The transatlantic trade which mainly took place across the Atlantic ocean was a major event in world history. Transportation of human cargo into European countries to work in the plantation fields was a popular form of trade. Since Europeans had vast lands to cultivate, it meant that they required plenty of workers. This was the main purpose of the slave trade across the Atlantic ocean. The Chesapeake plantation was among the many plantations where slaves worked. Slaves worked by force in the plantations while living in unacceptable conditions. Africa was a primary source of slaves and the transatlantic trade mainly targeted areas in West Africa. Most of the West African slaves worked across the Chesapeake plantation (Walsh, 2003).
This paper will explore the various conditions and adaptations that the African slaves acquired while working in the Chesapeake plantation. Most of the slaves who worked in the plantation had different cultural backgrounds. Understanding each other was a problem due to language barriers. This led to the development of groups by people who spoke the same language. Group formation fostered the progress of native West African cultural practices. This included song and dance for entertainment purposes. Singing was mainly done by communities such as the Igbo, Moko, and Efik (Walsh, 2003). The discovery of evidence showing the existence of drums and other musical instruments by historian Benjamin Latrobe acts as proof.
Spirituality was a significant factor that brought the African slaves together in their native lands. They upheld their spiritual practices at their own free time away from the plantation works. Evidence of this exists in the Chesapeake plantations where archeologists have unearthed various artifacts. Among these include wine bottles, tobacco pipes, animal teeth, and white stones (Walsh, 2003). According to the contemporary West African cultures, the uses of these objects were to perform rituals honoring the ancestors. Healing charms were also worn during these days and this portrays how they believed in spiritual beings while in captivity.
Slaves in Chesapeake shared a common geographical origin. Most of the slaves mainly originated from the West African region. This is a reason that mainly promoted their unity and continuity of various practices in the plantation. The people from the Northern, Southern, and Central parts of West Africa were mainly settled in the upper Chesapeake plantation. This helped the slaves adapt to the environment faster and easier. Those who were in the lower Chesapeake region came from areas such as Senegambia, Sierra Leone, and windward gold coast. This is evidence of similarity in the geographical locations of slaves (Walsh, 2003). Slaves from the same region found themselves in one region of the Chesapeake plantation.
In conclusion, the article’s author needed to expand more on the various key areas of slavery in the Chesapeake plantation. The article does not provide a detailed analysis of how the slaves in Chesapeake plantation adapted to the environmental changes. It instead gives a tale of how the slaves were transported to the plantation. These details forget the important facts such as the roles played by slave traders and the adaptation of the slaves. Slavery is a key aspect in history and the article does not provide a detailed analysis into the spirituality and culture of the slaves. The main question of how, and if they do adopt new ways of life or stick to their traditional ways is of key importance.
Reference
Walsh, L. (2003). Transatlantic slave trade and colonial Chesapeake slavery. Journal of history, 17, 11-15.
According to the film Slavery and the Making of America, slavery had a profound effect on the historical development of American colonies into one country. One of the first colonies established in the newly discovered land was New Amsterdam, founded by the Dutch West Indian Company on a hilly island now called Manhattan. To make larger profits, the Dutch needed to reduce production expenses by using free labor. Hence, in 1624, the first enslaved Africans came to New Amsterdam; they are known as the first eleven slaves.
As explained in the film, “their lives were controlled by the Dutch West India Company” (Slavery and the Making of America). The first eleven slaves regularly tried to negotiate their status but without any significant result. Their bonds represent two hundred years of history of what would become America’s the Northern States.
Main body
In the Southern States, in the Chesapeake colonies of Maryland and Virginia, at least some of the black people who arrived were able to acquire property. However, Bacon’s Rebellion accelerated the shift towards slavery, and between 1640 and 1670, black slaves started to be treated differently as opposed to the whites, who were indentured servants. By 1665, Maryland and New York have legalized slavery, thus depriving black slaves of their rights and freedoms.
In Virginia and Maryland, the economy was organized around large and isolated plantations of tobacco, where planters used black slaves to expand their tobacco business and earn more profits. In North and South Carolina, “economic life was organized around larger but less isolated plantations growing rice, indigo, coffee, cotton, and sugar” (“Overview of the Colonial Era”). Of the thirteen original colonies, the Carolinas were the first ones where slavery was the center of economic production. It is here where racial slavery had been sanctioned by the Constitution in 1669 (Slavery and the Making of America).
The primary resources assigned for this week paint a full picture of the colonial period. The textbook provides readers with the sequence of the facts, while the film and documents illustrate life in the colonial period vividly. For instance, the textbook tells of the religious persecution in the 17th century that resulted in the mass immigration of Europeans (“Overview of the Colonial Period”). The letter of an unfortunate English servant, in turn, provides an account of her experience: “What we unfortunate English People suffer here is beyond the probability of you in England to conceive” (Sprigs 151).
