How Did Slavery Free African Americans In The 1800s
Slavery and Free Blacks in the 1800's
Jimmy Cooper
Bethel College
Feb 04, 2008
Slavery and Free Blacks in the 1800's
The word slavery, defined as a human being owned by another Individual and is subject to another human being as by capture, purchase, or birth; bondservant divested of all freedom and personal rights (Webster, 1959). Now there is an ideology developed that is really a great mystery because who actually wants to be a slave or who has the right to say I have to be your slave. When another human being subject to slavery and has no human rights is a very sad situation.
“The enslavement of an estimated 10 million Africans over a period of almost 4 centuries in the Atlantic slave trade was a tragedy of such scope that it is difficult to imagine much less comprehend” (Black Christianity before the Civil War,1999). In the 1800’s that were almost 15 states, that slavery was legal in before the Civil War started. The actual slave population came from Africa, which they called the transatlantic slave trade, which ended in about 1809. After the slave trade that ended it was the beginning of the American-born black population. Slavery was a very big part of the society in the South and was continually growing in 1800’s. Whites in the South called slavery unavoidable evil to maintain their living standards (Henretta, Brody & Dumenil, 2002). There were some whites who opposed to slavery and every opportunity they had tried to change it. …show more content…
In the early to late 1800’s slavery was a major asset to plantation life.
The plantation life was not the glorious life for the slaves; But Afro-Americans make the best of it. Southern states did not allow marriages between the slaves, so they could be so without an attachment of family. The slaves had to make their own marriage rituals. History also notes that most of the slave marriages were stable, except in Louisiana where there were many single-parent families
there.
Moreover, it was very hard for the slaves to develop a culture and that because law governed slaves and that meant that the slaves were their master’s personal property. The slaves going to 1800’s really suffered a lot of abuse because there was no protection for the slaves from their masters. The slave masters at free will over the slaves. Some of the abuse to the slaves was questioned by authorities but not properly dealt with. The only retaliation the blacks had was running for their freedom. There were a few slaves who tried to start an uprising, but the whites were well equipped to handle any rebellion. Life as a slave in the 1800’s was very hard for the slaves and to this day, it has had an adverse effect on black Americans. ‘The negative effect of slavery have been theoretically they do contemporary problems faced by black Americans such as family instability, low achievement, motivation, and high rates of black on black violence” (Cross,2003).
The Free Blacks
In March of 1807, the British passed a law that slave trade was not legal anymore and the transatlantic slave trade at come to an end (Hudson, 2007). In the early 1800’s the free black population was about 13% in the United States. The census count was 110,000 blacks in the United States (Curry, 1981). The free blacks divided themselves in the United States from north to south. About forty percent of the free blacks lived in the north and about sixty percent lived in the south.
In addition, free blacks were not free from the unfair treatment that all blacks received in the 1800s. Free blacks did not have the right to vote and to go to public schools. The free blacks were steel treated like second-class citizens and if they were not careful, they could end back into slavery. Most of the employment that they had free blacks was the low-paying jobs or jobs as servants. The most difficult thing to deal with as a free black was that different states had different laws and you were govern by the state you lived in. free blacks had to abide by state and federal laws that congress made for them. All states were very different in there law making process and a few states blacks could actually vote.
In the middle of the 1800s, free blacks lives did improve quite considerably and they started their own churches, businesses, and schools. The free blacks could not own certain kinds of businesses such as places that sold liquor. The free blacks were also able to buy property, but they had to follow certain rules that only applied to black people.
The free blacks were not completely away from slavery but it was the next level from not being a slave. The major point is that being a black man you have limited freedom everywhere you went. History also notes that some of the free black owned slaves themselves unbelievably.
Free blacks were part of both world’s slavery and freedom at the same time. Being a free black was a fight for survival just as well as being a slave.
In the early to late 1800, slaves and free blacks both found difficulty living in a certain states especially in the South. The prejudice and discrimination that blacks experience still hold truth today. Dealing with facts from history is very evident that be in the black man or woman in 1800’s in America was very hard. Free black or slave could be a living hell, if the whites wanted to harass you. The future of the slaves and free blacks dependent on their determination to the survive at any cost. In addition, to raise their families and educate them as normal people would do so.
There was a cost to pay to live in America as a free black, because the whites did not want to accept the black man as his equal. Even after the abolishment of slavery, the black man still had major issues to deal with it.
In conclusion, the slave and the free black man and a lot in common because both of them had discrimination problems against severely. Free blacks had a better than being a slave and being treated cruel everyday. Sometimes people should be thankful for the changes that were made for back people in America. It is hard to think what could have happened if times had not have changed and the slaves were not freed.
‘Before this world ends I pray that all men will be created equal and be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.’ Amen and Amen.
Reference
Agnes, M & Sparks, A (1959). Webster’s Office Dictionary, Fourth Edition :( pp. 453). Ohio: Wiley Publishing, Inc
Black Christianity before the Civil War. (1999). Christian History, Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
Cross Jr., W. (2003, March). Tracing the Historical Origins of Youth Delinquency & Violence: Myths & Realities About Black Culture. Journal of Social Issues, 59(1), 67-82. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
Curry L., (1981). The Free Black in Urban America, 1800-1850. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Henrietta, Brody, & Dumenil (2002). America: A Concise History: Boston, New York: Bedford/Martins
Hudson, L. (2007, December). Inhuman Traffic: The Business of the Slave Trade. The British Museum, London, England/Portraits, People, and Abolition. National Portrait Gallery, London, England/Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow of Slave Trading on Contemporary Art and Design; Journal of American History, 94(3), 886-891. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
Jimmy Cooper
Bethel College
Feb 04, 2008
Slavery and Free Blacks in the 1800's
The word slavery, defined as a human being owned by another Individual and is subject to another human being as by capture, purchase, or birth; bondservant divested of all freedom and personal rights (Webster, 1959). Now there is an ideology developed that is really a great mystery because who actually wants to be a slave or who has the right to say I have to be your slave. When another human being subject to slavery and has no human rights is a very sad situation.
