Dbq 13 American Slavery Essay
Slavery has existed for thousands of years in many societies and therefore slavery should have never been abolished. Slavery in America began in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. 1 A Dutch ship brought 20 Africans into the Colony and from there slavery spread throughout the American Colonies. It was practiced in the American Colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries and helped build the new nation. More than 7 million slaves were imported to America.2 There are several reasons that support the continuation of slavery, some of which include: economic, historical, religious, legal and social goods. 3
Slavery had a wide impact on Economic development. It not only impacted the south, but also the north and the world. Slavery was vital to the …show more content…
southern economy because the southern farmers were dependent on them for agriculture. Up to 25% of southern families owned slaves or 8% of American families. The gradual change from servants to African slaves shows its great potential profit. 4 European settlers had turned African slaves into a cheaper more plentiful source of labor that also benefited Northern businessmen that grew rich on slave trade and investments in southern farms.5 It was proven that southern farms that employed slave labor were up to 34% more efficient than farms that used free labor. If the United States would have to decide to ban slavery outright, the southern states would have plunged into a depression that would take years to escape.6 Slave finance, procurement and transport were also a profitable industry. There were about 70,000 slaves transported yearly during the 17th century. In the book Time on the Cross the authors stated that Slavery was a “highly profitable investment, which yielded rates of return that compared favorably with the most outstanding investment opportunities in manufacturing” 7
Did the government have the power to abolish slavery? Even the fieriest abolitionist had an issue with the claim with the United States constitution granted the federal government permission to take away citizens private property. John C. Calhon said it on February 6, 1837, is voicing his opposition to sending the issue of abolition to a Senate committee for study, nothing that “The subject is beyond the jurisdiction of Congress-they have no right to touch it in any shape or form, or to make it the subject of deliberation or discussion.” He felt jurisdiction issue was obvious. 8 Refer to Article I, Section 2 and 9, Article IV, Section 2, and Amendments IV, IX, and X of the Constitution of the USA, all of which in one way or another guarantee the right to own slaves as a basic, fundamental right under the constitution. As Calhoun and Abraham Lincoln knew and as each repeated constantly throughout the antebellum period, abolition of slavery could be achieved only by state law or constitutional amendment and neither congress nor the president had any right or authority to address, let alone act upon, the mater as a matter of federal constitutional law. The courts had ruled in the Dred Scott decision blacks, not just slaves, had not rights and “the constitution protected slave-holders’ rights to their property.” 9 Even if they could be freed, how would the federal government compensate former slave owners? The small size of the government meant that it had nowhere near the funds nor means to pay southerners for their losses. The issue of citizenship also arose. Simply because a Negro was freed did not automatically make him an US citizen. Would they be freed only to be limited on property ownership, business transaction and other rights? Or would the Federal government extend blanket citizenship, as was the case with Native Americans. A big reason to keep slavery was what were we going to do with four million unskilled laborers. Who couldn’t find jobs or contribute to the economy. It basically came down to two options: Integration, or Relocation. The people who favored integration wanted to free the slaves and let them live as equals to whites. The people who favored Relocation wanted to relocate them to a continent to a slave colony purchased by the federal government. Which was led by the American Colonization Society of whose members included Abraham Lincoln. They believed that Negros and whites could never live together in the same society. In order to accomplish this they attempted to purchase colonies in Liberia, Panama, Colombia, and the British West Indies. It’s important to note that both groups were small in number. The majority of Americans either wished slavery to continue or didn’t care. Lincoln as a war tactic, not as a social movement, abolished slavery.
Biblical and historical facts support the continuation of Slavery. There was a certain degree of biblical affirmation that played into the history of slavery. Southern preachers showed how the bible affirms and approves of slavery, claiming slavery was Gods order of things. There are many passages in the Old Testament that supports slavery. Some can be found in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Genesis to name a few. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job were all men of God and Shareholders 10 Paul, in the New Testament, returned a Philemon, a runaway slave to his master. Slavery existed in the Roman world and Jesus never spoke against it. Slavery is the natural state of mankind. It existed in the Greek, Roman and English societies.11
Slavery is a social good.
In his speech to the Senate in 1837, Calhoun declared that slavery was “instead of an evil, a good-a positive good.” He also said “Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually.” 12 Supporting his view with the following reasoning: in every civilized society one portion of the community must live on the labor of another. 13 American slaves were treated better than slave elsewhere in the New World. John Wilkes Booth famously wrote that slavery was a “happiness for the slave” being brought from his heathen home in Africa to the saving grace of Christian America. Bringing Africans to American actually benefited them; African societies were unskilled, uneducated and savage so being here in the colonies was for their greater good. 14 Slaves in the United States grew through natural increase sustaining the population unlike slaves in other New World countries that had to continuously had to be imported. Supporting the fact that Slaves were better off as Slaves. 15 …show more content…
(civil)
Most people feared that the abolition of slavery would have more negative affects on America than good. Ex-slaves would not be able to care for themselves or there families. Northern journalist reported that blacks were becoming extinct. They believed this because blacks had a high death rate, low birth rate, and miserable economic condition. Some observer’s believed the freed slaves were to incompetent, lazy, and immoral. These behaviors were harmful to there own group survival. So we give them freedom so they can go into poverty and despair. Without masters to guide them former slaves would not know how to properly act leading to uprising, bloodshed and anarchy, stealing, raping, killing causing social chaos.1617(higgs,USH) There was also a fear that freed blacks would replace jobs held by the white man. Therefore keeping slavery was a benefit to the well-being of society.
