Slavery played a profoundly important role in the making of the United States, as the institution grew from the handful of Africans landed in Virginia in 1619 to the four million African Americans held in bondage at the beginning of civil war in 1861. The bound labor of at least twelve generations of black people crated great wealth for slaveholders, wealth which later translated into a greater political power. The slave trade empowered the American nation which later led to industrial revolution with slave labor producing products like cotton which is a well known cash crop.
Slave owners regularly separated black family members from each other by sale. This was termed as legacy of involuntary exodus which was over whelming destructive to their marriage and their kinsmen. This mostly happened when cotton and sugar plantations in the lower south created high demand for able bodied slaves mostly men. This constant separation from family members damaged and sometimes destroyed slave marriages and families. In the antebellum south they did not recognize the slave families by law or custom. During this time the black slaves did not have the right to legally marry or have any claim upon their children. Those who were married however could only live or stay with their husbands or wives when they have consent from their masters.
In such difficult conditions parents were unable to protect their children from abuse or exploitation. It was also difficult for the slaves to discipline their children and in this case most of the disciplinary control was the masters which led to the children undermining their authority. Most of the slaves were also enrolled into the military during the start of the civil war and this separated many of them from their families. After the struggle many freedmen and women tried to find their spouses but found that they remarried.
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries slave narratives and abolitionist tracts offered testimony to various ways in which Africans struggled against slavery. In the first decades of the twentieth century African American historians like Carter G Woodson and W E B Dubois started to articulate a vision of African American history that emphasized survival and resistance rather than victimization and oppression. This gave rise to the black liberation movement which focused on issues such as slave revolts, abolitionist movements and interdisciplinary comparative perspectives. Slave resistance appeared through the use of the pronoun ‘our’ to describe the cotton or pigs or horses for their plantations. Through this resistance the slave resistance won and after the abolition former slaves claimed compensation often testifying to strong ties between self and plantation land.
In politics it mostly depended on the active participation of African Americans in the U.S electoral and party politics in both nations’ domestic and foreign policy. That time America’s historical denial of human rights and the rights of citizenship to the African Americans. The struggle expanded the constitutional definition of national citizenship and transformed the nation as a whole. Even with their persistence racial at the start of the twenty first century highlights the limitations of the formal equality achieved through civil rights legislation.
Even with the historical election of Barrack Obama as the first African amrican president the conservative side has successfully eroded the political standpoint of African American civil rights and freedoms. Enslavement limited the range of political options available to people of African heritage in British controlled America. Political action and agitation were their most tools in pursuit of universal freedom and equality. Racial equality in the United States has become one of the major challenges that have passed through slavery. Racial discrimination is still part and parcel of the black communities from jobs to wages.
During the liberation racial equity was one of the most fought for rights to be equal to the whites. In many countries other than the United States that faced black segregation many restaurants were now labeled as whites only this was a new discrimination level. This was just part of black segregation making it a battle in all senses as they were denied their own basic right the freedom to be black. Black slavery if examined through the first century the discrimination is still there but many black people are now able to handle this in different ways. Many of the black slaves began the great march after they were freed but did not get any land the freed slaves marched to their freedom.
During the war many white Americans from the northern states became convinced that slavery had no place in a new nation being built on the principles of freedom. After they were freed many of the black slaves stopped working on the fields and became fulltime homemakers. The plantation owners felt a big loss on the labor force. One of the problems however for the freed slaves was obtaining economic security. The black slavery movement presented a new nation in the United States where the slaves yearn their freedom to be able to exert pressure against their masters. Slavery in this sense did not provide the black slaves an opportunity to either economic or social freedom. Though the walk to freedom was still far from been earned black slaves fought to be recognized especially politically to fight for their right to land and liberty. What was evident however was the zeal that those who arose to fight showed. In many instances, creating revolts in regards to their freedom.
In the face of white attempts to reassert economic and political dominance in black slaves struggled to define freedom on their terms. Even with their efforts black office holding and political participation which proved brief in most of the south. This ended in the 1890s with the rise of segregationist Jim Crow laws and customs, with amendments of state constitution to deny the African Americans to vote which caused an upsurge of violent politics. Even with this black Americans maintained their commitment to the electoral system despite rejection by other political parties.
The new world was founded to create political and religious freedom while escaping oppression. It was strange to say the least that for a society which encouraged and promoted these beliefs would still consider the inequality of blacks to white. The blacks were considered to be the lowest in ranking even as the colonial society believed in providing necessary means for personal growth. Even with this the blacks felt dehumanized as they did not have any economic empowerment and their lives were limited in growth. The blacks were given no means of bettering themselves and had to depend on the whites.
