By 1750, most slaves in America were not African born but America born. Several slaves worked in sugar, cotton and tobacco plantation. Very few of these slaves were African born, because the reduction in the importation of slaves from Africa.
Majority of these slaves were born in America, but they were descendants of Africans who were imported in America (Ira 112-115). During this time, there were three slavery systems.
Slavery in South Carolina and Georgia low country was very harsh than the one in the Northern colonies. Most Slaves were imported from Africa to work on sugar, cotton and rice plantations. The slaves were forced to work in very harsh conditions including working in very hot marshy areas. they were affected by tropical diseases such as malaria which led to the death of several slaves.
The number of enslaved population imported from Africa reduced in Chesapeake area, and in the Carolina Georgia low country. By 1750, the Chesapeake had the largest number of slaves in the mainland British America, but the majority of these slaves were American born or the Creoles.
Slaves in Chesapeake enjoyed good working conditions with less exposure to subtropical diseases such as malaria and yellow fever (Edmund 111-112). Most of these Slaves were given permission by their slaveholders to have to choose their sex partners and subsequently give birth to children.
Consequently the bearing of children naturally increased the number of slaves in this region leading to a reduction in number of slaves imported from Africa. Children worked with their parents in large plantations and lived with them in the slave cabins. This led to Creole slaves dominating this area (Allan 145-148). As the number of slaves imported from Africa reduced, the slave culture became more American. This led to the formation of African-American communities in America.
The whites less controlled these slaves. They were more exposed to the culture of the whites than those slaves from other regions. The American born slaves introduced Christianity on their traditional ceremonies such as emotional singing, and on death rituals (Edmund 111-112).
The slaves combined their musical instruments with American musical instruments to develop songs that expressed had African rhythm All these led to the development of Africa-American communities in America. The slaves who were born in America developed African American culture out of slavery. The development of afro-American culture had a significant effect on the establishment of African American communities (Ira 112-115).
The new African-American culture influenced children of the white who were put under the care of black servants on the plantations. Many of the African practices, values, and beliefs were blended with white culture. African American traditions were evident in American literature and religion and in other fields. The African American culture developed to become a significant part of American culture.
African American culture led to a transformative impact on the American culture, which developed, into African-American communities (Allan 145-148). The culture of African slaves who were born in America has greatly influenced the American culture. The African-American communities were developed out of the American born slaves in America.
Works Cited
Edmund, Morgan. American Slavery, American Freedom: The Ordeal of Colonial Virginia. New York: Wiley, 1975. Print.
Ira, Berlin. The First Two Centuries of Slavery in North America, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1998. Print.
During the lead up of the American Civil War, national ideological focus changed to what is known as the slavery debate. This shift was particularly important for a nation that prides itself on the principles of liberty and freedom. This debate over whether the ethical issue concerned with slavery exploitation was protected under the Constitution of the United States heavily challenged fundamental doctrines of this free nation.
One shining example is former president Abraham Lincoln and democratic nominee Stephen A. Douglas’ series of unmediated political debates, which illuminated much on the country’s reliance on slave exploitation. Stemming from this invigorated interest, remarkable changes began to blossom into a new era of American literature, cinematography and media coverage.
Distinct writers, such us Richard Wright, used their literary works as a way of redefining discussion of race relations in the United States during the mid 20th century. Indeed, Wrights novel Native Son was the first best selling novel by an African American writer and heavily increased his respect as a novelist.
In his novel, Wright uses his main character, Bigger as an example of the average brute Negro and highlights his relation with white individuals. Bigger’s life is not only contrasted with that of white, but an evident feeling of race superiority can be acclaimed through Bigger’s feelings and actions.
Wright’s chief success in the novel is his ability to warn America that Bigger’s aggressions were provoked by the oppressing racist force society imposed on African Americans. The author urges for change and explains to the white people the reasons behind several savage acts that black individuals such as Bigger committed. The effects of slavery on the American people have also been documented by James Baldwin.
James Baldwin an African American novelist and social critic of the mid 20th century presented Everybody’s Protest Novel: Notes of a Native Son, as a way of criticizing Richard Wright’s Native Son for portraying Bigger as and angry and violent black male.
Although Baldwin tackles issues against race in American and Europe, he believes that “Below the surface of (Wright’s) novel there lies, as it seems to me, a continuation, a complement of that monstrous legend it was written to destroy[1] .”It is evidential that Baldwin disregards Wright’s novel and intends to honestly analyze an African American man’s experience.
Specifically Baldwin condemns Wright by highlighting: “The failure of the protest novel lies in its rejection of life, the human being, the denial of his beauty, dread, power, in its insistence that it is his categorization alone which is real and which cannot be transcended[2].” Clearly, Baldwin’s Notes of a Native Son agrees with other African American authors, specially criticizing Wright’s abuse of naturalism and protest fiction in his novel.
Race intolerance is an extremely delicate topic in the United States. Slavery reinforces social prejudices and the forceful oppression against colored individuals during the mid 20th century.
The enslavement of African Americans in the United States opened wounds that until the date society cannot heal. Slavery has been the root of fear and the cause of violence of black individuals. Undeniably the society in which African Americans lived created an oppressive atmosphere that caused them to find its balance and identity relying on hostile actions.
All efforts to examine slavery through the lens of modernity makes it difficult to comprehend how individual’s supported and sustained an institution for centuries that degraded and dehumanized others for the exploitation of profit3. Slavery was a multidimensional practice that influenced economic thought in its time but also affected the social, cultural, and moral ethos of both its defenders and its destructors.
The slaveholder and the non slaveholder alike were sallied by maintaining a slave based society, and all individuals, whether they lived in the South or North, found their lives and times circumscribed by the necessities inherent in preserving slavery and preserving civil society simultaneously.
The response to this challenge led to the formation of a defensive posture that acknowledged the place of slavery in the natural order of the things and viewed abolitionist challenges to the peculiar institution as errant beliefs that would only produce social discord4.
Slavery played a significant role in the American politics in the nineteenth century. The legacies of slavery such civil rights, segregation and racial discrimination have dominated the current American society4. Slavery was a detrimental human servitude that put to test the very meaning and freedom of the American people. Slavery has had a significant impact on the political climate of the US. A number of experts hold the opinion that the early US was in fact defined by a relative lack of social differentiation3. The absence of class stratification in the American societies is also another outcome of slavery.
The American Revolution is said to have reinforced the scientific, social, and economic sources of racism, a product of slavery. The American Revolution brought together an extended body of political thought within which the existence of slavery[3] could be tolerated only with the greatest difficulty.
Moreover, largely because it was the Revolutionary ideology and rhetoric which had prompted the debate over the nature of blacks and their place in the American society, that debate was concluded substantially within its context. Although religious inspiration and conviction accounted for a large proportion of individual manumissions and helped to promote antislavery, the scriptures themselves were ambiguous4.
They reinforced but rarely determined the course of the argument. If we are fully to appreciate, however, not only the extent but also the limitations in terms of the Revolutionary developments in approaches to slavery and race, then we must look at certain other trends in the American society which made their own contributions to the growth of more rigid patterns of racial prejudice and which lent their support to the view that it was necessary to resist slavery.