While the film focuses mostly on black slavery, the documents also reveal the distressing stories of white convicts who faced a similar fate. For instance, Eddis writes, “these unhappy beings are, generally, consigned to an agent, who classes them suitably to their real or supposed qualifications; advertises them for sale, and disposes of them, for seven years, to planters” (66). Thus, there are slight differences between the resources in terms of content, but together, they create a comprehensive account of the colonial period.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the Revolution would have happened regardless of whether slavery had been eradicated or not. While slavery was a significant contributory factor, the Revolution has also been influenced by the tensions between the British and other American colonists. In particular, the British government used “numerous measures designed to ensure the colonial legislatures did not achieve autonomy” (Kelly). Hence, it is unlikely that the war could have been avoided through the abolition of slavery. In fact, since many colonies depended on slaves for economic profits, the early abolition of slavery could have increased economic tensions and contribute to the conflict.
The economic dependence on free labor is also the primary reason why the Founding Fathers did not address slavery. At the time, it was important to establish the new nation and ensure its autonomy, and thus economic development was crucial. By abolishing slavery, the Founding Fathers would have threatened the stability and future of America, and it is possible that the newly found nation would have been divided into colonies once again or destroyed altogether due to economic constraints.
Works Cited
Eddis, William. Letters from America. Applewood Books, 2009.
Kelly, Martin. “The Root Causes of the American Revolution.” ThoughtCo. 2019. Web.
Slavery and the Making of America. The Downward Spiral. Directed by Dante James, PBS, 2005.
Sprigs, Elisabeth. “Letter to Mr. John Sprigs in White Cross Street near Cripple Gate, London, September 22, 1756.” Colonial Captivities, Marches, and Journeys, edited by Isabel Calder, Macmillan Company, 1935, pp. 151–52.
Lincoln actively challenged the expansion of slavery because he believed the United States would stay true to the Declaration of Independence. His objections to the practice were based on practical and moral reasons. He believed that the exercise was a monstrous injustice, as it denied enslaved individuals their fundamental rights and liberties. Slave ownership put the United States in a precarious position, given that it seemed insincere in its insistence on universal freedom. It is worth considering the fact that Lincoln was not the only advocate for the abolition of slavery. For instance, Senator William Seward criticized the Taney court’s justices as individuals that were determined to ensure slavery spread throughout the United States (Simon, 2007). Despite facing significant opposition, Lincoln persisted and demonstrated an astute understanding of justice and natural laws in his efforts to end slavery.
Justice
Lincoln’s insistence on the necessity of freedom was essential to his philosophy on justice. His views and beliefs were the results of reading and experience. Abraham Lincoln opposed slavery in all its forms on Kantian-like grounds (Rockler, 2007). He echoed the categorical imperative when he highlighted the fact that one would never support the enslavement of others, seeing as it was unappealing to be bound in servitude (Rockler, 2007). Using enslaved human beings as a means to achieve specific objectives is a violation of the categorical imperative. Lincoln did not believe that a nation founded on democratic beliefs should tolerate practices that encourage the enslavement of others.
Lincoln also condemned slavery on utilitarian grounds given that the risks of the practice far outweighed the benefits. Lincoln believed that immutable principles of justice must be observed and that people could discern them from the laws of nature (Guelzo, 2010). Lincoln believed that slavery was founded on bad policy and injustice. The President argued that the injustice in the ownership of another human being was so plain that it seldom needed explaining. In addition, the fact that Black men joined the Union military to fight for the United States means that there was an implicit contract between them and the government to secure their freedom. Lincoln argued that the African American community acted on motives like all other Americans. Therefore, he questioned why they expected to serve the nation’s interests while their own were ignored.
Evidently, the President based his decisions on elements that he considered fundamental. Abolitionists faulted Lincoln on numerous occasions for moving too slowly toward achieving emancipation. They viewed his hesitation as a refusal to address the oppressed people’s needs. It is vital to note that Lincoln frequently enunciated his beliefs and refused to compromise them for the sake of temporary political expediency. Lincoln consistently applied his principles in matters regarding public policy. Lincoln’s term as President was characterized by the transformation of America’s ethos in distinct ways. For instance, the late President actively subverted the Constitution by purposely interpreting the Declaration of Independence as a moral covenant. Lincoln also prioritized equality as the nation’s main idea and emphasized that the Declaration’s definition of equality applied to individuals.
Lincoln’s views highlight the fact that slavery was a violation of a person’s natural right to labor as well as the goods produced by the endeavor. The President categorized the ownership of other human beings as morally unjust and worked towards the perfection of America’s natural rights principles. It is vital to point out that Lincoln’s perspective on natural law was influenced in part by his evangelical Protestant roots, which played a pivotal role in crafting his personality. Lincoln did not support the view that hired forms of labor, such as slavery, were fixed conditions for life. The natural law perspective informed Lincoln’s duties as commander in chief as he enforced policies in key areas to promote the people’s natural rights. Firstly, Lincoln defended the Union as was necessitated by the rules governing the maintenance of civil liberties. Secondly, the President prioritized the emancipation of enslaved people to gain victory in the war. Lincoln also championed the reconstruction of the Union by prohibiting slavery and offering equal rights and citizenship to all formerly enslaved people. It is clear from Lincoln’s actions that the natural law tradition was present in American constitutionalism.
