During the discovery of America, the colonialists who were mainly English established several colonies that were ultimately controlled by the British government. In their exercise of control over these jurisdictions, they subjected the Native Americans and the indigenous local to unwarranted oppressions. However, the locals developed various ways of resistance which they used to counter these forms of oppression. The discussion will analyze the methods of resistance used by the oppressed to confront colonial powers in the new ‘’discovered’’ America.
The Cherokee Phoenix Newspaper
According to Haggard (2016), the newspaper was printed for the first time in Georgia, which served as the capital of the Cherokee Nation in 1828. The New Echota served as the printing office, and the position of the editor was awarded to a Cherokee called Elias Boudinot. The newspaper was a move that marked the transformation of the Cherokee nation given that they had abandoned and abolished the blood revenge tactics, and in turn established a bicameral council and a written constitution. The Cherokee Nation was under a threat of their sovereignty from the surrounding states such as Georgia and were required to either relinquish it or to move to a territory that was located on the western side of the Mississippi River. Therefore, the newspaper was used as resistance tool by the General Council to solicit massive public support and to ensure that the inhabitants of the Cherokee Nation remained united in the face of a crisis.
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Ann Hutchinson and Women’s Rights
Ann Hutchinson is regarded as one of the greatest feminists of her time who played a key role in fighting for the position of the women in the face of an oppression caused by male dominance. She served as a spiritual leader who was critical in challenging the male authority, especially in the colonial Massachusetts. She was also reluctant to abide by the gender roles and preached to both men and women. Also, Hutchinson questioned the Puritan teachings on salvation as she found them inappropriate with her beliefs and philosophy. Hutchinson's popularity with the women grew hence sensitizing them on the need to ignore the Puritan beliefs concerning the Covenant of Works. Her popularity, however, was not taken well by the religious leaders who were the authority and therefore Hutchinson was put on trial for heresy in 1637.
Hutchinson defied the gender roles particularly in that time where women were supposed to remain silent and follow in the authority of men. She used her preaching to denounce the male dominance and in turn advocate for equality. The authorities presumed that she exercised power over men by her preaching and that she would soon influence other women into a rebellion. In the long run, she was banished from the colony of Massachusetts by the authorities claiming that she was unfit for the society and forced to leave and move to the Rhode Island which was more tolerant. In her capacity as a religious leader, she made several attempts to fight two forms of oppression, first, male dominance and religious oppression. She advocated for equality of men and women and resisted the Puritan religious beliefs about work.
Shay’s Rebellion
Shay's rebellion is a series of violent that were experienced in the countryside of Massachusetts between 1786 and 1787 as a result of the financial debt crisis that was the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War. The focal point of the crisis was in the Massachusetts, but other states faced collateral economic problems. The rebellions and protests were as a result of the backdrop of enforcement of tax collections by the state and local authorities. The farmers were the perpetrators of the rebellion as the poor harvests, high taxes, and economic depression threatened their possession of the farms. The rebels used any available means at their disposal to exhibit their dissatisfaction with the system. They captured federal weapons and harassed merchants and those in support of the state government such as the lawyers. However, the rebels experienced equal opposition from the state militia, and hence the rebels were compelled to flee to Rhode Island and later Vermont.
Although Shay’s rebellion was not a major reason to upset the stability experienced in the United States, it played a significant role in sensitizing and alarming politicians all over the country. The revolution was among the many reasons that led to the revision and finally the replacement of the Articles of Confederation with a more holistic Constitution. Therefore Shay and his group, through their protests and rebellion against over taxation and debts led to a revision of the constitution which created a fair and just society for all.
The Underground Railroad Movement
The ‘’Underground Railroad’’ was the name given to describe the network of people that were instrumental in assisting the escaped slaves to freedom in Canada or the northern states (Gara, 2013). The term mainly rose in the 1830s as the escapees were assisted through well-coordinated runways that were also reinforced by a sense of luck. The people who facilitated the transportation of individuals along the railroads were referred to as conductors. However, the conductors faced the danger of being fined, hanged, whipped or imprisoned if they were caught engaging in such transactions. The ‘'Underground Railroad'' movement was a rebellion strategy by the slaves against many forms of oppression that were subjected on the slaves especially the black people. The slaves who escaped moved to safer colonies where they would enjoy a sense of freedom.
The Anti-Rent Movement
The anti-rent movement was also a series of a revolution that was staged in several parts of America including Delaware, Columbia, Greene, Otsego, Washington Counties, and Sullivan among other places. The revolution began at around 1839 to 1852 and was staged by the farmers in these respective areas. The reason for the revolt was a protest against the oppressive land tenure system that was considered to be unjust. The protestors disguised themselves as Indians and caused problems to the landlords and law enforcement officials. Their mode of communication was blowing horns, from farm to farm, after which all the farmers were expected to rush to a strategic meeting place to deliberate on the protests. The protests caused several problems that included disruption of the sale of properties.
From the discussion, it is crucial to note that the oppressed in colonial America had their unique ways of countering oppression. They organized movements to fight bad laws that touched on their welfare as depicted by the Anti-Rent Movement, ‘'Underground Railroad'' movement, and Shay's rebellion among others. Some used their societal position such as Ann Hutchinson, who advocated for gender equality and religious freedom. Others such as the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper utilized the intellectual capacity and the literacy levels to advocate for their rights. The most important thing is that at the end of it all, the resistance aired and highlighted their grievances and in some cases, amicable solutions were found such as the revision of the Article of Confederation after Shay's revolution. In some cases, it led to victimization and oppression such as in the Ann Hutchinson story, the Cherokee Nation, and the Underground Railroad movement.
References
Gara, L. (2013). The Liberty Line: The Legend of the Underground Railroad . University Press of Kentucky.
Haggard, D. R. (2016). Cherokee Newspapers, 1828–1906: Tribal Voice of a People in Transition by Cullen Joe Holland. Journal of Southern History , 82 (1), 152-153.