It has frequently been pointed out by historians that the very existence of any widespread antislavery sentiment in the Upper South was contingent upon the declining economic fortunes of the Tidewater region. During the last quarter of the eighteenth century, that region began the painful process of a major agricultural adjustment[4].
Until the middle of the eighteenth century the Negro’s place in the American society has been firmly institutionalized: he was a slave. The ideas central to the revolutions subjected the definition[5] to severe strains. Coupled with broad a humanitarian and religious impulses, they brought under fire the institution of slavery and promoted a destruction of the identity of the slave and Negro.
This demanded, especially of the South, a redefinition of society and its values; it demanded a cultural revolution to match the political evolution. The revolutionary debate promoted an articulation of ideas which had previously existed largely on the level of assumption4.
The process of articulation made hardened and rationalized those assumptions and thereby made them more difficult to dislodge. It focused attention on the multiracial nature of the American population and laid bare the anomalous position, which blacks occupied. Blame for the anomaly was almost inevitably heaped upon the hapless blacks themselves.
The outcome of the debate was largely influenced by existing prejudices, but this emerged from it stronger than ever. Articulation and definition gave them an authority and respectability which firmly established them as societal norms. Moreover, there seemed to be no countervailing forces to arrest this development apart from those contained in the dogma of the American creed.
It had become obviously by 1820, however, that the revolutionary of force that creed was inadequate to destroy slavery and the social structure that it endangered3. It had become equally obvious that that the universality of the creed could not stand before the vision of America as a white man’s country.
Nether failure is all that suspiring, of course. Success would have involved a fundamental reordering of American society. But the extent of the failure was considerable. The growing discrimination against blacks has to be set against the active democratization and liberalization of the white society. It is worthy of note, for example, that restriction of black suffrage rights in some Northern states introduced in the very constitutions which were concerned to expand the political privileges of other members of the community.
Furthermore, by 1820, the major lines of Southern antebellum development had been established3. While this development included a similar, but modified, process of political liberalization, it was to include also an ever more active and positive defense of slavery. The 1820s was indeed a crucial decade; but the roots of those developments themselves foreshadowed, the revolutionary and post revolutionary generations.
The revolution flattered to deceive; it promised more than it achieved3. The historian is faced with the sad paradox that the first great onslaught on slavery on America was impelled by egalitarianism and by a belief in universal and natural rights: but it helped to produce a positive racism and explicit denial of those rights4.
The most detrimental impact of slavery on the American society is that it gave birth to racism. Racist doctrine evolved in early colonial America to place humanity into compartmentalized groups based on distinctive, social, and mental traits, which presumably established a ranking founded upon the unilinear evolutionist thinking of the time.
Its practitioners sought to delineate bicultural boundaries, coinciding with innate and heritable mental and moral differences, as justification for a polarization of the races that led to the subsequent exploitation and oppression of the darker races of the world.
The slave system was somewhat color blind until religious, social, legal, and political legitimation within the infrastructure of the Americas became aligned with the racist doctrine fostered by environmentalist thinking of the nineteenth century. Racism has its roots in the legacy of transatlantic slave trade, as it was the trades that created the ideology of white supremacy as a justification or support for the forced migration of millions of Africans to Europe and America4.
Tushnet, Mark V. The American Law of Slavery 1810-1860 Considerations of Humanity and Interest, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981. Print.
Mark Tushnet has conducted a thorough and has presented it in a book The American Law of Slavery 1810-1860 Considerations of Humanity and Interest. This book presents a thorough analysis of different cases where black slaves were involved.
One of the main disadvantages of Mark Tushnet’s writing is that he does not present a strict division of the cases according to their geographical location. Thus, the author dwells upon the court cases involved black slaves in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia. The court cases point at the development of the slavery law in these states.
Trying to distinguish the cases related to the Mississippi state, the following aspects were considered, murders, robberies, assaults, labor law, etc. Even though the source under consideration is poorly structured and the information in many cases is vague, the data presented in the book is important in understanding the law of slavery emergence.
Turning to the analysis of the book and the cases presented there with the purpose to understand the process of the emergence of the law of slavery in Mississippi, it should be stated that this source is rather confusing as the cases presented there and called “illustrative and not typical” (Tushnet 223).
However, the cases do not have the time limits, it is very difficult to understand when the case took place, therefore, the timeline of the accepted laws cannot be followed using this source. Tushnet ignores some important cases pointing to the fact that there is a great “volume of the material” (Tushnet 233). However, these cases are important as they show the general aspects and directions of the law of slavery in Mississippi state.
Conducting a further research and trying to understand what specific information can be considered from the source, the reader should pay attention to the particular cases discussed in the book. The cases are devoted to various situations when black slaves were convicted in committing specific crimes.
One of the main crimes which were committed and discussed in the court trials were the murders, robbery, violence, rapes, attempt to escape and absence of the specific certificates of registration which could give slaves freedom. The author of the book presented the cases where judges were either amateur or very prejudiced people whose decisions were always on the side of white parties. The author calls judges “merely ordinary thinkers” (Tushnet 7) who were unable to make fair decisions.
Even though slaves were on the territory from the day of the community emergence, the slaves had some rights. However, the development of the court system in the region and the appearance of the specific cases where slaves were involved into made the community authorities to reconsider the law. Each time new crime involving a black slave was taken to the court, a new law in the legislative system appeared.
Slaves were one of the categories of people who did not have ay rights. A crime committed by a slave was punished more severely than the same crime committed by a black person. Most of the evidence which was used for defending a black slave was not include din the case, judges just ignored most of the arguments which could protect a slave. The book shows that slaves did not have any rights and the cases discussed in the book and which were used for creating the law for slaves proves this statement.
One more specific aspect devoted to the law of slavery in the book is the labor law. The author dwells upon numerous cases where slaves were either injured or killed in the industrial accidents. It should be stated that such cases were the main reasons for creating the labor legislation where slaves did not have any rights at all. Each case creates some new law in the legislation. Thus, each time Mississippi state created more and more laws devoted to slavery in the region.
Race and class were the main identifiers of the particular decision. The author of the book draws a conclusion that the law of slavery in Mississippi was unprofessional, the court system was not ideal and the general legislature in relation to slaves was prejudiced. Not many resources are devoted to slavery and the book by Tushnet helps understand what specific cases were considered in Mississippi legislation, how cases were solved, whether the court system in the state was ideal and how people reacted to the situation.
White authorities and other white citizens of Mississippi were sure that slaves did not nave any rights and they do not have any opportunity to do anything to remain legally active. The whole legislative system was created during several years and numerous court cases prove it. When a new situation appeared and was taken to the court, a decision was made not in favor of slaves. Further, a new point in the law of slavery appeared.
Finkelman, Paul. Slavery and the Law, New Jersey: Madison House, 1997. Print.
Slavery and the Law is a book edited by Paul Finkelman. This book gathers many specific articles devoted to slavery is different places. Not much information is devoted to Mississippi state, however, that information which is present deserves much attention and may be discussed for a long period of time.
