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An argumentative essay on modern day slavery
Slavery argumentative essay
Slavery argumentative essay
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Recommended: An argumentative essay on modern day slavery
The Justification of an Abhorrent Institution
Slavery was a repugnant, cruel practice that undermined the lives of other human beings. However, slavery was once widely accepted throughout nineteenth century America. In our modern society, it is difficult to imagine how anyone could have justified something so immoral. Regardless, throughout the south, slavery was considered a part of life. Pro-slavery supporters used various legal, religious, and economic arguments to justify the practice of slavery.
Throughout American history, many laws were instituted supporting the practice of slavery. These make up the legal argument used by supporters of slavery. The earliest example of these types of laws can be seen in the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person in population counts. Many other laws were passed concerning the transport of slaves through free states and territories. An example of this would be the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, a harshly-enforced law passed to return any runaway slaves to their former owners. Even more monumental than these laws was the Dred Scott Case, a landmark court decision that banned African Americans from being U.S. citizens. Despite the large
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abolitionist population of the north, it was apparent that the federal government leaned towards supporting the practice of slavery. Religious arguments were used often to justify slavery, since the practice was never expressly forbidden in the bible.
Biblical examples of slavery include Abraham and his possession of slaves, and Paul returning a runaway slave to his master. Other Christians believed that it was good that slaves had been captured and sent overseas, because it introduced them to Christianity. Many people believed that slavery was good for slaves in the sense that it provided them with food and shelter. The social support of slavery was embodied in the phrase “Our peculiar institution,” with the word peculiar used as meaning “our own.” This phrase was used to refer to slavery without saying the word itself, and to help make slavery seem like a natural, accepted
practice. Slavery was the core of the South’s economy, which led economical purposes to be one of the main justifications of slavery. After Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin, cotton production quickly came to the forefront of the South’s economy. Cotton was grown in mass plantations, which were managed primarily by slaves. The slave labour in these plantations led to a flourishing economy and livelihood for the rich white landowners of the South. Southerners believed that the suffering of the slaves was justified by the economic well-being of their society, and feared that without slavery, their economy would collapse. Slavery was an immoral yet commonplace act in American history, and many people attempted to justify the practice with points ranging from legal, religious, to economic in nature. Also worth mentioning, although most pro-slavery beliefs were concentrated in the South, many northerners supported slavery on the grounds of these justifications as well. Likewise, with most southerners not owning slaves, many southerners supported abolitionist causes as well. Superficial at best, the justification of this ‘peculiar’ institution is no excuse for the moral horrors of the enslavement of another human being.
There has been many debates about the righteousness of slavery in the United States. There were many supporters of slavery as well as people who opposed slavery. Slavery has concentrated on African slaves In the United States. Law and public opinion regarding slavery differed from state to state and from person to person. Slavery has brought about a lot of controversy and stirred emotions even in today's society which has left a big impact on the people. In the documents, Ads for Runaway Servants and Slaves (1733-72), Lydia Maria Child's Propositions Defining Slavery and Emancipation (1833) and Lydia Maria Child's Prejudices against people of color (1836), describes the life of slaves along with the different views of the North and the South. Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property and are forced to work, even in conditions where it can become unbearable and where the government has a say in the slaves lives and although slavery has been abolished, the results from slavery can never be erased.
Although a practice not viewed positively by all, slavery, a least in this document, could be justified in the eyes of slavers.
The Dred Scott decision involved two slaves, Dred Scott and his wife, who originated from one of the recognized slave states, Missouri, but they were relocated to settle in Wisconsin, a state where slavery was prohibited. In 1846, Scott filed a lawsuit and “sued for his freedom on the grounds that his residence in a free state and a free territory had made him free.” In 1854, Scott’s “case ultimately went to the Supreme Court.” By landing in the Supreme Court, the justices ruled seven to two against the Dred Scott and his wife for multiple reasons. One main reason that the court specified was that whether African Americans are enslaved or not, they were never recognized as citizens of the United States. Therefore, the justices believed that the case should not have been heard or discussed in the Supreme Court to begin with. The second reason was that regardless of any African American being transferred to a free state, does not necessarily change their social status. Thirdly, the Supreme Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820, a compromise that outlawed slavery north of the 36˚30’ latitude line, is unconstitutional because the Congress declared that they had “no power to ban slavery from any territory.” The decision was critical due to increasing the North population’s unease, and their concern that the South will begin to transport slaves to freed states, which will
Dr. Richard Fuller, a southerner from Beaufort, South Carolina, writes the second side of the argument. In Fuller’s mind slaves are acceptable because it has become a way of life in the South. Large Southern plantations need slaves to help harvest and plant the crops; because of this importance the slave trade becomes a big part of Southern economy during the 1800s. Fuller also points out in his opening letter to Wayland that slavery was not invented by the Southern states, but was actually an ideal brought over from England. Fuller also goes on to explain the racism that occurs within the Southern States. “It would suddenly give them a liberty for which they are wholly unprepared, and which would be only a license for indolence and crime”
The original Fugitive Slave Act was made in 1793. One of the things this stated was that slave owners were allowed to search for their escaped slaves in states that didn’t believe in slavery. When a slave (or a person suspected of being a slave) was caught, the people (or person) went to court to get the slave returned to it’s owner. If enough evidence was provided, the slaves were returned to their owners. This act also made it so that anyone who helped slaves in anyway, such as hiding them, were to face a $500 fee. Many people, especially those from northern states, disagreed with this act. The people of the northern states felt as if their land was being used by bounty hunters. They also disliked how, with people taking free African Americans as slaves, it felt as if the act was leading up to the legalization of kidnapping. Certain people who disagreed with this act created groups to help save slaves, and even created housing for them that would be safe for them to escape to areas where slavery was illegal.
