During the American Revolution in the 1770s, African Americans soldiers participated in valor. Some were fighting for the Britain colonialists while others were fighting for American patriots in their struggle for independence. The slaves fought alongside their masters so that they could get human rights and freedoms enjoyed by other Americans. During this time, slavery was at peak, and most African Americans were under servitude and gross abuse of their rights (Matthews 369). Slaves imported from Africa and other parts of the world were sold to slave masters especially in the North. When the revolutionary war ended, most soldiers who participated in the war for both sides won their freedom. There is a rich history on the role of slaves in the American Revolution and their contribution towards abolitionism. Most of the slaves had been taken from Africa and others from the Afro American society (Quarles 140). This paper discusses the contribution of slaves in the American Revolution in the 1770s. The paper also addresses the challenges, roles and duties of the African American soldiers in the revolution war that brought independence to America. In particular, the paper relies on secondary sources due to their availability and access.
In the 17th century, Britain colonized and controlled most states in North America. This means that most economic activities within America were under the management and control of the Britain government. During this time, the slave trade was a rampant economic activity where both Britons and Native Americans brought slaves from Africa and the Afro American community and sold them to white families. The slaves were tasked within the duties of taking care of the masters’ families and also participating in agricultural practices. Besides, the slaves were treated with varied harsh working conditions, including maiming, physical and sexual abuse and poor remuneration. Men were the major traded gender during slavery since they could undertake manual works in the farmlands (Foner 126). Centers, where slaves were sold, had been put up in America, slaves from Africa would be located until a potential buyer emerged. The treatments that African slaves were accorded with being inhuman and thus they were yearning to fight for their freedom. From being publicly whipped and killed to working for long hours without food, water and rest, African slaves endured much suffering in their master's hands. Slaves were not allowed to own property or participate in national matters such as voting (Quarles 138). Additionally, the slaves could not learn, read and write, or even acquire a formal education. Female slaves also were treated with harsh conditions; from sexual harassment to rape. They would at times fall pregnant of their masters and forced to terminate the conception if they gave birth to mixed race children. Alternatively, the children were sold during their earlier years. Only white children would survive. Mostly African American slaves would try to escape from their masters’ oppressions, but had nowhere to go; they were hunted and brought back to their masters and punished accordingly. The slaves had to endure a lot of suffering within their masters surrounding and would not complain to anyone (Foner 126).
Slavery was an established enterprise long before the revolutionary war started. Most African Americans men nearly adapted to the harsh working conditions and maltreatments from both whites and Native Americans. Those who served under American masters understood the conditions that their masters were subjected to by the British colonial government. They had learned the maltreatments that the Britons imposed on Americans, and there was a growing urgency to free America and gain independence. On the other hand, the slaves that were under the control of the Britons in America understood the position of their masters in the land. A majority of Americans were gaining awareness regarding the negative implications of slavery and most importantly the unwelcome occupation of Britain soldiers in American territories (Bradley 84).
When the revolutionary war started, most white masters were afraid of what their slaves would do. Most feared for the lives of their family since they imagined that slaves would turn against their families when the masters were out fighting. Another fear was that if the slaves were taught and provided with the lethal weapons, they would turn against their masters and use the weapon to kill them. However, slaves on their side wanted to fight for their own freedom. The officers in the army wanted to form a troop of African Americans to fight alongside the American patriots to earn their freedom. Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens gave a warning to the patriots that if they didn’t give the slaves their freedom, then Britain would (Quarles 258). This is because of the announcement that Lord Dunmore made concerning the liberty of the slaves who fought along his army during the war. The leader of the Britons had announced that the slaves who joined his team of troops would be liberated after the war. They advocated for human rights and freedom to be granted to the slaves who were to participate in the revolution war for the independence of the Americans. This led to the closedown of major slave trade export and import centers in America. The slaves fought for their masters as they expected to be free and relieved of the oppressions. The caveat for the freedom of the African slaves was that they needed to surrender their weapons as soon as the revolution was over. This meant that the masters were afraid of the consequences if the African slaves were allowed to remain with the weapons; as such, a fifty-dollar reward was also to be given to the slave soldiers that had participated in the war (Quarles 258).