It should be stated that he law of slavery in the mentioned above stated was created since the time of the state emergence, however, some laws were added further on the basis of the specific court cases which took place in the country and which were solved in favor of white people. All the cases where slaves were involved supported whites. There were many reasons for such attitude.
Reading the source under consideration, the following words may be stressed, slaves, “Negroes are an inferior caste, incapable of the blessings of free government, and occupying, in the order of nature, an intermediate state between the irrational animal and the white man” (Finkelman 57).
Calling black slaves the alien enemies, the author of the source wants to underline that slaves did not have any rights. This was the main concept of the law of slavery in Mississippi. Reading the information in the book, it is possible to conclude that the position of the Mississippi slaves was the most severe as they did not have any rights.
There were black people in America who were free, however, the authorities of the Mississippi state were sure that black people did not deserve to be free, they did not deserve to have opinion, and to be equal to white people. Slavery existed in Mississippi from the very inhabitance of the region, therefore, the main laws were crated may years ago.
The racist conception was the main in curt decision making. Moreover, the relation to slaves was not good. A slave was nothing, it was like an animal who did not have the right to speak until he/she is asked, etc.
One of the main reason according to which the law of slavery was created is that if to give freedom to black slaves, people appear at risk to lose their own freedom. Such philosophy was the central in formation of the law of slavery in Mississippi. The implementation of the racist conception may be explained by the history of slaves emergence in the region.
From the first day of the emergence of the Mississippi community, black people were considered as slaves. Even without any laws, black people were subjected to performing the activities they did not want to perform. However, having no choice, black people did what they were told. The racial discrimination was obvious from the first days of the community existence, therefore, all the legal acts and decisions which made further were based on the specific consideration of black slaves as those who have neither rights nor freedoms.
The racial discrimination, and the law of slavery in the form as it was presented, was based on the idea that black slaves were unable to fell and think like white people could. Why do black slaves need freedom if they were unable to use it? Why did black slaves were offered the rights if they did not know what those right could offer to them. Such prejudiced point of view about black people created existed situation.
White people were sure that black slaves were unable to make personal decisions, therefore, they did not consider it necessary to give them such an opportunity. “The free black man lives amongst us without motive and without hope. He seeks no avocation, is surrounded with necessities, is sunk in degradation; crime can sink him no deeper and he commits if of course” (Finkelman 58). This phrased used in the book underlines the author’s idea about slavery and the attitude of the society to it.
Speaking abut this book as about the source devoted to the emergence of a law of slavery in Mississippi, it should be stated that it is rather complicated to find the information which is devoted to the topic directly. Being a good source for slavery, the book contains legal cases which involved slaves as one of the parties of the situation. The authors in this edited book speak about different situation related to slaves and how the courts drew decisions.
The source is not really effective as it contains little information about slavery in Mississippi, however, the emergence of law of slavery in general is perfectly discussed in this book. Applying to this source as for discussing the topic of emergence of law of slavery in Mississippi, it should be used in the introduction to dwell upon slavery in general, to discuss the relation to slaves and the general laws which existed in Southern America.
Davis, Dernoral. “A Contested Presence: Free Blacks in Antebellum Mississippi, 1820–1860.” Mississippi History Now, 2012. Web.
Dernoral Davis in his article “A Contested Presence: Free Blacks in Antebellum Mississippi, 1820–1860” dwells upon the history of development the law of slavery in such specific place as Mississippi. The author states that this territory comprised four groups of people from the time of Mississippi inhabitance. Indians, whites, slaves, and free blacks were the main groups of people who lived in the state.
There was a law according to which black slaves could buy freedom for themselves. Moreover, some slaves could become free if slaveholders freed them. Still, this law lasted not for a long time. Starting with 1825, black slaves were not given such an opportunity, moreover, it was considered as illegal.
Thus, it may be said that starting with 1825 the cases of slaves being freed were too rare. Moreover, those slaves who managed to buy freedom up to 1825 had to appear before the court and to prove their rights for freedom. Each free black person had to have a certificate of registration, otherwise, he/she appeared at risk to be jailed. After that, these people were sold at the auction as slaves. The slavery laws in Mississippi did not give rights for slaves to become free. There was a little number of free black people.
The new free blacks could become only in case a child is born from a free black mother. Black slaves could become free through the petitions for emancipation. Such option became possible with the law dated from 1822. The laws of slavery in Mississippi have remained in power until the 21st century. Mississippi is the hardly the only place where the laws of slavery remained and were successfully used in the civilized world.
Reference List
Davis, Dernoral. “A Contested Presence: Free Blacks in Antebellum Mississippi, 1820–1860.” Mississippi History Now, 2012. Web.
Finkelman, Paul. Slavery and The Law, New Jersey: Madison House, 1997. Print.
Tushnet, Mark V. The American Law of Slavery 1810-1860 Considerations of Humanity and Interest, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1981. Print.
Slavery was characterized by poverty and forced labor. Slaves never had freedom and rarely enjoyed material comfort beyond the bare basic needs. Their lives were characterized by diseases, suffering, and poor diet. They were subjected to hard labor with beatings that reflected the authority of their masters.
Their housing were majorly crowded with poor sanitation. The routines of work consisted of long working hours. They experienced both physical and mental torture since their masters employed force and violence to obtain what they required from them. The nature of slavery worsened because they received poor treatment that lead to high death rates.
The major cause of the changes in slavery was the hatred towards oppression (Goldfield, et. al, 39).The changes occurred in the attitudes of the slaves towards the white in the South. There was a general feeling of antagonism and resistance. They saw their master as people who used them as beasts of burden; hence, suspicion and resentment among the slaves grew into hatred.
The culture of the slaves greatly influenced their lives of being defiant. They were also influenced by the African culture that they maintained. They believed in the spirits, and made their accomplishments in music and dance. They believed in religion and their families served as a source of support. However, their families were disintegrated by the sale of their members.
The slaves tried to defy the slavery system and used religion as a tool to support the revolt. Faith sustained them and enhanced a sense of racial identity. The resistance to slavery was through fearless revolts. The consequences of rebellion were important to the slaves in various ways. Most of them got an opportunity to become literate by knowing how to read and write (Goldfield, et. al, 54).
The geography of the South greatly influenced the revolts; however, the militias were prepared to suppress the revolt. This experience changed the slaves’ actions. The freed slaves worked as manual laborers and changed various working sites. Furthermore, the rebellion also included theft and runaways. Due to the increase in political conflict between the North and the South, fears increased over the slave rebellion which led to increased restrictions on the slaves.
Fugitive slaves were captured, aided by the Law that also required that those who never owned slaves to support the slavery system. The manufacturers in the South felt the impact of using the slaves. Slave ownership was translated into political power and it was a basis of wealth and free standing. It guaranteed wealth due to the production of cotton in large scale. Hence, it was held as an investment and a commodity since slaves were highly valued ((Goldfield, et. al, 57).
In conclusion, the slave system was embedded into the economic development of the South. However, the conflict in slave ownership led to antislavery movements. The end of the row between the slave owners and non-slave owners narrowed down slavery. This aggravated the risks in entering into the cotton business since the cost of the slaves increased.
