2009 Ap History Dbq

When the United States of America was created as an independent country at the end of the revolutionary war against Great Britan, the roots of an entirely new American identity took place. Though taking influence from its former parent country, England, the United States began its own system of representative government. Furthermore, the American identity shaped in the early years of 1775 to 1830 incorporated the ideas of agrarian farming, economic standpoints, and capitalism. Slaves and freedmen alive suffered unclear, exploited and coped with the aspects of agrarian farming and agriculture in general, capitalism, and Christianity in America. The Revolution began the contradictory nature of the American identity as it applied to blacks. A piece of evidence that supports black participation in the army is known in Paul Caffels Petition, in which he notes that black people helped the colonial cause despite their lack of protection under the law. This occurred in MA in a state that would later proclaim slavery. Participation in the civil war as well as payment to be freed, lead the increase of free African Americans. The petition was heard by the north, which would become a region against slavery, Escaped slaves would reside in the area of the north and fugitive slave laws asking for them to return would be rejected as well. Other slaves, like that of Venture Smith, sought to buy their own freedom by selling surplus crops on fields that they worked on. However, southern abolitionists found ways to excuse slavery, such as George Fitzwagh. Also, open lands in the west by the Louisiana Purchase gave a perfect opportunity to move slaves and their families to work on new fields. Attempting to persevere through the horrors of slavery, many African Americans turned toward religion to help them. The religious great awakening that occurred in this era also caused blacks to participate and form Methodist meetings. They believed they would be let out of slavery and