Even though Lincoln found human bondage distasteful, he did not vilify the South for its preoccupation with the practice. Abraham Lincoln always stayed within the bounds of the law as he insisted that enslaved individuals were members of humanity and deserved an equal opportunity to succeed. The President was a firm believer in the idea that every individual who worked deserved to eat. Lincoln argued that the framers of the Constitution tolerated the ownership of enslaved people where it existed but did not intend for the practice to spread to other parts of the United States (Simon, 2007). The President presented the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, which criminalized slavery west and north of the Ohio river, to support the argument for abolition (Simon, 2007). Lincoln often used the ordinance to emphasize that the framers of the Constitution valued freedom above self-government (Simon, 2007). Lincoln’s interpretation of the Declaration of Independence served to emphasize his beliefs.
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a revolutionary document that most people agreed justified separation from the hostile and indifferent parent nation. It addressed the new nation’s immediate needs and announced to the world that the United States was willing and able to engage in business. The government was “ordained and established in the people’s name (Maggs & Smith, 2020, p. 141). This was the view that most of the leaders who opposed Lincoln’s anti-slavery efforts believed. Lincoln ascribed to the idea that the framers of the Declaration were not intent on emphasizing that all people at the time enjoyed inalienable rights to life when they declared that all men were equal. The President believed that the aforementioned position was to be viewed as a promise that free people made to themselves and all others who desired freedom. The Declaration of Independence is, perhaps, the most important public document that relies on natural law as a premise (Stoner, 2021). Lincoln emphasized the transformative power that was contained within abstract ideas.
Lincoln often referred to the Declaration of Independence in his fight against slavery. The President was keen to highlight elements that spoke of justice and equality. The quest for independence prompted Congress in 1776 to appeal to the British constitutions and the opinions of mankind based on the laws of nature (Stoner, 2021). Natural law played a critical role in formulating the Declaration of independence. Firstly, it facilitated the explication of America’s independence from the perspective of the law of nations (Stoner, 2021). Secondly, it helped to ground the theory of God-given rights in the context of a man-made government that was poised for a revolution (Stoner, 2021). Lincoln stood against the political view which claimed that the Declaration of Independence was created by advocates who were intent on addressing immediate political and practical needs.
Lincoln found the idea that the document was solely the result of frantic efforts to separate from the mother country absurd. The President believed that the document asserted an abstract truth, emphasizing the equality of all created men. Lincoln believed that the Declaration of Independence was a defense against the rise of tyranny in the United States. It demonstrated the nation’s prioritization of liberty for all its people within its borders. It reflected simple human sympathy and a sense of justice that dissuaded the Caucasian majority from denying others access to the fruit of their hard labor through inhumane exploitation.
Lincoln did not support the view that territorial voters should be allowed to engage in the practice. The President attacked senator Douglas’s argument that, at its core, posited that black males were not men. Lincoln stated that Douglas’s argument was flawed because it was based on a false premise. Douglas opined that the idea of equal creation reflected that British subjects living in America were no different from those in Great Britain. The troubling issue with such an interpretation was that it effectively excluded all individuals in the United States who did not descend from colonists.
The Supreme Court
America’s legislative bodies played a critical role in the quest to end slavery in the nation’s Territories. Lincoln argued that the judicial department’s decisions on Constitutional matters have a bearing on individual cases and the country’s general policies (Lincoln, 1875). Lincoln believed that judicial decisions served to determine cases and indicate to the public how such cases are to be determined in the future (Lincoln, 1857). The Marshal Court laid the foundation for the Supreme Court’s powerful position on the progress and development of constitutional law (Cushman, 2012). Taney led The Supreme Court in its decision to avoid the difficult question of the federal government’s authority to exclude slavery in a territory or state (Simon, 2007). The Court’s cautious approach to the issue angered abolitionists, who were determined to see enslaved people achieve their freedom.
The Court made several decisions, some of which impeded progress toward achieving abolition. For instance, Lincoln noted that the Dred Scott decision highlighted that a negro was barred from suing in American courts, and Congress was incapable of prohibiting slavery within the Territories (Lincoln, 1875). Lincoln noted in his first inaugural address that the Supreme Court’s policies must fix vital government issues that affect ordinary people (Lincoln, 1861). The president also pointed out that the Dred Scott decision was erroneous and needed to be overruled (Lincoln, 1857). Evidently, the decision violated the rights of individuals condemned to a life of servitude.
Conclusion
The overt opposition that Lincoln faced did not deter him from applying the principles of justice and natural law in his quest to end slavery. Even though Abraham Lincoln did not advocate for absolute equality, he was conscious that enslaved people’s rights were being violated in the United States. The former President advocated for the equality of opportunity and the right of every individual to use their talents to take advantage of available opportunities. Lincoln was firmly convinced that there was no moral justification for the propagation of slavery in America’s free states. It was a huge step towards combating racial inequality and intolerance, but there are still many steps and decisions to be taken.
References
Cushman, C. (2012). The Supreme Court Justices: Illustrated biographies, 1789–2012. Sage Publications.
Slavery had a profound effect on people living in various parts of the USA, but some of the most important events and movements associated with it occurred in New York City. The essence of the slavery system was grounded in African American’s deficiency in comparison to white people. However, the analysis of slavery in New York allows doubting such an opinion. Blacks’ significance in the development of the city’s most critical systems, such as labor, race, and class divisions, makes it possible to conclude that the influence of slavery in New York was substantial. What is more, the effect was felt not only in white communities of New Yorkers but also in those of blacks.