The slave system was finally abolished due to the thought that the system weakened the economy of many whites and the South. Slavery in the South declined due to immigration that provided cheap labor. There were more revolts against oppression that led to abolitionists, expansion westwards that made slave codes harsher.
Works Cited
Goldfield, Davis, et. al. The American Journey: The History of the United States. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001.
In the 18th century, the development of Britain’s mainland colonies depended on the effective usage of forced labor necessary for the progress of plantations in the southern colonies and non-plantation territories of New England. Different types of the forced labor were the characteristic features of the societies in colonies.
Thus, Europeans were traditionally used as indentured servants, Indians were rarely used in any forced labor, and Africans became slaves. The differences in colonists’ using people in various kinds of labor were predominately based on the factor of race and on the economic systems of the definite region.
Planters were inclined to find the ways to gain more benefits and develop their plantations with the help of using cheap labor. From this point, the shift from using indentured servants to using African-American slaves in different colonies was reasonable because of providing a lot of advantages for planters, and the shift also depended on the aspects of the economic progress in colonies.
It is possible to determine several slave systems which were used in colonies. Thus, colonies of Chesapeake and New England developed according to different approaches to using indentured servants and slavery. The economy of Chesapeake depended on growing tobacco at large plantations and farms where the labor of slaves used actively. The development of slavery at the territory changed the social hierarchy and replaced the category of indentured servants.
Slaves in Chesapeake also influenced the progress of the Great Awakening, and they were successfully exposed to white culture. Farms in New England were smaller than in Chesapeake, and it was unnecessary to use the labor of a number of slaves (Foner). That is why the difference between the ‘white’ and ‘black’ population of these territories was significant. However, northern and southern slave owners worked out the developed laws in relation to their slaves.
Paying attention to the slow development of plantations and farms in definite colonies, it is possible to state that the usage of indentured servants was rather advantageous at the first stages of the colonies’ economic progress. The labor of indentured servants was rather cheap, and they could serve for a long periods of time. These factors satisfied planters, but the necessity to freed servants one day and provide the opportunities for their life created the threat for the system’s further development.
The fact that indentured servants were free in their attempts to organize rebellions and oppositions made planters and farmers begin to use chattel slavery as the effective way to control laborers and gain more advantages from their work. Now, planters could not pay for slaves’ labor, enlarging their properties. Moreover, the first Africans in the colonies were indentured servants, and this status could make them be equal to ‘white’ indentured servants.
Thus, the reasons for the shift were the economic advantages of using the constant labor of Africans without providing them the status equal to ‘white’ servants and with accentuating the race differences. In this case, the use of African slaves was more advantageous than the use of Indians who provoked a lot of conflicts at the base of territory and freedom questions.
If the use of indentured servants made masters pay for the work and focus on the servants’ needs with references to the definite laws, the progress of chattel slavery depended only on the laws which were advantageous for planters. All the laws were worked out to restrict African slaves and increase the authority of ‘white’ masters.
Providing these laws, masters tried to deprive slaves of any rights and prevent rebellions. Thus, in South Carolina slaves were forced according to the laws fixed in special masters’ books and the free-black population suffered from the racial discrimination and a lot of social and economic restrictions, including the higher taxes.
Slavery was the developed business where the interests of American planters and African traders met. Western Africa participated in slave trade actively because of the opportunity to receive the access to such goods as guns and textiles which influenced the process significantly, creating more conditions for economies’ decline and forcing slavery. Moreover, African rulers had the opportunity to set taxes to gain more benefits from foreign merchants and traders.
However, such an African territory as Benin did not participate in slave trade, preventing such negative effects of slave trade as the impact on the social progress and on the economies (Foner). In spite of the fact Africans could not realize all the aspects of slavery development in the Western Hemisphere, they could see all the negative effects of slave trade for their own societies many of which were destroyed by slave traders.
It is important to determine several stages in the progress of slavery in Britain’s colonies where the period of indentured servitude and the shift to chattel slavery are the most significant ones. Moreover, the elements of slavery were various in different colonies, for instance in Chesapeake and New England. Slavery influenced not only the economies and social structures of colonies but also the African societies which developed with references to slave trade.
Works Cited
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. USA: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004. Print.
The American Revolution of 1765-1783 was developed as the demonstration of the Americans’ desire to become free from the British Empire’s influence and free to choose the path of the country’s democratic development. The Declaration of Independence of 1776 became the proclamation of the Americans’ rights to become independent regarding every aspect of their life.
However, the problem is in the point that in spite of the fact that during the American Revolution the idea of freedom was declared widely, the concept of freedom developed side by side with the principles of slavery. Thus, it is essential to answer the question about the possibilities of developing these concepts during the American Revolution.
Although many Founders discussed the phenomenon of slavery as violating the appeals for freedom and liberty for the Americans, the concepts of slavery and freedom could develop side by side because the Founders did not discuss slaves as equal to ‘whites’, the ideas of freedom and equality stated in the Declaration were interpreted only with the focus on white people, and slavery played an essential role in the states’ economic progress.
The idea of freedom or liberty stated in the Declaration of Independence can be considered as the founding principle to build the American society as it was proclaimed by the Founders. From this point, the American Revolution was the organized struggle for the freedom and liberty which were achieved as a result of many losses.
Although freedom was the desired condition, to achieve freedom and liberty did not mean to provide that freedom for black slaves. Focusing on pursuing freedom, the Founders hoped to win the liberty only for white people, without concentrating on the needs of blacks.
Thus, black slaves could not be discussed as equal to white people to become free after the end of the American Revolution because they were not even discussed as humans. From this perspective, the white Americans focused on fighting for freedom from the British rule, and their efforts were not associated with providing any freedom for black slaves. The achievement of the political freedom and social stability was not associated with the achievement of freedom for lowest social categories.
The Declaration of Independence is the main result of the American Revolution, but this document cannot be discussed as granting the equality and liberty for blacks along with the white population of the United States. The Founders’ vision of equality and its relation to slavery as the social phenomenon was far from modern opinions on these concepts because black people were not discussed as humans to have the rights equal with the white people’s rights, but slaves were described only as creatures to rely on God’s will.
Developing the revolution, the Founders focused only on the equality of white people in the American society and on their freedom. In spite of the fact that the Founders criticized the fact of the obvious ‘color dominion’ in the American society, they do not combine the ideas of equality and freedom for whites and blacks.
However, there were many Founders and activists who discussed the idea of slavery as violating the norms of free American society. In spite of the fact that they were persistent to promote the ideas on slavery abolition, the representatives of the upper classes from the Southern states focused much on the necessities to develop the institution of slavery because of its economic advantages for the South.
Although the American Revolution did not bring freedom for slaves, it is essential to focus on the role of blacks in the war for independence. Thus, slaves contributed significantly to achieving the desired liberty and to developing the ideals of the democratic society for whites. Slaves were actively used in military activities to attack the enemy and to protect the lands. Many blacks served in the Continental army to contribute to the further victory of the Americans.
