Evolution Of Slavery Essay, Research Paper
Throughout history, slavery changed immensely. Slaves came with many hardships, but overcame them all and created a new chapter in American History. The slave trade became increasingly popular as more slaves were being shipped to North America. One slave auction, being held aboard the slave ship in the port of Charleston, South Carolina, placed an ad in town advertising the slaves. The 250 negros aboard the ship were said to have been given the utmost care to keep them free from small pox. Then it also states that one half of the negros have had the small pox in their own country. Having black slave auctions such as this made buying and trading slaves easier, causing the increase of black slaves in North America.Many times in history slavery was a controversial topic. A section from Thomas Jefferson s handwriting draft of the Declaration of Independence contains a passage condemning the slave trade. The passage was omitted in the final draft because Georgia and South Carolina planters who needed slaves. In addition to the New England shippers who sometimes participated in slave trading. These different views made slavery proceed on. The British disliked the inconvenient declaration of equality through humanity, as the Americans quarreled with the question of what to do with slaves, who were escaping and running away. Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation on November 7, 1775, granting freedom to slave who escaped from his master and joins the British force. The proclamation states, “And I do hereby further declare all indented Servants, Negroes, or others, (appertaining to rebels,) free that are able and willing to bear Arms, they joining His Majesty s Troops ” In response to Lord Dunmore s proclamation, Virginia s General Conventions a declaration threatening death to any slave caught trying to join the British side. This Declarations stated that, “it is enacted, that all negro or other flaves, confpiring to rebel or make infurrection, fhall fuffer death and be excluded all benefit of clergy ” Slaves were now forced with the decision of death or slavery. In disregard to the threat of death, some blacks went to fight for the British. A black man, named Ty, was loyal to the British flag and led twenty men, both white and black, in an attack on American forces. Ty s group managed to take two prisoners and capture horses and ammunition. An article of the British having “a great number of sailors, marines, militia, and armed blacks.” A letter from Manmouth country states, “Ty is a Negroe, who bears the title of Colonel, and commands a motly crew at Sandy Hook.” In this time period, it was uncommon for blacks to have authority or title in the military. In disregard to the death of threat upon blacks for fighting with the British, many blacks proved to be great heroes.
In addition to the blacks who fought for the British, there were still those who fought against it. Crispus Attuck, a former slave, fought in the Boston Massacre. In an account of the burial of the victims, it tells of Attuck as “a hero of the revolutionary era for his role in the incident.” It also shows four coffins with initials on them. The far right one has the initials for Attucks. In addition to his initials it shows the initials of Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, and James Caldwall. Attucks was “the first to defy, and the first to die.” Even through their many years of slavery in our country, blacks proved loyal through fighting in the war. Over time slavery slowly became less common. Most Northern states enacted laws that called for the gradual elimination of slavery. According to New Jersey law, any child born to a slave “shall remain the servant of the owner of his or her mother … until the age of twenty-five, if male, and if a female until the age of twenty-one.” Slavery was seen as something that had to be abolished voluntarily, usually with some type of compensation to the former slave owners. People thought that it would be too great of a public expense, so the compensation was not directly from the government. Even though, slaves were let free to start their new life in the colonies. Slaves progressed greatly in the 1800 s. They came over in horrid slave ships, were treated like animals, but through it all beat the odds and came to be a respected part of American History. This shows that anything can be accomplished with a little effort.