Changes That Slavery Brought
The most important change that slavery brought about in New York was the establishment of the new economic system. The role of black labor in the city in 1626-1827 was considerable (Harris, 2003). The point was that slave labor played a pivotal role in the survival of the city. Manhattan relied on such labor more than any other part of the colonial North (Harris, 2003). The dependence became most prominent in the 18th century, with the intention of the British to turn Manhattan into the main North American “slave port and economic center” (Harris, 2003, p. 11). As a result of such attempts, slave labor allowed increasing the city’s economy, as well as that of its suburbs. In rural regions adjacent to New York, slaves performed important agricultural duties, hence developing this dimension of economy. At the end of the 17th century, the number of black inhabitants in New York was much larger than that in any other city of North America (Harris, 2003). In the 18th century, as little as two cities – New Orleans and Charleston – outnumbered New York in the slave quantity.
Crucial Role of Slavery
Therefore, it is evident that the growing number of blacks in New York City played a crucial role in the development of industry and trade. However, there was another crucial aspect of slavery in New York, which fund its reflection in the evolution of such terms as ‘class’ and ‘race.’ The system of slavery in New York was the basis of these definitions. The notion of race as thIf people by categories established on physical differences appeared in the slavery period. Europeans, who attempted to classify various groups of people they colonized in different parts of the world, were the initiators of racial division (SenGupta, 2009). The primary purpose of slavery as such was to “secure” a labor force by making classes (Harris, 2003, p. 12). Thus, New Yorkers founded their working class on African slaves. The Dutch and the British, who brought African Americans to New York, inspired the citizens to consider that blacks were the only community fit to be slaves out of a variety of social groups inhabiting New York at the time.
The application of racial ideologies that designated African Americans as secondary in importance compared to other groups led to the establishment of inequality among social groups of people in New York. Such an ideology has had a profound effect in the city both at the time of slavery and several centuries after it (Harris, 2003). Since Europeans spread the idea that blacks were the only ones deserving to be slaves, these people were doomed to worse treatment. Due to such opinions, even upon gaining freedom in 1827, New York African Americans did not gain equality.
Positive Effects
Still, there was also a positive effect of slavery on blacks living in New York. Due to constant pressure, unfair treatment, and bias, these individuals developed community institutions and initiated the emergence of indigenous leaders (Singer, 2008). Through their relentless hard work, resistance to subjugation, and establishment of communities and families, African Americans of New York City showed that Europeans’ claims of blacks’ racial inferiority had no ground (Harris, 2003). The institution that played a major role in the anti-slavery struggle was the black church. Attending black churches made African American slaves closer as a community and promoted literacy among people (Singer, 2008). Enslavement affected every sphere of blacks’ lives, but, as it appeared, it did not undermine African Americans’ opinion of themselves as a worthy race (Harris, 2003). Therefore, one can say that slavery in New York City served as a motive not only for racial division but also for people’s realization of their significance as a social group.
Conclusion
The effect of slavery in New York was multidimensional. First of all, slave labor allowed developing the economy of the city as well as areas surrounding it. Secondly, it became possible for New York to establish enhanced trade relations with various parts of the world. Thirdly, the institution of slavery gave a start to the definition of such essential notions as race and class. Although Europeans aimed at suppressing African Americans’ worthiness, they gained the opposite result. Under the circumstances of continuous pressure, black people united and formed as a spiritually and ethnically close group.
References
Harris, L. M. (2003). In the shadow of slavery: African Americans in New York City, 1626-1863. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
SenGupta, G. (2009). From slavery to poverty: The racial origins of welfare in New York, 1840-1918. New York, NY: New York University Press.
Singer, A. J. (2008). New York and slavery: Time to teach the truth. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
The antebellum era, also known as the antebellum south, is a period of history in the south of the United States before the American Civil War in the late 18th century. The era was characterized by tremendous economic growth in the southern region with notable successes in the agricultural sector. Additionally, the elite master class, which comprised of wealthy planters, had political influence in federal operations and various economic activities. The group set their own standards of honor and gentility that shaped the region’s culture. However, the political and economic successes heavily relied on slavery in its various forms, and this sparked social movements calling for abolition and moral reforms.
Slavery during the antebellum period was introduced due to the high demand for cheap labor in plantations during harvest seasons. The practice was seen as a means of boosting the economy’s growth in a quick yet cost-effective way. Moreover, the cotton gin’s invention in the 18th century encouraged slavery as it used free labor to run the large plantation system. The maintenance of this approach to agriculture relied on slavery because it was readily available and cheap and was still functional without skilled management. Even though the south was succeeding in agriculture, the manufacturing sector experienced slow growth, and the elites viewed slavery as the solution to the imbalance.
Consequently, the immoral profitable business led to the rise of abolitionists in the region, both from the black and white communities who stood against slavery. The campaigns, which initially started on religious grounds, quickly turned into a controversial political issue that sparked debates and deadly confrontations between slavery supporters and critics. The divisiveness fueled by abolitionists in the south spread to other parts of the United States. Eventually, it led to the Civil War, which marked the elimination of slavery in the country.