The participation in the military activities guaranteed the desired freedom for many slaves because of their contribution to the progress of the American Revolution. However, the process had the negative consequences. The example of those slaves who were manumitted because of participating in the revolutionary activities inspired thousands of the other blacks who used the opportunity to escape from plantations. Nevertheless, in many cases, the revolution did not bring any sign of freedom for the majority of slaves.
The ideas of freedom and slavery were developed side by side because slavery was the important condition to contribute to the economic progress of the Southern states. Plantation owners used the work of slaves widely, and it was almost impossible for them to refuse using the free work of blacks.
In spite of the fact that slavery was discussed as the unhealthy element observed in the American society, few reforms and changes were proposed to change the situation because the economic advantages were obvious, and the Southern plantation owners did not want to risk under the impact of the problematic situation within the society.
On the one hand, slavery was considered as the necessary condition to improve the American economy and to influence the development of the Southern states’ politics and society. Many economists agreed that the abolition of slavery could lead to irreversible consequences for the economic development of the South because of its weak economic structure based mainly on the work of slaves.
On the other hand, the institution of slavery was discussed as the controversial phenomenon which can become threatening to the white people because of many difficulties associated with controlling the constantly increasing number of blacks in the Southern states.
Those black persons who received freedom after participating in the war and those who tried to run away from their plantation owners were discussed as the significant force which was ready to oppose the whites’ authority. However, these problems were not discussed by the Founders in their connection with the necessity to abolish slavery because the concept of freedom was interpreted only in the context of the white people’s rights.
The ideals of freedom and slavery were developed during the American Revolution without affecting each other because the Founders refused accepting the idea of the necessary slavery abolition. The institution of slavery was the fundament for the economic development of the Southern states.
Moreover, the Founders were not ready to accept the idea of the blacks’ equality to whites. All the statements associated with the equality and freedom found in the Declaration of Independence discussed Americans as God’s creatures, but not as equal white and black persons. That is why the idea of freedom proclaimed by the Founders did not contradict with the institution of slavery supported in the American society.
One of the challenges historians experience while attempting to discuss the origin and development of democracy in institutions is discussing Christianity as having originated from America, yet, they practiced slavery and colonialism. It is a paradox to discuss Christianity, slavery, and colonialism.
The paradox is evident in many areas in the American history. For example, an American stressing for sovereignty of the seas. In this sense, they argued that liberated ships make free goods. It is ironic for Americans to ask for freedom, yet they relied on slave labor.
Du Bois argued that Americans achieved their sovereignty through utilizing slave labor. The development of democracy was accompanied by the development of slavery. This paper focuses on discussing various issues related to the paradox of Christianity, slavery, and colonialism.
Many historians who have attempted to examine the issue have identified W.E.B Du Bois as an important figure in promoting human rights and democracy. As an activist, historian, civil rights campaigner, and a Pan-Africanist, he agitated for equality of blacks with the whites (Du Bois 43). He is prominent in opposing the Atlanta Compromise Treaty that advocated for the subjection of the southern blacks to the whites’ political rule.
During his campaigns, he criticized Booker T. Washington, and insisted on freedom of the blacks and an increased representation in political affairs. At that time, racism was widespread, especially in social institutions. Du Bois objected inequality that was in education and employment sectors by including the affected groups, particularly the Africans and Asians (Du Bois 43).
As a key figure in the Pan-African movement, he wrote a letter to European leaders demanding for the rights and freedoms of blacks across the world. He denounced racism and advocated for self-government (Du Bois 45). To him, “the problem of the twentieth century was the problem of the color-line” (Du Bois 47). This phrase was found in his book that he wrote to address the problems the blacks were facing.
He was at the forefront in Niagara Movement that was formed by the civil rights advocates to oppose the Atlanta Compromise. They aimed at publicizing the ideas to other African-Americans. The black Americans were subjected to forced labor in the whites’ farms. He used racial violence after peaceful methods failed. The racial violence that the black activists adopted was effective and made the Atlanta Compromise to be termed as a failure.
This was for the reason that racial violence resulted into two calamities that shed light in blacks’ democracy. Those who had adhered to its rules were replaced by violent businessmen who willingly supported the black people against the white people. The two events that took place in1906 were a turning point in African-American history. For example, the dishonorable discharge of 167 black fighters by the then president gave confidence to the black activists.
The second event, i.e., an uprising that broke in Atlanta, was triggered by undisclosed accusations that the black men had assaulted the white women led to the withdrawal of the blacks from the republican party, which weakened the party. This resulted in the defeat of the Republican Party. The struggles of Du Bois demonstrated how African Americans were enslaved by people who believed that Christianity was important.
It becomes a paradox to develop a devotion to human freedom and dignity, and retain slavery that denied human free will and dignity. A paradox is a statement that is contradicting, but could be having some truth or validity in it. Arguably, it is difficult to practice the two, at the same time and in the same respect.
Despite the fact that many historians have been tempted to exclude slavery in their discussions about the history of exploitation and racism. While Christianity taught about equality of all human beings, colonialism and slavery denied people freedoms (Du Bois 98).
The paradox began in England when the population rapidly increased. The increase did not grow to any corresponding increase of the nation’s economy to sustain its population. This resulted in misery, which was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty.
The authority tried to adopt efforts to ensure that citizens got jobs. In addition, it uses measures against their movements and the increasing cases theft. Population increase threatened the Englishmen freedom, and this made the ‘gentle government’ as it was referred send the population of the New world where there were job opportunities (Du Bois 298). Most of the citizens went to Virginia, which was referred to as “England’s sufferings of poor” (Du Bois 124).
In addition, it was brought about the many slaves that were found in the US at the time when Americans were demanding for democracy. For instance, during the 1790 census, Virginia had 40% of the slaves, yet, it the state had outspoken advocates of freedom and equality in the US (Du Bois 123). It is evident that an advocate, such as Jefferson favored republican liberty, and was in the forefront in denying liberty benefits to the blacks. As a result, historians have dismissed Jefferson and Virginia State as hypocrites.
Many religious philosophers have argued that the whites were practicing Christianity of the land and Christianity of Christ. Douglass attempted to destroy the racial inequality that was widespread in the US, and improve the lives of African-Americans. According to him, there is religion as a set of ideal beliefs and behaviors, and religion as a common practice. The religion of the whites is characterized by hypocrisy.
In his time every citizen to be a Christian because it was a sign of respectability. Douglass was against all types of slavery that were evident in the bible. He advocated for equality and used Jesus’ message of impartiality. As an abolitionist, he struggled to abolish slavery by discussing how religion negatively influenced and impacted slavery and the development of Christianity.
Christianity was employed by slave masters to justify their cruel treatment of the blacks. According to Douglass, Christianity is love, peace, and impartiality. However, he differentiates Christianity of Christ from that of land (Du Bois 163).
Thus, Christianity of the whites was typified by corruption, slavery, whipping of women, plunder, and partiality. It is difficult for one to practice the Christianity of Christ and own slaves at the same time. This, to him, implies no innate goodness. The Christianity of the land is used to describe the Christianity of slave dealers and owners. Therefore, it would be hypocritical to put one on labor without food and rest. He continues to say that living among religious people is beneficial because it is possible for one to change his or her life (Du Bois 165).