Some supporters of slavery believed that the Bible clearly condoned the practice of slavery. Still, others argue that southern slaves were provided with lifelong homes and better living conditions than they would have experienced living in Africa. By 1860, almost all southerners thought slavery should continue. The Southern philosophers were, in some measure, great theorists. Their ability to defend the institution of slavery as a good for society can be considered through three justifications: socio-political, economic/socio-economic, and religious.
Up until the late 1800s, slavery was widely considered acceptable in America. This ethical issue was important because African Americans were forcibly held against their will in order to fulfill the hard labor duties that were demanded by their owner. Slaves had no say in whether their lives belong to themselves. There was no sense of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. African Americans were not even considered a full person.
The US constitution was written with great vision to create strong nation. The bill of right were written, it provide all humans with rights. The writers of the constitution we hypocrites, they didn’t abide by what they preached. Thomas Jefferson wrote himself “ all men are created equal” but he owned slaves. The founding father didn’t look or even think about slavery when they wrote the constitution. They were pre-occupied in getting the southern state to join the union and sign the new constitution. They southern states believed that the federal government shouldn’t mess with the issue on slavery because slavery was a state issue.
Throughout this course we learned about slavery and it's effects on our country and on African Americans. Slavery and racism is prevalent throughout the Americas before during and after Thomas Jefferson's presidency. Some people say that Jefferson did not really help stop any of the slavery in the United States. I feel very differently and I will explain why throughout this essay. Throughout this essay I will be explaining how views of race were changed in the United States after the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, and how the events of the Jeffersonian Era set the stage for race relations for the nineteenth century.
Slavery as it existed in America was a practice founded on the chattel principle. Slaves were treated as human chattel to be traded, sold, used, and ranked not among beings, but among things, as an article of property to the owner or possessor.
The American Civil War was the bloodiest military conflict in American history leaving over 500 thousand dead and over 300 thousand wounded (Roark 543-543). One might ask, what caused such internal tension within the most powerful nation in the world? During the nineteenth century, America was an infant nation, but toppling the entire world with its social, political, and economic innovations. In addition, immigrants were migrating from their native land to live the American dream (Roark 405-407). Meanwhile, hundreds of thousand African slaves were being traded in the domestic slave trade throughout the American south. Separated from their family, living in inhumane conditions, and working countless hours for days straight, the issue of slavery was the core of the Civil War (Roark 493-494). The North’s growing dissent for slavery and the South’s dependence on slavery is the reason why the Civil War was an inevitable conflict. Throughout this essay we will discuss the issue of slavery, states’ rights, American expansion into western territories, economic differences and its effect on the inevitable Civil War.
Tumblr’s whole “cis” hate thing is really messed up. I think this because all the post I see are basically people just blasting out there opinion the same way most right wing republicans voice theirs. It’s irrational not easily backed up and is only different in that they are supporting opposite sides. You get my drift? The basis that they can keep this argument is basically that they’ve been oppressed by these people so it’s totally justified.
Farming, sewing, and taking care of livestock were just a few responsibilities that were left to slaves during the 1600's. White families received all of the benefits from the work done, yet they rarely had to lift a finger, unless it was to correct a slave. Today's generation reads about slavery and regards it as morally wrong. While I agree that slavery was one of America's greatest wrongdoings, it paved the way for America as we know it today.
For Edmund S. Morgan American slavery and American freedom go together hand in hand. Morgan argues that many historians seem to ignore writing about the early development of American freedom simply because it was shaped by the rise of slavery. It seems ironic that while one group of people is trying to break the mold and become liberated, that same group is making others confined and shattering their respectability. The aspects of liberty, race, and slavery are closely intertwined in the essay, 'Slavery and Freedom: The American Paradox.'
Slavery has been a part of human practices for centuries and dates back to the world’s ancient civilizations. In order for us to recognize modern day slavery we must take a look and understand slavery in the American south before the 1860’s, also known as antebellum slavery. Bouvier’s Law Dictionary defines a slave as, “a man who is by law deprived of his liberty for life, and becomes the property of another” (B.J.R, pg. 479). In the period of antebellum slavery, African Americans were enslaved on small farms, large plantations, in cities and towns, homes, out on fields, industries and transportation. By law, slaves were the perso...