“The enslavement of an estimated 10 million Africans over a period of almost 4 centuries in the Atlantic slave trade was a tragedy of such scope that it is difficult to imagine much less comprehend” (Black Christianity before the Civil War,1999). In the 1800’s that were almost 15 states, that slavery was legal in before the Civil War started. The actual slave population came from Africa, which they called the transatlantic slave trade, which ended in about 1809. After the slave trade that ended it was the beginning of the American-born black population. Slavery was a very big part of the society in the South and was continually growing in 1800’s. Whites in the South called slavery unavoidable evil to maintain their living standards (Henretta, Brody & Dumenil, 2002). There were some whites who opposed to slavery and every opportunity they had tried to change it. …show more content…
In the early to late 1800’s slavery was a major asset to plantation life.
The plantation life was not the glorious life for the slaves; But Afro-Americans make the best of it. Southern states did not allow marriages between the slaves, so they could be so without an attachment of family. The slaves had to make their own marriage rituals. History also notes that most of the slave marriages were stable, except in Louisiana where there were many single-parent families
there.
Moreover, it was very hard for the slaves to develop a culture and that because law governed slaves and that meant that the slaves were their master’s personal property. The slaves going to 1800’s really suffered a lot of abuse because there was no protection for the slaves from their masters. The slave masters at free will over the slaves. Some of the abuse to the slaves was questioned by authorities but not properly dealt with. The only retaliation the blacks had was running for their freedom. There were a few slaves who tried to start an uprising, but the whites were well equipped to handle any rebellion. Life as a slave in the 1800’s was very hard for the slaves and to this day, it has had an adverse effect on black Americans. ‘The negative effect of slavery have been theoretically they do contemporary problems faced by black Americans such as family instability, low achievement, motivation, and high rates of black on black violence” (Cross,2003).
The Free Blacks
In March of 1807, the British passed a law that slave trade was not legal anymore and the transatlantic slave trade at come to an end (Hudson, 2007). In the early 1800’s the free black population was about 13% in the United States. The census count was 110,000 blacks in the United States (Curry, 1981). The free blacks divided themselves in the United States from north to south. About forty percent of the free blacks lived in the north and about sixty percent lived in the south.
In addition, free blacks were not free from the unfair treatment that all blacks received in the 1800s. Free blacks did not have the right to vote and to go to public schools. The free blacks were steel treated like second-class citizens and if they were not careful, they could end back into slavery. Most of the employment that they had free blacks was the low-paying jobs or jobs as servants. The most difficult thing to deal with as a free black was that different states had different laws and you were govern by the state you lived in. free blacks had to abide by state and federal laws that congress made for them. All states were very different in there law making process and a few states blacks could actually vote.
In the middle of the 1800s, free blacks lives did improve quite considerably and they started their own churches, businesses, and schools. The free blacks could not own certain kinds of businesses such as places that sold liquor. The free blacks were also able to buy property, but they had to follow certain rules that only applied to black people.
The free blacks were not completely away from slavery but it was the next level from not being a slave. The major point is that being a black man you have limited freedom everywhere you went. History also notes that some of the free black owned slaves themselves unbelievably.
Free blacks were part of both world’s slavery and freedom at the same time. Being a free black was a fight for survival just as well as being a slave.
In the early to late 1800, slaves and free blacks both found difficulty living in a certain states especially in the South. The prejudice and discrimination that blacks experience still hold truth today. Dealing with facts from history is very evident that be in the black man or woman in 1800’s in America was very hard. Free black or slave could be a living hell, if the whites wanted to harass you. The future of the slaves and free blacks dependent on their determination to the survive at any cost. In addition, to raise their families and educate them as normal people would do so.
There was a cost to pay to live in America as a free black, because the whites did not want to accept the black man as his equal. Even after the abolishment of slavery, the black man still had major issues to deal with it.
In conclusion, the slave and the free black man and a lot in common because both of them had discrimination problems against severely. Free blacks had a better than being a slave and being treated cruel everyday. Sometimes people should be thankful for the changes that were made for back people in America. It is hard to think what could have happened if times had not have changed and the slaves were not freed.
‘Before this world ends I pray that all men will be created equal and be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.’ Amen and Amen.
Reference
Agnes, M & Sparks, A (1959). Webster’s Office Dictionary, Fourth Edition :( pp. 453). Ohio: Wiley Publishing, Inc
Black Christianity before the Civil War. (1999). Christian History, Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
Cross Jr., W. (2003, March). Tracing the Historical Origins of Youth Delinquency & Violence: Myths & Realities About Black Culture. Journal of Social Issues, 59(1), 67-82. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.
Curry L., (1981). The Free Black in Urban America, 1800-1850. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Henrietta, Brody, & Dumenil (2002). America: A Concise History: Boston, New York: Bedford/Martins
Hudson, L. (2007, December). Inhuman Traffic: The Business of the Slave Trade. The British Museum, London, England/Portraits, People, and Abolition. National Portrait Gallery, London, England/Uncomfortable Truths: The Shadow of Slave Trading on Contemporary Art and Design; Journal of American History, 94(3), 886-891. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier Database.