According to me, Douglass views on religion are right. It is a challenge for one to serve two masters at the same time, and in the same respect. Enslaving an individual without food and rest is not Christ’s Christianity. It is against God’s laws and whoever practices that is a hypocrite. Although some verses in the Bible support slavery, the New Testament is against slavery, and teaches about equality of human beings. His perspectives are also correct because living among Christians makes one change his or her perspectives about others.
Being a Christian is not a simple task. It means being devoted to serving God by following His commandments and being ready to value fellow human beings. Slave owners would always utilize slaves to acquire wealth and benefit themselves. Slaves work for long hours and at times they are beaten if they make errors. Slave owners do no treat slaves as human beings with dignity and love as required by the law in Christianity.
They over-utilize them and do not allow them to rest. It is also evident that the manner of addressing slaves is inhuman. It is important to point out that, despite the fact that slavery has been justified by some verses in the bible, especially in the Old Testament, it is not right to for a human being to enslave another.
It is also clear that some philosophers have supported slavery. For example, St. Thomas Aquinas argued that slavery is natural because some men are naturally slaves of states. He continues to maintain that what belongs to the son is his father’s, and what belongs to the slave is his master’s. However, the New Testament is against slavery and campaigns for equality of all human beings. Thus, it is not possible for a slave owner to be a Christian.
Slavery had adverse effects on the Americans social values. It lowered their dignity as they were treated in inhuman ways. The way they were addressed made them feel inferior. Slavery exposed the Americans to diseases because they were living in overcrowded areas with poor sanitation.
It was hard for the slaves to form trade unions, or even belong to one. Lack of employment and /or poor pay led to malnutrition of the Americans. This is for the reason that they could not afford a balanced diet. The Americans were not offered education (Du Bois 254). This implies that they could not compete for jobs with the whites. They were not taught about their rights, which made them continue working as slaves in white farms. It also promoted social evils, such as prostitution, stealing, and abuse of drugs.
The Europeans’ views on race have been affected by racial oppression and economic exploitation. There have been many human rights activists who have campaigned for equality of all people. Many people, especially the blacks have proved they are better than the Europeans by writing about the history of the blacks.
Economic exploitation has led to an increase in fear among the blacks. The gap between the white and the blacks with regard to increased poverty, making the Europeans believe that their race is more superior than that of the blacks. Many promoters of democracy have tried to indicate that there should be freedom, making Europeans’ perception of race to change.
In conclusion, the paradox of Christianity, slavery, and colonialism has been a challenge to historians. This is because it is difficult to observe Christianity and the same time practice slavery. Americans were in the forefront in demanding for their sovereignty, but they relied on slave labor. They were also fighting for their freedom, yet, they did not give their slaves’ liberty, even to control their own lives. Thus, it is correct to state that there is Christianity of the land, and Christianity of Christ as Douglass argued.
Works Cited
Du Bois, William Edward Burghardt. The World and Africa: Inquiry Into the Part Which Africa Has Played in World History. New York, NY: International Publishers Co, 1979. Print.
Slavery and slave trade existed in Africa for many years, but the Trans-Atlantic trade affected the lives of many people in the continent. The African continent received cheap manufactured goods from Europe while it supplied slaves to the American continent, with the sole purpose of providing free labor in mining and agricultural fields. Africans were expected to produce raw materials that would further be exported to Europe for processing (Hillman and D’Agostino 118).
Industrialization in the 18th and 19th centuries paved way for the manufacturing of various products even though the European continent was facing the greatest challenge of accessing cheap labor. Slavery existed in the African continent in form of indentured servitude in the previous years, but Atlantic slave trade changed the system, as people were captured by force through raids before being sold to other parts of the world. In this paper, the effects of slave trade and slavery are discussed in detail.
Slavery and slave trade had the greatest effects on Africa in the sense that they interfered with the continent’s demographics leading to economic downfall. In the western part of the continent, at least seventy-thousand able men were ferried each year to other parts of the world to offer cheap labor. Before Trans-Atlantic slave trade, Arabs had destabilized the region with the illegal trade. People would be taken to Asia and Europe through the ports of Red Sea (Hillman and D’Agostino 123).
Thornton noted that there was a significant population decrease in the Sub-Saharan region due to the raids and forceful transfer of people to other continents. The traders were mainly interested in buying men because they could manage working in the mining fields as compared to women who would do little to facilitate effective production. The East Africa part suffered as well since menial labor was highly needed in the horn of Africa, Persia, India, and Far East (Thornton 37).
History analysts are divided on the effects of slavery on African demographics, but they all underscore the fact that it changed the composition and the size of the population. Slave trade alone is approximated to have affected over ten million Africans while the form of slavery that exercised between 600 and 1600 is said to have displaced over six million able individuals.
In his analysis, Mentan concluded that the transfer of people from their counties to Europe and America was a demographic disaster in the sense that the African continent was left suffering in comparison to other trading partners. In fact, the political economist argued further that the continent is poor because all energetic young men and women were taken away to develop other regions leaving Africa with the old and young children who would do nothing to propel the economy (Mentan 43).
Mentan presented statistics confirming that the populations of Europe and America increased during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade while that of Africa stagnated. Since slavery provided good returns, emerging merchants were forced to abandon their industries in favor of the trade in the continent.
As soon as slavery was declared illegal, the population of the continent went up even before modern medicine was introduced (Hillman and D’Agostino 139). It was always claimed that diseases were to blame for stagnation of population, but the assertion was proved wrong following global interventions whereby slavery was abolished.
Apart from affecting the continent demographically, slavery and its associated trade had a tremendous impact on the economy because there were no individuals to work in industries. The trade ensured that people with adequate skills and knowledge were taken to Europe and the US to work in companies as machine operators leaving the continent with insufficient personnel to initiate economic growth.
Any economy is always in need of adequate work force to move forward, but the continent suffered a great loss since all able men were transferred to other places. African families and societies were left disintegrated to an extent that they could not form larger ethnic groups, something that led to ethnic divisions. It is surprising to note that Africans were unable to form stable political structures to facilitate the process of economic development instead many individuals decided to operate in small groups.
It is concluded that slavery and slave trade had several effects on the lives of Africans, but the economic stagnation and population decrease were the two major consequences that still affect the continent. African economies are focused on producing the raw materials while addition of value is done elsewhere. This could be traced back to the slavery era since people were used to receiving goods from Europe while supplying labor in return.
Slavery affected many African societies because the productive individuals were taken away to work in mining field in American while those left behind were helpless. Mentan observed that the continent failed to take off economically because of lacking sufficient labor and technology. Since slave trade was profitable, upcoming merchants decided to do away with their small industries to concentrate on the trade. This killed manufacturing and processing industries.
Works Cited
Hillman, Richard, and Thomas, D’Agostino. Understanding the Contemporary Caribbean. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2009. Print.
Mentan, Tatah. The State in Africa: An Analysis of Impacts of Historical Trajectories of Global Capitalist Expansion and Domination in the Continent. Bamenda: Langaa Research & Pub. CIG, 2010. Print.
