Slavery Dbq

The time period from 1775 to 1830 was full of changes. The United States was developing into its own country, with its own freedoms. As the government began to settle, the issue of slavery was ever present. Nobody was quite sure of how to handle slavery. While some people fought to have slavery abolished, others completely opposed the idea of no longer having slaves. It was during this time period that many slaves managed to gain their freedom; however slavery as an institution continued to expand. Even though the many states passed laws outlawing the practice of slavery, the slave trade in the states that still allowed slavery grew immensely. During The Revolutionary War, The British Army called upon slaves and indentured servants to aid them in their fight. Because slaves were banned from fighting with the colonists, and because The British Army bribed them with potential freedom, the African American slaves commonly fought for the British Army (Doc A). Many slaves fought their way to freedom with the British Army, but others eventually turned to support the colonists. In a way they were sympathetic to the colonists fight. After having absolutely no rights for so long, they could relate to what the colonists were going through. Britain was exerting their power in a similar way to the slaveholders and plantation owners of 1780 (Doc B). Even though many African Americans went to help out the colonists, they still were not granted the same rights. Some received freedom as payment for their fighting, but they were not granted the right to vote, the right to own property or many of the other rights white men were privileged with. While they may have not gained all the rights they had hoped for, following the revolutionary war, some slaves were freed, helping to reduce the amount of slaves in the United States. Upon being granted their freedom, African American people were given a new life that they hadn’t previously experienced. Throughout their bondage, they