Orlando Patterson, a Jamaican-born American sociologist, defined slavery as a social process that fundamentally transformed the concept of humanity of enslaved people. This issue is discussed in detail in his book Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study, which explains the concept. It was a multi-step process that involved social, cultural, physical alienation of people who were first captured, evaluated for their physical qualities, sold, branded, shipped as cargo, assaulted constantly, and forced to work. Moreover, this treatment, equal to the treatment of animals, was followed by forceful baptism, renaming, ban on original practices that led to the loss of identity. That would allow slave owners to alienate people from their origin, heritage, and social bonds. As a result, these measures, aimed at establishing power relations between masters and slaves, would strip a person from everything that made them a social being, completely transforming them into a commodity. Furthermore, this attitude was then expanded onto the native American population. The period of the North American fur trade was characterized by fairly peaceful relations of bargaining and commercial exchange, which at the end of the eighteenth century “began to shift toward European norms” (Curtin, 1984, p. 229). As a result, relatively same practices of social death were applied to indigenous American people, which proves Patterson’s point of view that this attitude was characteristic not only for the African slave trade.
References
Curtin, P. D. (1984). Cross-cultural trade in world history. Cambridge University Press.
Patterson, O. (1982). Slavery and Social Death: A Comparative Study. Harvard University Press.
European contact significantly changed the lives of Native Americans. First, Europeans’ diseases previously unknown to the continent led to whole tribes succumbing to smallpox and other infections. The invaders brought domesticated animals (horses and cattle), which helped Native Americans acquire new resources. However, the long-term legacy is the significant decrease in numbers of Native American people and their land ownership limitation – some tribes dissolved, while others were restricted to reservations.
At first, indentured servants arrived in the US with hopes to eventually own land, although their treatment was harsh. The Virginia Slave Codes of 1705 limited Black people’s rights regardless of their status by taking away the right to own arms, making a whole population defenseless. At the same time, the elites became wary of indentured servants’ claim to the land. Wealthy whites started using the Slave Codes to limit Black people’s rights and turned to Africa for slave labor, which replaced indentured servitude.
Upon arrival, the colonists quickly learned that the land had many different zones where some produce would grow better than others. They established a trading system where most goods were agricultural. In some regions, such as New England, farming was difficult because of the weather, but the colonists took over forests, developing a lumbering industry and shipbuilding. The land also had many natural ports, where the colonists established trade relations with European nations. However, the British system’s mercantilist laws led to imposing taxes and stifled industrialization. This contributed to the rise in American colonists’ revolutionary ideas.
Although the British Empire gained many new territories from the Seven Years’ War, it also accrued significant debt. The empires’ government had to oversee a vast number of colonies, making it difficult for the empire to control all occupied lands. The American colonies were dissatisfied with the Royal Proclamation of 1763 – it limited their ability to invade new territories and expand the colonization. This decision created a rift between settlements and the British government.
The American Revolution could be called a revolution since it was a change in political power – the colony under British rule turned into an independent country with a different government structure. However, it did not result in significant positive changes for enslaved people, Native Americans, and women. Slavery in North America lasted longer than in the former British Empire. The Proclamation of 1763 that somewhat protected Native American borders was made null, allowing colonists to destroy the native population further.
Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809 to uneducated farming parents, in his young ages he was respected and prosperous inhabitant of Kentucky. His family worshipped in the Baptist church, which opposed slavery practices in the region. However, Lincoln never belonged to the church and he showed no interest in any religion. At her young ages, he had encountered the side effects of slavery practices and poor tenure systems/ policies when his family was forced to move out of Kentucky and inhabit Spencer County.
In 1830 after settling in Indiana, they encountered even more problems related to financial and land ownership as the tenure system was not well defined. This forced them to be settled at the government land as his father could not obtain title deed for their land and they had encountered financial hardships. Many believe that these problems made Lincoln to study law in college so that he could assist his community as well as his family. At one time, he encountered a slave public sale while in New Orleans, though he could have came across the same rather this time it was brutal and seem unfair.
Slavery was prevalent in United States between 1619 to 1865 as slaves were considered as private property and law legally recognized it. Most of the slave issues were dealt with in court where many of these slaves were Africans, people with African origin and few American natives. Slave trade was prevalent in southern settlements than the north areas, as one family out of four owned a slave. By 19th century, the economy growth was influenced by presence of these slaves, as they were never paid despite their hard work in cotton plantations. In 1810 almost I million slaves were sold to Kentucky and Tennessee, but afterwards many were moved to other states where they were highly demanded.
However, starting 1750 there were campaigns to abolish slave trade as it was considered a social evil. These movements were started by northern states, which declared that all people are equal and free. In addition, insisted on special rank for the freed men. However, this faced great resistance from the south states, which highly profited from these practice. This is because many of them had large cotton plantations and they appreciated the free slave labor.
Analysis
Lincoln became actively involved with politics at the age of 23 in 1823, where he was campaigning in Illinois as state representative bur he lost. Then he started being involved business across the Sangamon River where he owned a steamboat and became familiar with slave trade practices. Similarly, he became well known as a businessperson but later employed as a community postmaster and surveyor. As businessperson, Lincoln came face to face with how the slaves are treated by their masters during an auction. While he was concentrating on a business to improve the navigation of the Sangamon River, he could not understand how a human being could treat another as a property. All through Lincoln was focused towards improving the standard of living of the poor.
In 1834, he became a lawyer with state administration where he had a chance to practice law. Due to his experience in cross-examining his challenger and his argumentative remarks in court, he became successive and famous. This gave him a good view of the oppression and suffering that the slaves undergo, as they have no one to fight for their rights and justice. Despite being taken as properties by their owners. More so, many would listen to his arguments against the slavery as he was perceived as intelligent and learned.