Thornton, John. Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006. Print.
Slavery has contributed a lot to the long history of the United States of America. Much of the slave trade business took place in the southern colonies. Some of the southern colonies that had the highest number of slaves were Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, as well as North and South Carolina (Morgan 13). According to experts, several factors were responsible for the emergence and development of slavery in the United States.
The main contributing factor was the colonialists who needed labor in their huge plantations. Studies have shown that climatic conditions in the southern colonies were good for agriculture. This encouraged the colonialists to grow cash crops such as tobacco, pine forests, rice, and indigo (Russell 100). Apart from the favorable climate, the close proximity of the colonies to broad rivers allowed the colonialists to ship in slaves and their produce with ease.
The colonists mainly bought slaves from the Caribbean and Africa (Morgan 20). People from these regions were physically strong and had high immunity to diseases. The slaves suffered a lot of cruelty at the hands of their masters, who lived a totally contrasting lifestyle compared to theirs. Although the southerners had numerous theories to support their activities, the slaves did their best to resist any form of mistreatment (Russell 109).
Arguments used by southerners to defend slavery
According to experts, slavery in the southern colonies was a great violation of human rights. Although the southerners knew that the trade was illegal and inhuman, they always provided arguments in defense of the vice (Morgan 27). As the business of slavery continued to provide the colonialists with good returns, they quickly changed it from being a vice into a positive societal element. According to experts, the defense of slavery by the southerners tagged along crucial elements such as religion, social welfare, and economic growth among others.
First, the southerners argued that prolonging slave trade was necessary because it provided a good opportunity for spreading their religion. The reason for this was that the slaves were easy to indoctrinate and convert into followers (Russell 117). Secondly, the southerners supported the development of slavery because they believed everyone was well taken care of, happy, and crucial to the achievement of their master’s welfare.
They believed it was inhuman for them to release the slaves back into their native homes, where there was no food, medication, as well as an opportunity to adventure and learn more about life. According to experts, this argument was mainly motivated by the fact that the colonialists were racists, who considered their slaves as inferior and worthy of no respect (Morgan 44).
Thirdly, the southerners supported slavery in order to maintain economic growth in the colonies. Studies have established that the slave trade had a huge impact on the economic development of the southern colonies (Morgan 60). The colonialists had huge plantations that required laborers. Slaves provided free labor, thus making it possible for the colonialists to make maximum returns from their cash crops. Slave trade created a foundation for economic growth in the southern colonies.
According to experts, the slave trade was a profitable business for the few powerful individuals who could afford to own a slave (Russell 131). These individuals used their political influence and power to ensure that slavery continued for the sake of their selfish economic interests. The slave trade was a business that entailed financial investments where those with plantations had to pay a little amount to acquire an individual from their owners.
Therefore, none of the colonial masters was willing to make losses by supporting the end of slavery. The biggest motivation for this argument was the fact that the southerners considered slaves as assets. This meant that they assumed full control over their lives and denied them a chance to enjoy basic human rights such as freedom of speech (Russell 140).
How slaves offered resistance to their masters
Colonial masters in the southern colonies were the main promoters of the slavery. Although it was very profitable, the slaves did not like the way they were treated and often staged various forms of resistance. Studies have established that the slaves offered resistance to their masters from the first day they arrived in the southern colonies (Morgan 96).
However, the slaves found it hard to achieve any form of freedom because they were up against individuals who considered them as their acquisitions. Some of the common ways in which the slaves offered resistance to their masters included altering production, pretending to be sick, destroying work tools, burning buildings, stealing, and playing dumb among others (Russell 134). Studies have established that the slaves used to steal food from the plantations as a way of punishing their masters for mistreating them.
Resistance strategies by the salves worked in some instances, especially when they slowed or altered production. Since the colonial masters feared making losses, the slaves were in a good position to negotiate for better working conditions. According to experts, the masters also benefited from the results of the resistance staged by salves. When the slaves negotiated for better working conditions, their masters also benefited through higher output and more efficient services (Morgan 112).
Slaves during the civil war
Slaves in the southern colonies were greatly involved during the American Civil War. At the time, slaves shipped from the Caribbean and Africa had increased in numbers to become part of the growing community of African Americans (Gardner 40). The African Americans provided support in the navy through various positions that required hard labor.
At the time when the war started, slavery was still going on and the masters used their laborers to protect their interests. According to experts, the salves also considered the chance to serve in the Navy as an opportunity to free themselves from their masters (Gardner 51). The slaves were held in high esteem during the war, as their ability to work under harsh conditions made them huge assets to the southern war effort.
Life of the slaves after freedom
The war helped to bring to an end slave trade in the United States. However, the end of slavery was not beneficial to either the slaves or their masters. Studies have shown that life was very hard for the slaves following the conclusion of the American Civil War (Gardner 64). Some of the major problems they endured included starvation, high mortality rate, diseases, and unemployment.
The slaves were no longer recognized by the unions, they were working for during the American Civil War, thus left to lead a life of no food and dealing with a series of outbreaks such as smallpox. However, the Congress tried to help the slaves who managed to survive the horrific period that followed the conclusion of the civil war. The African Americans were demanding to be recognized as full American citizens by the Congress.
The first effort by the Congress was the introduction of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which stated that everyone was recognized and protected by the law as an American citizen regardless of their ethnicity (Gardner 81). The act was mainly focused on protecting the rights of freed slaves who had served the United States army during the war.
In addition, the Congress made further amendments to the act that ensured that all Americans enjoyed their democratic right of voting as provided for in the constitution. According to experts, these efforts by the Congress were successful because African Americans were involved in all democratic processes (Russell 160).
Conclusion
Slavery in the southern colonies contributed a lot to the long history of the United States towards democracy. Although the slave trade business was profitable to the colonial masters, it was a nightmare to the slaves who had to endure constant discrimination and hard labor.
However, the American Civil War rescued them from the selfish hands of their masters. The salves that were lucky to be freed had a hard time living in a society that looked down upon them and did not recognize them as human beings. This led to the emergence of the civil rights movement, which was long, torturous, and emotional for African Americans. The civil rights movement helped the African Americans to receive full recognition by the Congress as American citizens.
Works Cited
Gardner, Michael. Harry Truman and Civil Rights: Moral Courage and Political Risks. New York: SIU Press, 2003. Print.
Morgan, Kenneth. Slavery and the British Empire: From Africa to America. London: oxford University Press, 2007. Print.
Russell, David. The American Revolution in the Southern Colonies. New York: McFarland, 2000. Print.
John Brown was born in Eastern Virginia in 1810. He later fled to Georgia. He believed that an armed struggle was the only means of abolishing slavery in the United States. He waged the war of the African-Americans against their slave masters but eventually became unsuccessful, which led to his escape to Georgia.
Thomas Cobb was born in April 1823 in Jefferson County. In the 1850s, he and his elder sibling headed a movement against pro-slavery crusaders. Thomas Cobb invested in his political career with the help of his brother and agitated for the end of slavery in the South (Art and Jervis, 23).
