Slave Trade Pros And Cons

Tessa

Burning Issues

Slavery

Slavery should be legal in some states because the owners need the help they can get, slaves can still get freedom by going into the north, and this can keep the economy from flopping.

The constitution should not allow slave trade because the constitution states that all men are equal, they should be brought to the northern states first to get equal opportunity, and if slave trade is outlawed it gives other slaves hope for freedom and more motivation.

They should not be forced to return runaway slaves because once they are in the north they are free, it would be against the law to force a free man to do anything, and once they are in the north they no longer have a owner they need to return to.

2. The federal

government should continue to allow this practice because it gives them fair opportunity to pay back debt, it can prevent the economy from going downhill, and the number of people in jail would go down and so might taxes.

3.

I think the bonds should be payed back just a small amount to each dollar because not everyone agreed with the war, so why should they pay for it? They could already be in debt, they could reward the soldiers but also keep people from being in poverty.

4. Everyone should be allowed to vote in general elections. I believe this because, if you live in America you should be allowed to vote for who controls your country. People of all races should vote because they are a big part of America's population. Even if you don't have property, you should be able to vote for someone you think could help you.

Historical Roles

Southern Planter

1.I make my money by planting tobacco seeds. My wealth depends on my slaves. My family owns about thirty slaves so I am quite wealthy.

2. I think slavery is important and that all slaves are property. The amount of money I make depends on my slaves. I think slaves do the hardest work.

3. ‘The rabble’ people scare me. I think they want to take my property. I am surprised these people can vote in some places!

4. I am concerned about non property owners voting. I am also concerned about debts being paid back in kind and not cash. I believe this is only fair.

Farmer
1.I am a farmer. I a grow enough to feed me and my family but I sell whatever is left in town. But my crops failed last year and I don't make much money now.
2.I am worried because the bank I owe money to is asking for
their money right away. I had to borrow money for tools to grow food. But with the crops failing I can't pay them back.
3.I thought I might as well join shays rebellion. I feel this because I have no other option. But I also joined because I feel that even though people don't have property they should still vote.
4.I want the federal national government to cut down taxes and put more
money into circulation. If they did this not as many people would be struggling in debt. I also want people without property to still be able to vote.

Enslaved African American
1.I am worried that I will be separated from my family. I am worried that my master will send me off to South Carolina or some place like it. Being under the constant control of my owner worries me.
2. I hope the constitution will make me and my family free. I hope we can stay free if we escaped to a free state. And that we will not be able to be returned to our previous owner.
3. If I gain my freedom, problems I might face is money. I would have to start from scratch and would probably be a very poor farmer. But even then I would be very poor and it would be hard to get the tools I need.
4. I want real freedom. So that when you escape slavery they give you land tools so you can lead a successful life. Not be in debt and go to jail like many farmers up north.

Banker/merchant
1. I am a member of a prosperous banker and merchant family in New York. For a living I provide loans for other people and I get paid interest in these loans. This job makes good money, but not so much lately.
2.I think the idea of payment in kind is outrageous! There is barely any respect for property now a days. The state legislatures have too much power.
3.Daniel Shay and people like him should be stopped. I don't think that poor people should vote, people who owe money should be put in jail. They need to pay what they owe.
4.I feel good about how there is a proposal to pay all bonds back in cash. I have brought up a lot of bonds from soldiers. I would make a lot of money from this.

Worker
1.I make my money from my small shop. But it really depends on how many shoes I sell. But the economy has been bad lately.
2.I couldn't pay my debts because they stopped issuing paper money. Money now is worth more, and less people are buying shoes so I went in debt from my tools. I can't pay them back because I had to bring the prices for shoes down and not a lot of people are buying.
3.I sold my bonds to a banker. I figured it was better to have cash now than to risk losing everything by waiting for the government to pay. I hear that bankers want a section of the constitution saying that would force congress to pay bondholders back in hard cash.
4.I feel that the wealthy people in America want higher taxes just so the few of them can get richer. I am upset because they don't want people without property to vote. But most of these people without property fought in the war, not them!

Who really won?
1a The constitution states that the Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit. This means that it is no longer legal to import slaves from Africa into the states. With this being illegal, the need for slaves grew making young girls reproduce against will. Slavery was still legal.

1b It also states, they shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person. Refraseing, after 1808, 19 years after the constitution was made. you cannot import slaves unless you pay a certain tax.

1c In the constitution it says No Person held to Service or Labor in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or Labor, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labor may be due. This means that slaves who escaped to the north were required to be sent back to their owners in the south. So if you were helping a slave by letting them stay in your home it would be illegal. This is why there were slave hunters.

2.

Is it legal for state legislatures to pass laws allowing debts to be paid “in kind”? Well the constitution says, No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make anything but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility. In other words, only the federal government can conduct foreign alliances, trade, or war. Only the federal government can print money. Only the federal government can make and pass laws or break contracts.

ect.

3. Bonds being paid back from the revolutionary war is a debatable topic, the constitution reads that All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation. This means that the government promises to take all debts of the older government to be collected. They wanted to show that the constitution wasn't going to be an excuse to shrink its debts.

4. I believe that everyone should be able to vote in general elections. If you live in America you should have the right to vote for how your country is run, and who it is run by. If everyone could vote all voices could be heard, therefore making it fair to all people, no matter what their property is or their race,wealth, or gender. If everyone could vote it would one step closer to making every man equal.

Who really won?
5. I believe no social group won the real constitutional convention. Even though certain parts of the constitution benefited some things, there was no social group who fully won. The farmer and worker were caught up in debt, they weren't being paid back by the government and became impoverished. The southern planter is worried that people want to take their property and without slaves they cannot hold up their plantation. The enslaved African American was not free, they could try to flee to a free state but could get caught. But if they did become free they would be in poverty. And the banker/merchant would not be paid in cash but “in kind”, they do not get their money back and this changes the way they make a living. This the reason why I think no social group benefitted from the constitution, they each had their own problems that came with it. From question three the quote from the constitution says: “No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make anything but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility”. This talks about how only the government can make the big decisions. This an example of how America’s people may not had a lot of say in what goes on, for example, the revolutionary war.