He later served as a representative in the Sangamon County for four consecutive terms and became a leader of Illinois Whig party. It is while a leader of the party he made her first moves to fight slavery in the Illinois house where he argued that slavery was a social evil and ought to be dealt away with. He then started to write unsigned articles in the Sangamon magazine scorning the state auditor who was also a outstanding leader of democrats. When this leader learnt that, Lincoln was behind writing the articles, he invited him to a duel where he requested the longest sword giving him advantage over his opponent. This earned him more respect as many perceived to be well- informed on legal and justice matters, because the auditor felt threatened by his writings.
In family matters, Lincoln was married to Mary Todd, who came from well-known slave-owning family. This also contributed to his knowledge about the slaves. He became aware of the hatred the white had against the blacks and the adverse effects of the slave trade. He later broke up with Mary, but they later reconciled with the Lincoln efforts. His in-laws were southerners where many favored slavery, as they would get big profits from the practice. Most of them were slave traders and depended on it as a source of livelihood hence they resented the abolishment of the slave trade. However, Lincoln got support from the area due to the influence of his in-laws. Similarly, this contributed much to dealing with issues of slavery, as many perceived him to be neutral in terms of slave abolition and saw him as lawyer practicing law and trying to advocate for fairness in legal matters.
While promoting his political career, Lincoln faced great opposition from his opponents and the citizens due to his open comments about slavery, which he tried to link with religion. This forced him to leave politics for sometime. Not until 1854, when responding Kansas-Nebraska act that he re-joined politics. In his speech, he protested against the injustice of slavery and considered it as civil war against the innocent. He opposed the democrats’ proposal of slavery, who advocated that slavery issues should be dealt with depending on the majority rule.
However, Lincoln argued that all people are equal and free. This earned him respect and prosperity in Republican Party and elected as a senator. When giving the speech about slave abolition he quoted a bible verse to enhance a good relationship with Christianity, as his earlier comment had caused him to leave politics due to their resentment against him when he said that God had left his own people referring to slaves.
Due to his consistent arguments to formulate a constitution that recognized all people equal and free, he was nominated as the candidate to run presidency with Republican Party in 1960. In addition, his positive feelings towards the blacks earned much respect and led to prosperity in his political career as many saw him as a just and fair leader. More so, the republicans used his poor background when he was growing up to campaign for him for presidency. His encounter with slavery practices and land ownership problems due to poor land tenure policies earned him much prosperity as many perceived as the savior who understood Americas hardships.
When Lincoln won the presidency, he had only been elected in two states in the southern region.In his inauguration, the Lincoln advocated for unity in United States and use of the constitution to legally-bind all the citizens. This was due to the southern states threat to leave the union and form their own confederation. They threatened to fight against abolishment of slave trade in their states. The confederates’ states had decided to secede from the union as they benefited from the slavery.
Conclusion
In the wake of secession, Lincoln leaned on his political and personal values to stop the civil war that emerged after he won his presidential election. In his inauguration speech, he declared to use the constitution to legally-bind all the states and people to promote unity and fight against slavery. More so, he advocated for various amendments to the United States constitution so stop slavery in all states. He knew that major constitutional changes had to be made, in order to stop slavery completely but making compromises would not assist in anyway. At the same time, he believed in the unity of all states and peace for all. Hence, he was committed to making the union work, despite the resistance from the affected states. This value he gained when practicing law, as he knew that constitution is binding to all and failure to obey leads to confiscation.
Due to problems he encountered in his younger years, he offered millions of acres of government owned land to be bought at lower affordable price. This could be traced from the problems he faced when they had to migrate from one state to another, when they could not afford their own land. He further recommended for grants and low interest loans to all agricultural universities in order to promote agriculture in all states. He knew that agriculture was the backbone of the American and a source of livelihood to many.
Similarly, he knew that there is need to improve the infrastructural facilities of the all states. Therefore, his government offered support to the construction of the pacific railway that saw the building of the first transatlantic railway in the United States. When acting as a businessperson, he was committed to opening up of sparsely inhabited land by he decided to provide a steamboat to improve the navigation of the area for development, hence he carried his values to the end.
In his efforts, to eradicate poverty he reduced the amount of the income tax imposed on all the citizens to encourage people invest especially in buying the land available.
Consequently, he increased tariffs to protect the local and new industries from international competition through dumping of cheap products. Similarly, this value of developments can be traced from his business aspirations when at one time he had decided to buy land from his small income. In addition, he encouraged the promotion of the financial system through establishments of national banks meant to assist the poor by providing low-interest rates to empower them. All this developments, he attempted to put them into place through constitutional amendments and he focused in those areas that he had familiarized himself with, before becoming the president.
References
Stephen B. O. With Malice towards None: A life of Abraham, Lincoln HarperCollins publishers, New York 1994.
The Atlantic slave trade was considered among the main pillars of the economy in the western region between the 16th and 19th centuries. African people were transported via the Atlantic Ocean and sold to the elites as properties. Unfortunately, some of the African leaders acted as intermediaries attacking and capturing fellow Africans and selling them to the Europeans. The symbiotic business relationship led to the rise of the slave trade across the world until its ban by the American and British governments in 1807 (Inikori 39). The concerns of human rights activists pushed for the Civil War in the United States which ultimately led to the abolishment of slavery.
