The Participation of African American in the Revolutionary War

History 2061
October 7, 2012
The Participation of African American in the Revolutionary War

The Declaration of Independence embodied the dogma of those American colonists who were in favor of the American Revolution (1775-1783). Written by the Continental Congress, this document boldly endorsed and demanded “certain unalienable Rights”. Among these rights were “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, which the Continental Congress considered to be explicitly necessary for “all men”. Based on these principles, the intensification in size of the black population makes us to sometimes ask the question, what part did the African American play in the Revolution war and what were some of the cultural affects towards African American. At the start of the war General George Washington did not want African Americans to fight in the military. In November of 1775 Lord Dunmore, the Governor of Virginia, promised freedom to any slave, owned by a rebelling colonist that fought for the British. This caused many slaves to escape to the side of the British. The Americans still did not let slaves fight with them. As time passed and the Americans lost many soldiers, some of the colonies began to let slaves enlist in1778. Virginia did not let slaves join but they did let some free blacks volunteer. Some slave owners in Virginia went against this rule and sent slaves to fighting their place. The participation of African American in the American Revolution war was something that was done against their will. They had no choice to take part in this war but because of no rights, they had to choice but to participate. The American Revolution was the most significant of those wars and biographer have estimated that 6,000 blacks saw service.
In the launch, prior to the Revolution, blacks, both free and enslaved, were included in the legionnaire’s laws in individual colonies. The English law requires every community to have a legionnaire force of able-bodied men, Indians, usually between the age of 15 and 55 years of age. The included all “Negroes, Indians, and Scotsmen “between the ages of 15 and 55 to join the legionnaire training. After this initial start of the revolution, white leaders re-evaluated the situation in relation to the black countrymen. Some thought that the African Americans were still savages, too stupid to be included in fighting the battles of free men and they did not want to enlist blacks. Following the Dunmore proclamation, Washington wrote to the president of Congress in Philadelphia that he was allowing free blacks to enlist because they are very much dissatisfied at being discarded. Even though Washington was aware of the need to use black resources, many of the colonies still refused to allow blacks to enlist. But due to the horrible loss of manpower due to the war, many leaders urged the use of blacks in the war. Samuel Hopkins thought that slaves could be prevented from going to the British if they were set free and encourages enlisting in patriot armies. Alexander Hamilton urged emancipation. James Madison wanted to free and arm the slaves because the legislature felt they had better use for slaves.
Over 2,000 African Americans like James Forten fought with the Navy. Some, like James Armistead Lafayette, were spies. African Americans fought bravely in many of the major battles. Yet, they were not treated the same as the white soldiers. African American soldiers often got less pay and poor quality guns and clothes. African Americans did more than fight. They dug trenches, built forts, and roads and did whatever was necessary to further the cause. African Americans used the American Revolution to help them get their freedom from the 13 colonies and went to fight with the British against the U.S. for they were promised freedom once they had severed their time in the war. As the Revolutionary War spread through every region those who decided to fight for one side or the other were promised personal liberty. African Americans had no choice they would either not go fight for their liberty or risk dying on a plantation being a slave, or they would go fight for their rights, potentially die or win the war and have the freedom to do whatever they want. There was really no choice. They had the slightest chance for freedom but they took it, the army showed that they could help. As we no, the Americans had no intentions on giving them any sort of rights or privileges to the slaves that fought in the army
To close up, the participation of African American in the American Revolution was good and bad because of the fight towards freedom. Some African Americans later gained freedom and some of them never had the chance to get such a freedom. Because Freedom was very important to the African Americans who fought on both sides in the war, some of those who fought with the colonists gained their freedom after the war and some did not. Many of those that fought with the British left with the British when the war was over. They went to Britain, Canada, the Bahamas, or Jamaica. Almost 20,000 African Americans left the United States after the war.

Works Cited

Bailyn, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University, 1992. http://vastudies.pwnet.org/pdf/aa_in_rev_war.pdf . http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us/americanhistory/secondary/lessons/lessons_std01/helming_l2.html. http://sites.uci.edu/slaverebellionswinter2011/african-american-solidiers-and-the-american-revolution/.
http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/175766.html

Cited: Bailyn, The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University, 1992. http://vastudies.pwnet.org/pdf/aa_in_rev_war.pdf . http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us/americanhistory/secondary/lessons/lessons_std01/helming_l2.html. http://sites.uci.edu/slaverebellionswinter2011/african-american-solidiers-and-the-american-revolution/. http://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/175766.html