In America, Africans were segregated from their regular society as they had designated places which were incurable. Masters in that case believed that they had the obligation to create and model a slave by asserting discipline, creating a sense of self lowliness and believing the masters greatness. By doing so the masters they had to accept the master’s standards creating a deep sense of reliance and despair. The whites misused and exploited the black slaves in order to build up their wealth.
Slaves played a huge role in economic growth but socially pessimistic in the history. The slaves helped in growing the economy of the American nation making it thrive and grow. Even as they positively affected the economy they were discriminated upon and denied their own heritage which made it harder for them and made them ashamed. The advancement of slavery was a way to ensure that the white slave owners to uphold the growing black population. In confining them to the plantation the whites became dominant race while maintaining supremacy upon the black slaves. Slaves provided a huge economic advantage by stating an increase in economic growth.
Free enterprise has always been a double edge sword for the United States. this began as a driving force for the economic growth in the American nation. This also implied that the slaves were used in creating riches and standing for the slave owners. Those with large plantations were considered better-off and thriving. To achieve this plantation owners needed workers but only black slaves could work under such harsh conditions and accept low wages. In most of the south few whites were willing to work under the hot sun this forced the owners to purchase slaves.
The plantation owner provided shelter and food with a small allowance this in turn allowed the owners to invest in more lands saving on profit. The economic cycle between the plantation owner and the slave that took which would take long to end. African slaves were pieces of property which later became a requirement in the plantations. They were regarded in a large way to be dependable as a permanent source of cheap labor. This was ideal in making it an essential factor by maintaining a plantation system.
The capitalist environment in the United States has been useful in making sure that the economic environment of the country is well defined. In this the slaves have been able to help the American nation to grow economically. One issue that can be considered as a medium for African slavery is the development of capitalism and the rise of various cash crops in the country. During that time the American economy considered agricultural. Many workers were required to in many of the lands as labor for tilling.
After the American Revolution in which many freed slaves now had the opportunity to look for economic empowerment. Through this there has been massive interaction with the whites as their equals most of them had to learn English as most of the slaves were from West Africa. In this case this led to many of them become socially acceptable with the whites in the society. They were now not considered to be slaves but with their thick skin were able to provide labor upon the plantations and get a salary. This in that time was crucial as most of them were able to provide economically to their families though it was not much. This made it harder to be fully economically securing their families and this also forced their wives to look for work in the plantations.
The political struggle experienced by the black struggle to secure freedom from their masters was an indication of the kind of life they wanted to have. Though they fought long and hard for recognition in the political battle most of the time for their rights it is still an ongoing struggle for equality. After the revolution many black slaves became bitter as they now did not believe themselves to be good. Some of the words used as dirty, and that black is bad and white is good. This psychological ramifications of the black slavery reduced black people to be judging upon themselves. In many of the states that had large numbers of black people who were freed slaves played a crucial role in making it alright to be black.
The social cultural changes experienced by the black slaves for racial segregation which has still been a great problem. In the last years there has been considerable interaction and adaption of the white culture as many have now married across the white people. Many of the black slaves ended up marrying white people this broke the racial segregation but for many years it has still been part of it. Black slaves while in the US have been able to trace their heritage from their ancestors. This has become well defined as many of them are still undergoing discrimination from work to the streets.
It is evident that the black slave movement has opened up the great United States in a bid to create a well established economy. Without these slaves the American economy would not have grown to such extent. Much of the struggle of the black slaves has transitioned the country to becoming the biggest superpower in the world. The American nation has undergone a great political battle in which they have been able to integrate the constitutional changes. One of the most important constitutional changes was the modification of the thirteenth amendment which says “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction”. This amendment made slavery illegal in the United States though some of the states especially the south rejected this constitutional change and continued with the trade. Even though many states passed the law to protect the right of the blacks the white people got the advantage as they protected themselves from racial equality. The equality issue was considered a threat as many of them believed that freeing the slaves would lead to more problems.
It was through President Abraham Lincoln who believed in this constitutional change in which the thirteenth amendment was seen through even with facing rejection from the different states which still practiced slavery. The thirteenth amendment was made for the freedom of each citizen that created a co-existence in the United States. The American governments this are the democrats and republicans have helped to ensure that citizens are able to examine their freedoms without harassment. The American nation has come of age in which they are now able to provide some sort of encouragement to the many amendments carried out during the tenure of the different presidents.
Slavery has provided different aspects from political, social and economic significance in the American nation. From the beginning they have helped shape the economic downturn of the nation by providing labor under stringent conditions. The political outcomes and the many amendments in the constitution to help in creating an equal society in which all citizens are economically secure. These strides have helped to create a nation which is regarded highly by many continents creating a society that focuses on its people and celebrates its history. This economic and socio cultural aspects have well contributed to ensuring that the country is stable. This type of empowerment has been drawn with many challenges that have made it special an unique as a country. Even with the many challenges that have taken place in the building of the American nation this is what has made it greater.
References
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