While slavery was highly entrenched in the North, South experienced a tumultuous movement to emancipate African Americans from slavery. The South had a robust economy for tobacco-an industry that demanded fewer numbers of slaves compared to coffee farming and industries in the North. As such, the number of free African Americans grew rapidly and by about 1810, 30% of African Americans living in Maryland and Delaware were free. Besides, in the state of Virginia, the number of free African Americans grew tremendously compared to the period 1780-1790. It is these upward trends that gave rise to the growth of African American populations during the Revolutionary Era. Notwithstanding, the revolutionary era triggered certain misgivings, particularly, mistrust, power imbalances and racial slurs among African Americans and whites (Quarles 97). After the revolution, the Britons under Lord Dunmore control fulfilled their promise. The Negros troops that fought alongside the Britain troops were freed and relocated to a new land in Jamaica. The troops had helped in the major fights against the American troops and patriots, but unfortunately lost the war. Some African soldiers were given higher ranks in the Britain army after the revolution war ended. This clearly shows one of the benefits that the African slaves who fought for the colonialist gained, they were now able to live a comfortable life in their new land in Jamaica. Those who were given higher ranks in the Britain army enjoyed privileges and freedoms. Liberty was given to those who fought in the American revolutionary war. Although most Americans went back to the pre-revolution slave activities, the treatments that the slaves were given were not similar to the ones that occurred before the revolution. The slave trade was not abolished after the American Revolution war, but the journey towards abolition sparked (Bradley 84).
Campaigns against slave trade were put in place after the revolutionary war. Antislavery campaigners emerged after the independence of America from her British colony. The antislavery movements demanded that American leaders declare their promise of liberty to slaves by giving out anti-slave trade abolition resolutions and freeing the slaves that existed within the hands of white masters. Afro Americans in the American society were still facing hardships in their lives; racism and discrimination were one such problem that they encountered. The anti-slave trade campaigners pushed for human rights, civil freedoms, and suffrage rights for marginalized groups and men of color. This was later achieved when the slave trade was fully abolished after the Declaration of Independence and the formation of the American constitution that gave all American equal and inalienable rights. The issue that will disturb the American society even today is racial discrimination against minority groups such as African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Anti-racism movements emerged and recognized the black people as part of the American society that fought for independence during the revolution war (Matthews 369).
In conclusion, slavery and slave trade was a major economic activity in America in the 16th and 17th century. Slaves were imported from Africa and Caribbean countries and sold to Whites, predominantly in the North and some parts of the South. The slaves would perform hard tasks in White’s farmlands and cottage industries. The masters oppressed the slaves to the extent of killing and physically harming some of the slaves. Those slaves that sought freedom by running away from their masters were hunted down and brought back to their masters. When the revolution war started, the slaves had a task participating in the war alongside their masters. The Britain troops announced freedom to slaves that would join their army during the war. Some slaves from the patriot group joined the Britons and fought against the Americans; however, the Britons lost the war. The leader of the Britain troops lived his promise and freed a large number of slaves. The freed slaves were relocated to Jamaica. Americans reduced the rate of the slave trade and freed some of the slaves. After the war, campaigns against slave trade started that pushed for the abolition of the slave trade.
WORK CITED
Quarles, Benjamin. “The Negro in the American revolution.” Washington, DC: UNC Press Books, 2012.
Bradley, Patricia. “Slavery, propaganda, and the American revolution.” Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2012.
Foner, Eric. “Give Me Liberty! An American History: Seagull Fourth Edition.” WW Norton & Company, 2013.
Mathews, Donald G. “Slavery and Methodism: A Chapter in American Morality, 1780-1845.”
Princeton University Press, 2015.