Slaveholders would put up an all out fight to preserve slavery. The primary economic issue of the civil war was the fear that southern slave owners would lose their investments in slaves and no longer be profitable. When Abraham Lincoln became president it was said that all new states admitted to the union would be free states. The south feared there would be enough support in the senate to abolish slavery. The fear of loosing slave labor; lead to the Southern states succeeding from the union. There succession lead to the civil war therefore the idea abolishing slavery started the civil war. 18(higgs) Some slavery is a necessary evil. Slavery has always existed throughout time, from the Romans to present day. Slaves cannot provide for themselves, when cared for by a Master they lived a healthier more productive life. Slavery is good for the economy, in multiple ways from the economics of trafficking slaves to American to the increase in revenue from free labor. After the civil war America entered into a mild depression, there was all this new work force and unemployment rose. Freedom is less predictable than slavery. Abolition would cause bloodshed, because of the determination of Southerners to maintain Slavery as status quo. Freed slaves would run amuck and cause great harm. For these reasons in addition to others, Slavery should have never been abolished.
Bibliography
"27f. The Southern Argument for Slavery." The Southern Argument for Slavery [ushistory.org]. http://www.ushistory.org/us/27f.asp (accessed November 30, 2013).
A&E Television Networks.
"Slavery in America." History.com. http://www.history.com/topics/slavery (accessed November 30, 2013).
"The Civil War was started over slavery." Half Sigma. http://www.halfsigma.com/20110/04the-civil-war-was-started-over-slavery.html (accessed April 21, 2010).
The Economist Newspaper. "Did slavery make economic sense?." The Economist. http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic-history-2 (accessed November 30, 2013).
"Slavery a Positive Good | Teaching American History." Teaching American History. http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/slavery-a-positive-good/ (accessed December 1, 2013).
"Slavery In The Civil War Era." Slavery In The Civil War Era. http://www.civilwarhome.com/slavery.htm (accessed November 30, 2013).
"Supportive passages from the Hebrew Scriptures (a.k.a. Old Testament)." What the Old Testament says about slavery. http://www.religioustolerance.org/sla_bibl1.htm (accessed December 1, 2013).
"Ten Reasons Not to Abolish Slavery." : The Freeman : Foundation for Economic Education. http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/ten-reasons-not-to-abolish-slavery#axzz2mF7iPaVF (accessed December 1, 2013).
Pro
Slavery
Slavery had a wide impact on Economic development. It not only impacted the south, but also the north and the world. Slavery was vital to the …show more content…
southern economy because the southern farmers were dependent on them for agriculture. Up to 25% of southern families owned slaves or 8% of American families. The gradual change from servants to African slaves shows its great potential profit. 4 European settlers had turned African slaves into a cheaper more plentiful source of labor that also benefited Northern businessmen that grew rich on slave trade and investments in southern farms.5 It was proven that southern farms that employed slave labor were up to 34% more efficient than farms that used free labor. If the United States would have to decide to ban slavery outright, the southern states would have plunged into a depression that would take years to escape.6 Slave finance, procurement and transport were also a profitable industry. There were about 70,000 slaves transported yearly during the 17th century. In the book Time on the Cross the authors stated that Slavery was a “highly profitable investment, which yielded rates of return that compared favorably with the most outstanding investment opportunities in manufacturing” 7
Did the government have the power to abolish slavery? Even the fieriest abolitionist had an issue with the claim with the United States constitution granted the federal government permission to take away citizens private property. John C. Calhon said it on February 6, 1837, is voicing his opposition to sending the issue of abolition to a Senate committee for study, nothing that “The subject is beyond the jurisdiction of Congress-they have no right to touch it in any shape or form, or to make it the subject of deliberation or discussion.” He felt jurisdiction issue was obvious. 8 Refer to Article I, Section 2 and 9, Article IV, Section 2, and Amendments IV, IX, and X of the Constitution of the USA, all of which in one way or another guarantee the right to own slaves as a basic, fundamental right under the constitution. As Calhoun and Abraham Lincoln knew and as each repeated constantly throughout the antebellum period, abolition of slavery could be achieved only by state law or constitutional amendment and neither congress nor the president had any right or authority to address, let alone act upon, the mater as a matter of federal constitutional law. The courts had ruled in the Dred Scott decision blacks, not just slaves, had not rights and “the constitution protected slave-holders’ rights to their property.” 9 Even if they could be freed, how would the federal government compensate former slave owners? The small size of the government meant that it had nowhere near the funds nor means to pay southerners for their losses. The issue of citizenship also arose. Simply because a Negro was freed did not automatically make him an US citizen. Would they be freed only to be limited on property ownership, business transaction and other rights? Or would the Federal government extend blanket citizenship, as was the case with Native Americans. A big reason to keep slavery was what were we going to do with four million unskilled laborers. Who couldn’t find jobs or contribute to the economy. It basically came down to two options: Integration, or Relocation. The people who favored integration wanted to free the slaves and let them live as equals to whites. The people who favored Relocation wanted to relocate them to a continent to a slave colony purchased by the federal government. Which was led by the American Colonization Society of whose members included Abraham Lincoln. They believed that Negros and whites could never live together in the same society. In order to accomplish this they attempted to purchase colonies in Liberia, Panama, Colombia, and the British West Indies. It’s important to note that both groups were small in number. The majority of Americans either wished slavery to continue or didn’t care. Lincoln as a war tactic, not as a social movement, abolished slavery.