The Role of John Brown in Ending Slavery
In 1833, Brown remarried after the death of his family members. He ran into debts that led to his incarceration. He vowed to end slavery in 1837 after the death of Elijah Lovejoy. In 1843, the US government declared him a bankrupt in a federal court, which caused his repatriation to Springfield. Brown later met with Springfield’s African-American abolitionists. He began to attend abolitionists’ speeches in Springfield making the town a crucial center of abolitionism (Kinzer, 18).
In the 1850s, the US formulated the Fugitive Slave Act that resulted in the freedom of slaves, their families, and withdrawal of their charges. With this law, Brown formed a group that aided in the re-capture of slaves in order to free them. Brown left Springfield with the assurance that whites would no longer capture slaves. Brown succeeded in his anti-slavery campaign because slaves were no longer captured in Springfield after his departure. The Springfield success was a starting point in the anti-slavery campaign for Brown.
In 1855, Brown left for Kansas where the pro-slavery community was determined to make the town a slave center. Brown became angry due to his father’s death and the government’s sacking of Lawrence, an anti-slavery crusader who was also a government operative. The war intensified in Kansas leading to the death of many people. The pro-slavery crusaders were not successful in acquiring the city of Kansas. In 1856, a force of Missourians destroyed Brown’s homestead.
In the same period, Brown and his forces successfully fought and defeated Pate and his pro-slavery campaigners. Brown’s forces captured Pate’s men. Pate had to release Brown’s sons. This aspect also led to the release of Pate’s men in Brown’s custody. Later, an army of Missourians invaded Kansas and Osawatomie with the view of capturing the cities. Brown arranged a group of thirty – eight men in order to plan retaliatory attacks against Pate.
Unfortunately, the Missourians defeated Brown’s forces leading to the killing of his son. Brown and his forces hid in the woods. The Missourians captured a number of Brown’s men. The pro-slavery crusaders managed to burn the city of Osawatomie.
They forced Brown to go into exile. Brown began looking for funds in order to finance his anti-slavery campaign. He succeeded in buying rifles and other arms to help in the fight against the pro-slavery crusaders. Brown also hired the Hugh Forbes Mercenary that trained his men in war activities.
In 1858, Brown travelled to New York where he wrote a provisional constitution for the US. He wanted the laws of the US to address the issue of slavery. In May 1858, Brown convened an anti-slavery meeting in which delegates signed a document that showed that many people in the US wanted changes in the US Constitution in order to end slavery.
In the same year, Brown led an invasion of his army into a suburb in Kansas leading to the arrest of two whites and the liberation of a dozen of slaves. He later travelled to Harpers Ferry in July 1859 to organize another invasion. His men later joined him in Harpers Ferry where they conquered the armory. In October 1859, Brown and seven of his men were captured by the US Marines. The US army shot dead ten men from Brown’s forces. Five members of his force including one of his sons escaped.
The US government accused Brown of murder and treason. In November 1859, the judiciary found the anti-slavery campaigner guilty for all his accusations. The court sentenced Brown to death. He was executed December 2 and buried in New York alongside his sons Oliver and Watson. Slave masters feared that the anti-slavery crusaders would follow the doctrines of Brown. For this reason, they reorganized the militias and became an army comprised of slave masters.
The rebellion led by John Brown is important for understanding the origins of the American Civil War because it significantly intensified the antipathies toward slavery as a social institution. Many people became convinced that it might have been necessary to use force in order to end to slavery.
They became firmly convinced that they needed to take an active role in the abolitionist movement. Thus, to some degree, he contributed to the end of slavery in the country. Furthermore, he became a symbol for the resistance against the existing social norms. Moreover, the example that he set revitalized the abolitionist movement in the country. This is the main role that this person played.
The Role of Thomas Cobb in Ending Slavery
Thomas Cobb was a renowned defender of slavery in the South. He utilized the US laws to fight slavery. In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected to the US presidency. During Lincoln’s presidency, about one-third of all the white families owned slaves.
After the election, Cobb denounced his membership in the union of slave masters. In November 1860, he made a speech in support of his withdrawal from the union’s activities. Cobb believed that the victory of the Republicans would help influence the anti-slavery campaign in the US. Cobb started a campaign that targeted the end of the union of slave masters.
Cobb withdrew from the union in 1861 during a meeting held in Georgia. After the secession of Georgia, Cobb was elected in the Provincial Congress of the States of America in Alabama. He experienced resistance from the political class leading to his resignation from the Congress. He also formed the Cobb’s Legion. He led his regiment to battles at Seven Days, Antietam and Second Manassas. He became frustrated by the slow progress of the ranks of command and assumed the leadership of a group led by his brother.
In 1862, Cobb died in a battle in Virginia. On the whole, Thomas Cobb was one of those people who shaped public opinion about slavery. This argument is particularly relevant if one speaks about Southern states. People, whose worldviews were shaped by the ideas of Thomas Cobb became convinced that slavery could be justified from an ethical viewpoint. In their opinion, there was no reason to abolish this social institution. They regarded it as an inseparable part of normal life.
Moreover, they began to believe the internal conflicts within American society could not be resolved with the help of negotiation. Such individuals became active supporters of secession. These are the main effects produced by the writings of Thomas Cobb. Overall, these effects were rather negative.
Did Brown and Cobb’s Fight to End Slavery Lead the Nation to the Civil War?
This research draws a link between John Brown’s activities and slave revolts in the Caribbean. When he was born, there was a Haitian revolution in which Haitian slaves rebelled against the French. This paper does not find any direct contribution of Brown’s abolitionists’ ideas to the Civil War. This research identifies the fact that Brown made a revolutionary effect on slavery in the US.
After the secession in Georgia, most Georgians hoped to avoid the war, but the battle was inevitable as insurgents fired at Fort Summer in South Carolina. This aspect led to many Georgians joining the Confederates forces. The war started in battlefields but later ended in Georgia. In 1862, Georgia was involved in a campaign of the Civil War. Slavery came to an end when slaves rebelled against their masters. In 1862, the US government conducted an exercise in which it registered all blacks as free citizens of the US.
Slavery became the main cause of divisions in the US, but it was not the only cause of the armed struggle (Edwards, 16). The war against slavery had happened before Lincoln was elected the president of the US, but after 1860, divisions arose among the pro-slavery parties leading to the amendment of the US Constitution that ended slavery. The end of the Civil War led to the liberation of slaves. Both Brown and Cobb contributed in the divisions that caused the Civil War.
To some degree, such individuals polarized American citizens. Certainly, one cannot overestimate the role of separate individuals. Nevertheless, the examples that they set shaped the choices of many people in the United States. This is why the role should not be overlooked. These historical figures had profoundly different views on the society, and they contributed to the outbreak of Civil War in the country.
Works Cited
Art, Robert, and Robert Jervis. International Politics: Enduring concepts and contemporary issues tenth edition. Boston: Longman, 2011.Print.
Edwards, Sebastian. Left Behind: Latin America and the False Promise of Populism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010.Print.
Kinzer, Stephen. Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. Northern California: Times Books, 2008.Print.