Servitude In Freedom Research Paper

Dustin Grider
American Civ II
Dr. Anderson & Dr. Karjala
29 September 2014
Servitude in Freedom In 1865, the Civil War had ended and the thirteenth amendment to the United States constitution was adopted. The purpose of this amendment was to abolish slavery, but not to establish equality. The thirteenth amendment also allowed for the continuation of slavery through indirect means. The amendment states: “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” (Primary Documents in American History). To summarize, the amendment allows slavery and involuntary servitude to exist as long
States took advantage of freed blacks after the Civil War by creating laws such as a special tax requirement and a requirement to be employed, that would easily be broken by newly freed blacks competing for jobs and wages. One way that blacks avoided becoming members of the American penal system was to enter in to work contracts. This ensured that they would have a job and wages to pay the required special tax. However, the threat of being remanded in to the custody of the penal system was always present, and always enforced. Those blacks that were not lucky enough to find employment, found themselves in the custody of the American penal system. Since southern states were not in pleasant financial times, and were in short supply of laborers, they turned to the convict-lease system to provide abundant, cheap labor. The convict-lease system was the main means of slavery being re-established in the south under the supervision of the penal system. Under this new program, slaves were treated worse than they had been prior to the adoption of the thirteenth amendment. They still had to work for no wages, but they also were not taken care of as well since those leasing out inmates had no self-interest in the blacks. The American penal system after the Civil war was overflowing with inmates and southern states were very short on labor after losing
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