lack of equal rights in order to further explain how they are being robbed of some naturally given right(s). Those who point out rights and the lack of them are using it to argue for justice. Today, equal rights are adamantly fought for by people from all walks of life. If we look at the United States of America, we can see that, the inequality that people point to is a result of actions that took place many years ago and actions that are being taken today. May it be modern day slavery, institutionalized racism or the mistreatment and alienation of women in the American society; people are continuing the fight for the fair treatment and equal rights for various groups. In our studies in class we focused on several thinkers who, despite all fighting for some sort of justice, had very clear differences. Each of these thinkers identified that some group or groups were being denied equal rights. They argued that these groups were being deliberately denied of equal rights by the ruling elite and because of that, they saw it an injustice.

For generations people have been discriminated, abused and denied civil rights and civil liberties. Forced to obey white masters and work endlessly, the vast majority of slaves were exploited and drained from their freedoms. Similarly, women were continuously seen as the inferior sex and as a tool for many supercillious men. Tired of the mistreatment, exploitation and inadequate lifestyles, these minority groups established riots, protests, rebellions and conventions to end injustice and discrimination based on gender and race. Overtime, these groups were recognized and rewarded for their continuous efforts and ambitions. For example, by 1870 black men were granted citizenship and voting privileges and by 1920 women were voting and running for public office. Soon, a mere forty years later, the civil rights activism of the 1960’s opened the door to equality to yet another group struggling with discrimination, prejudice and, above all else, shame. After many years of silence and inaction, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community began to argue “politically mobilize on a grassroots level” (Hillstrom 2014; 11) for egalitarianism despite one’s sexual orientation.

African American Music became an artistic expression of experiences of slavery before the Civil War. The idiosyncratic music not only unveiled physical and mental harshness to which slaves were subjected but also became a weapon to combat oppression . Blues were born out of folk songs that dealt with the hardships faced by plantation workers.The harmonic series of African origin were fused with European music styles to lay down the foundation of Jazz and Blues of the Civil Rights Movement. Both became ideal forms of race music which revived the interest in African roots. Both forms expressed disappointment that even after hundred years of Emanicipation proclamation which guaranteed citizenship rights to all , the rights were not granted in spirit. New Orleans Jazz restored the hymns which were rooted in African tradition during The African American Civil Rights Movement. It bears testimony to the contribution made by African- Americans to American society .Throughout the Movement , artists like Nina Simone , Billie Holiday and Curtis Mayfield endeavoured to uplift the spirits by spreading the message of solidarity and brotherhood through their