Furthermore, the slave trade was no longer compatible with industrial capitalism, and as a result the western countries were willing to seek alternative means of boosting their economies. In the late 19th century, the Europeans spread across Africa in the name of ending slavery, facilitating civilization, and introducing education. However, none of these factors were the main reason for colonization. Colonialism was not meant to end slavery but to explore and exploit Africa’s resources at all costs.
Although slavery had been abolished by the beginning of the 19th century, there were still merchants and countries which participated in the illegal slave trade. As a result, the white saw local slavery as an opportunity to win Africans’ trust by condemning and fighting against the kingdoms which acted as intermediaries. Internal slavery was more inhumane compared to the external practice because black people were mistreating and selling their friends and families for rewards (Inikori 41). Consequently, when the colonialists managed to oppose and eradicate internal slavery, Africans were convinced that the former’s intentions were pure.
Nonetheless, the West’s show of kindness in ending slave trade in Africa was a demonstration of hypocrisy. The internal slavery was only a result of the trans-Atlantic slavery which was championed by the Europeans. The Yoruba of Nigeria, Ashanti of Ghana, and the Bono State are some of the African kingdoms which actively participated in local slave trading. Similarly, the members of the Nyamwezi of Tanzania and the Imbangala of Angola captured slaves on behalf of foreign merchants (Inikori 45). The prominence of the trans-Atlantic slave trade made slavery an acceptable business cementing regional business relationships such as the trans-Saharan. The practice which had developed among the Africans was a mirror of the Atlantic slave trade introduced by the Spanish, British, French, Portuguese, and the Dutch.
Consequently, fighting against slave trade was mere pretense because the Europeans were the originators of the practice. The main reason for colonization was not to abolish internal slavery but to explore and exploit the resources in Africa. In the mid-18th and early 19th centuries, the countries in the West experienced the industrial revolution characterized by advanced manufacturing processes (Inikori 53). As a result, capitalism became the new political and economic system with a few individuals owning the industries. This group saw the trans-Atlantic slave trade as a source of cheap and readily available labor and, therefore, invested a lot of money in the business.
Unfortunately, slavery became incompatible with capitalism as the elite began to buy Africans as a symbol of wealth and the practice was no longer crucial to Europe’s economy. Colonialism became the alternative to supporting the western countries and the leaders in charge sent representatives to conquer African countries in the name of ending slavery and spreading civilization.
To conclude, slavery is considered among the worst immoral practices in the world to date. However, in the early times, it was also seen as a means of businesses and the countries in Europe and America invested heavily in the activity. The trans-Atlantic slave trade which led to local slavery among the Africans benefited western nations by supplying them with cheap labor. However, when slavery proved to be ineffective in supporting industrial capitalism, the western countries picked colonialism as an alternative approach to boosting their economies. Consequently, the British, Spanish, Dutch, and other colonialists camped in Africa not to end local slavery but to exploit its resources.
Work Cited
Inikori, Joseph E. “Slavery in Africa and the Transatlantic Slave Trade”. The African Diaspora, edited by Austine Jalloh and Stephen E. Maizlish, A & M University Press, 1996, pp. 39-55.
People today can sit back relax and watch a movie. This same person could learn about the beauty and the diversity of people living in the United States. Children could watch movies where the White American cowboys would massacre a group of American Indians. We would cheer when the cowboys eliminated the bow and arrow Indians with the guns that they carry. We would also see the story of the American Civil War later in the future movie world. We can also see movies of how the slaves were treated as priced possessions of the White Americans. The first article below focuses on the life of one African American. The two articles show how hard a person works for the same game. The following paragraphs will explain in detail the two articles on slavery and the African American’s struggle to break away from the heavy and long bonds of slavery.
Summary
The article shows how popular Dred Scott Was. Jake Wagman was interested to know the real life story of Dred Scott. Dred Scott, his wife Harriet and their two children were the topics of the story. Wagman was bemused when he thought that it was easy for someone to give a new street name by using someone’s name. The people of Lousiana gathered on the streets of the courtyard where High Jury and entertainers one hundred fifty years after Dredd Scott was granted his freedom. His freedom was due to Mr. Blow’s heart. Mr. Blow paid for the freedom of Dred Scott. Many African American leaders, activists and even historians had gathered together in front of the Louisiana court yard to celebrate one hundred fifty years of the Court’s handing down the decision to keep a person a slave for the rest of his or her early life.
Mr. Wagman stated that Dred Scott was an African American. He was brought into the United States from Africa. He was made into a slave. Dred Scott had filed a letter in the court of Lousiana. He persuaded the courts in Lousiana to grant him and his family freedom. His court request was decided against him. He lost his case. He again applied for an appeal to the United States Supreme Court. The 1857 decision of the Supreme Court was to rule against Dredd Scott. The Supreme Court opined that all slaves that had been imported from Africa and the like as well as their children and children’s children shall continue to remain slaves. The same court reiterated that the African American slaves shall do whatever chores the White American slave masters instructed. The U.S. Courts of yesteryears believe that the African Americans are not on equal footing with their Caucasian neighbors.