Biblical and historical facts support the continuation of Slavery. There was a certain degree of biblical affirmation that played into the history of slavery. Southern preachers showed how the bible affirms and approves of slavery, claiming slavery was Gods order of things. There are many passages in the Old Testament that supports slavery. Some can be found in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Genesis to name a few. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job were all men of God and Shareholders 10 Paul, in the New Testament, returned a Philemon, a runaway slave to his master. Slavery existed in the Roman world and Jesus never spoke against it. Slavery is the natural state of mankind. It existed in the Greek, Roman and English societies.11
Slavery is a social good.
In his speech to the Senate in 1837, Calhoun declared that slavery was “instead of an evil, a good-a positive good.” He also said “Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually.” 12 Supporting his view with the following reasoning: in every civilized society one portion of the community must live on the labor of another. 13 American slaves were treated better than slave elsewhere in the New World. John Wilkes Booth famously wrote that slavery was a “happiness for the slave” being brought from his heathen home in Africa to the saving grace of Christian America. Bringing Africans to American actually benefited them; African societies were unskilled, uneducated and savage so being here in the colonies was for their greater good. 14 Slaves in the United States grew through natural increase sustaining the population unlike slaves in other New World countries that had to continuously had to be imported. Supporting the fact that Slaves were better off as Slaves. 15 …show more content…
(civil)
Most people feared that the abolition of slavery would have more negative affects on America than good. Ex-slaves would not be able to care for themselves or there families. Northern journalist reported that blacks were becoming extinct. They believed this because blacks had a high death rate, low birth rate, and miserable economic condition. Some observer’s believed the freed slaves were to incompetent, lazy, and immoral. These behaviors were harmful to there own group survival. So we give them freedom so they can go into poverty and despair. Without masters to guide them former slaves would not know how to properly act leading to uprising, bloodshed and anarchy, stealing, raping, killing causing social chaos.1617(higgs,USH) There was also a fear that freed blacks would replace jobs held by the white man. Therefore keeping slavery was a benefit to the well-being of society.
Slaveholders would put up an all out fight to preserve slavery. The primary economic issue of the civil war was the fear that southern slave owners would lose their investments in slaves and no longer be profitable. When Abraham Lincoln became president it was said that all new states admitted to the union would be free states. The south feared there would be enough support in the senate to abolish slavery. The fear of loosing slave labor; lead to the Southern states succeeding from the union. There succession lead to the civil war therefore the idea abolishing slavery started the civil war. 18(higgs) Some slavery is a necessary evil. Slavery has always existed throughout time, from the Romans to present day. Slaves cannot provide for themselves, when cared for by a Master they lived a healthier more productive life. Slavery is good for the economy, in multiple ways from the economics of trafficking slaves to American to the increase in revenue from free labor. After the civil war America entered into a mild depression, there was all this new work force and unemployment rose. Freedom is less predictable than slavery. Abolition would cause bloodshed, because of the determination of Southerners to maintain Slavery as status quo. Freed slaves would run amuck and cause great harm. For these reasons in addition to others, Slavery should have never been abolished.
Bibliography
"27f. The Southern Argument for Slavery." The Southern Argument for Slavery [ushistory.org]. http://www.ushistory.org/us/27f.asp (accessed November 30, 2013).
A&E Television Networks.
"Slavery in America." History.com. http://www.history.com/topics/slavery (accessed November 30, 2013).
"The Civil War was started over slavery." Half Sigma. http://www.halfsigma.com/20110/04the-civil-war-was-started-over-slavery.html (accessed April 21, 2010).
The Economist Newspaper. "Did slavery make economic sense?." The Economist. http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic-history-2 (accessed November 30, 2013).
"Slavery a Positive Good | Teaching American History." Teaching American History. http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/slavery-a-positive-good/ (accessed December 1, 2013).
"Slavery In The Civil War Era." Slavery In The Civil War Era. http://www.civilwarhome.com/slavery.htm (accessed November 30, 2013).
"Supportive passages from the Hebrew Scriptures (a.k.a. Old Testament)." What the Old Testament says about slavery. http://www.religioustolerance.org/sla_bibl1.htm (accessed December 1, 2013).
"Ten Reasons Not to Abolish Slavery." : The Freeman : Foundation for Economic Education. http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/ten-reasons-not-to-abolish-slavery#axzz2mF7iPaVF (accessed December 1, 2013).
Pro
Slavery