The Role Of Slavery During The American Revolution

Great Britain having just completed the Seven Year's War had massive debt. They decided to impose taxes on the American colonies to gain revenue in order to pay back their debts. Since Great Britain owned the colonies, they believed they had the right to tax them. However, the colonist felt different. These were the seeds of the American Revolution. Liberty became the issue that was widely discussed with people holding different views. Within the American revolt against Britain the Founding Fathers, slaves, and women had the same views on liberty but were all in different situations so it related to them differently. As the British taxed the products that were imported into the colonies, the colonist became frustrated. One of the first acts
Phillis Wheatley was captured as a child and sold into slavery. Her owner's noticed her intelligence and taught her to write and read and from this Phillis wrote impeccable poems relating to the topic of slavery. In one of her poems, Wheatley writes, "Steel'd was that soul and by no misery mov'd / That from a father seiz'd his babe belov'd / Such, such my case. And can I then but pray / Others may never feel tyrannic sway?" (Wheatley). Slaves were often taken away from their countries and brought to the Americas to serve under the rule of white men. They weren't even considered human, but property because they were bought, sold, and seemed as less then to whites. In her poem, Wheatley is relating to what happened to her and she prays that other Africans won't have to go through the same thing she went through. Free slaves and slaves gathered together to discuss a petition to the government. They wanted to have all slaves free because as humans it was against their natural rights to be enslaved. In the petition it states, "(B)ut as the people of this province seem to be actuated by the principles of equity and justice, we cannot but expect your house will again take our deplorable case into serious consideration, and give us that ample relief which, as men, we have a natural right to" ("Freedom Petition of Massachusetts Slaves"). Colonist talked about wanting to be free from British rule because they felt that enslaved. Former slaves and slaves called on them to realize that it is unjust to have them enslaved because they are humans too and it goes against their natural rights as a human. The people writing this petition would believe that the colonist would recognize this because they were fighting for freedom from the British and see how inhuman it was. To slaves, liberty meant freedom from literal enslavement. They wanted to be able to