Slavery Vs. Southern Colonies

I would think using the word “racist” when discussing the events from the 1860s and the Civil War would be appropriate. Quite frankly, there is almost no way not to use it, It was a major contradicting issue back then. How could someone state, “God himself has made them usefulness as slaves, and requires us to employ them as such,” and “Our Heavenly Father has made us to rule, and the Negroes to serve,” (Pictures of Slavery and Anti-Slavery: Advantages of Negro Slavery and the Benefits of Negro Freedom Morally, Socially, and Politically by John Bell Robinson) and it not be considered racist. This is a prime example of someone judging and stereotyping a human being just because their skin is a different color.

Northern and Southern opinions on slavery differed greatly and caused a major divide. While the South fully supported slavery, the Northern citizens were abolitionists set on dissolving the act. Northern Whigs were major abolitionists before and during the Civil War. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 forced all African-Americans in the US to become slaves if they were found by any slave owner, even if he was not their own. This law applied to the entirety of the country, thus making free African-Americans subject to slavery and inhibiting the Whigs from legally protecting any remaining Northern African-Americans (Document M).

In the nineteenth century, white Americans relied on free labor from black slaves heavily. The supporters of slavery used economic, legal, and religious arguments to defend slavery. Many people began to question whether slavery truly was moral or not. Abolitionists had their opinions on slavery, but southerners used economic, legal, and religious arguments to justify themselves as the correct ones. These apologists were including information about economic prosperity, the property rights, and Christianity religion.

In the Carolinas there are a few possible reasons why they would make it illegal for slaves. One reason would be that by being illiterate, slave owners can keep their slaves ignorant and simple minded. With simple minds, slaves would not question their owners as much when concerning their work and living conditions. If they were educated, they could understand their cruel punishment and learn about when slaves were given protection from abusive treatment. But by eliminating this factor, slave owners can hold on to their slaves with fewer troubles.

The main issue was slavery, but there were also other issues at that time. Trying to avoid being a one issue party, Republicans also were concerned with tariffs on foreign goods, the construction of the railroad, other internal improvements and a homestead act that would grant cheaper western lands to settlers. The slave issue was by far the largest issue though. This issue was debated for many years before the civil war. Compromises considering this issue were made and overturned for many years.

Slavery can be dated all the way back to the time of 6800 BC. It has been used in nearly every nationality, culture, and even religion at some point in time, and the rules or laws, position or power, and economic status of the slaves differs in each scenario. That being said, slavery did make its way to the North American colony in the early 1600's.

The Reconstruction is the first thing I would talk about. I believe many people still have the impression that once slaves were freed in the South, that was it—all of a sudden everything was great for them, when in reality, they were essentially still slaves. I never knew about the black codes, vagrant laws, and sharecropping that took place in the South until this class. Slavery is covered as early as 7th grade, and I believe that the Reconstruction period following it is a significant enough event that it should be addressed sooner, perhaps in high school, so even those who choose to not attend college have the chance to hear about it.

The end result of the Dred Scott decision was Chief Justice Roger Taney 's decision that Congress did not possess the jurisdiction to stop slavery from spreading into other territories, even if they were considered free. Even worse, any free Black could now be allowably forced into slavery. Being forced into slavery was also seen as being beneficial to the free Blacks. Instead of reaching a decision as President Buchanan had hoped, it had started a rapid expansion of the conflict. This rapid expansion over the issue of slavery eventually led to the Civil War.

In this unit, I got to learn a lot about colonial America and the people of that time. I was both fascinated and appalled. When we learned about the way slavery was common, I was disgusted. Humans are so inconsiderate of one another!

The treatment of slaves between the North and the South was drastically different. Slaves in the North typically lived in the same house as their master and worked by themselves, or in small groups (pg. 94). Slaves in the South tended to live in large plantations in which they were housed in plantation outbuildings (pg. 104). The difference between the North and the South in housing and working environment had a direct effect on the integration of African Americans into their new American society. When they were housed in the North with their masters and had limited exposure to other slaves, they tended to adopt the ways of their masters.

In addition, the historical neglect of slavery is used as a tool in for white supremacy. Through ignorance, Americans show a common theme of showing pride in their heritage of the Confederacy and fail to see the bigger picture of it. They buy and wear merchandise such as flags, shirts, hoodies, hats, etc… proudly, with the incomprehension of the damage it is doing. We have failed to properly display the Confederacy as the villain, or even to show that the preservation of slavery was the reason for the Confederacy to secede from the Union in the first place. Where slavery has mostly been condemned, the defenders in history have not been condemned but instead have their actions be viewed as a part of American history.

Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The foundation of America is freedom. Freedom from Britain. However, the freedom is limited to white males who own property. When colonists started to immigrate to America, they wanted to escape from under the rule of Britain.

In the 1800’s slavery was a lifestyle in the southern parts of America. White Americans saw African Americans as inferior beings to them, this was especially seen when they used their power to harshly and constantly abuse in order to keep them working. Slavery was more profitable in the south because of the ideal climate and large amount of land for farming, so having slaves farm and grow cash crops led southerners to become very rich. The Northern economy was more based on manufacturing, so they did not need slaves as much. As years progressed tensions began over keeping slavery in the United States and started the civil war.

Have you ever wondered how life was for the slaves in the South? Slaves in the South suffered through many consequences. For example, they suffered through many whippings with cow skin if they didn't obey their master, they also got separated from their family mostly the fathers, so, they can be sold to a very mean slave owner. Even if they were living a miserable life on the farms, they had their own culture and they managed to even get married in the farmland or where they worked. Not only did the slaves live on the farm.

In the 17th century, when Queen Elizabeth I ruled in Britain, black people were often called “others”. With the expansion of the British empire, “African and Afro-Caribbean slaves were ferried into the ports”1 of England. However, it cannot be compared to slavery in America where they had to work on plantations being treated worse than animals. In Britain, they were seen as property rather than human-beings too. Nevertheless, they were not equal to Britons.