Normally, some fairy tale stories remain end with a happy ending. Dred Scott finally got his freedom. This freedom could be interpreted two of many ways. One way of interpreting the results is that Dredd Scott was finally free. The sad interpretation of the article is that the freedom was short lived. Finally, Dred Scott can spend lots and lots of time viewing the entire United States freely. However, he needed money to pay for the rides he will take. In African American history, March 2007 date is very important on the descendants of soldiers from the African American side. Many people gathered on this fateful day to celebrate the difficulties that Dredd Scott had to fear. For, this was the 150th year of Dred Scott’s bravery to face the strong winds and qualities. The Street was later renamed as Dred Scott Street.
Research Material I found on the topic
The article entitled U.S. House of Representatives Issues apology for Slavery, Segregation Laws shows that the member of the law making body admitted that their forefathers were wrong in making these harsh and inhuman laws. They were talking about the laws that instilled in the minds of the American White people that the African Americans were lower forms of animals. Biology teaches us that humans are part of the animal kingdom. The 2008 journal article shows that the law makers made an official apology to the African Americans for prior laws that had wronged them. These laws included the Slavery and Jim Crow laws which have brought about Civil war and beautiful literary pieces like The Beloved. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
This ‘sorry’ resolution was the brainchild of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen. He was the only Caucasian American who won in a community that was to vote on the side of the African Americans. However, the Cohen resolution did not take up the matter of paying the aggrieved African Americans for the atrocities done by their White ancestors on the African Americans. Cohen admitted that the Jim Crow law and the Slavery laws were stains that destroyed the beautiful image of the greatest nation on the living planet, Earth. This ‘sorry’ resolution was the collaboration of forty two members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
What did the additional website tell me?
Introduction
The additional website tells me that the story of Dred Scott is a reality and not the work of fairy tale story maker or a non –fiction writer. The additional website reinforces the story of Dred Scott. Dred Scott was treated as if he and his kind were not equal in terms of applying for a job, places to visit, owning a home, places to have fun and the like. In fact, the slaves of Dred Scott’s time were treated as properties. Properties include tables, chairs, cars, watches, homes, land, buildings, and other material possessions.
The new website also tells me that Dredd Scott was fighting an uphill battle to be free himself from the bonds of slavery. The African American mother in the story of The Beloved even went to the point of killing her own daughter in order prevent the selling of her daughter to the White Americans. The website tells me that Dredd Scott was a victim of the unfair and inhuman laws of his time. The story of Dredd Scott is the story of a man trapped in world that he longed to get away from. The story of Dred Scott tells us that a person who is penalized to live as a slave for the rest of his or her life is a very painful experience. The additional website also tells me that times have changed. Also, time heals all wounds. And, the additional website tells us that the current generation of lawmakers graciously admitted the injustice done by their ancestors. The law makers also ask forgiveness for the life long wrongs of the lawmakers during the time of their ancestors. This is a very touching scene because
Does the new article go along with the Common –Place article?
The new article goes along with the Common –Place article. Both Articles speak of tales that are sad and nightmarish. People of our generation would feel uncomfortable if we were suddenly catapulted by a time travel machine to the pre civil war period. We would either be for slavery or against the imposition of the slavery laws. The White Americans of the South, like Virginia, preferred to have slaves because they needed the slaves to work in the farms. The Southerners or confederates believed that they have the right to keep their possessions. And, the African American slaves were part of the personal property of the White Americans.
On the other hand, the two articles show that many White Americans were also against the imposition of the slavery laws and the Jim Crow statutes. The Northerners who belong to the Union states during the United States civil war believed that slavery should be abolished. For, they believed that all men, including the African Americans should be treated as equal in all facets of human interaction.
In retrospect, the issue of slavery would not have been an issue if the African Americans were strong. Strength includes using the mind and the heart to get things done. The African Americans were inspired by Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream” article. He dreamed that someday all humans including African Americans could see each other on equal footing. He dreamed that he would live long enough to see that his dream a reality. The current American situation is better because the practice of slavery and its cousin, discrimination, is punishable by the New United States laws.
Conclusion
Come to think of it, Michael Jackson and the famous TV talk show host Oprah and the African American basketball players in the NBA would still be slaves today if the Southerners had won the war. The two articles above plain show in grotesque display the way the people of the pre civil war period treated the African Americans. For, the slaves were human beings that were captured and brought into the United States to be bought and sold as property.
And, Dred Scott was bold enough to file a petition in court asking that he and his immediate family members be made a free man. His bid failed because the laws in the United States favored the White Americans. The Supreme Justice was just implementing the inhuman laws approved by the United States law makers. The second article bolsters the first article’s claims. The law makers admitted and asked forgiveness for the wrongful slavery laws and Jim Crow laws. These laws offended the African American for many years. Conclusively, these two articles tell us that slavery was once a part of the African American Life. This former life should now be part of history. The two articles are not fairy tales or article that would amuse. Rather, the two articles vividly and painstakingly show that the evil of slavery and its cousin, discrimination, should be totally banned from the day to day relationship between the White race and the other races like the Asians, the African Americans and the Jews.
References
Arenson, A., Freeing Dred Scott, 2008. Web.
U.S. House of Representatives issues apology for Slavery, segregation laws, 2008. Web.