The beginning of slavery in the USA can be traced back to August 1619 when the first ship carrying slaves docked in Jamestown. Consequently, slavery became one of the most common institutions in the USA, as slaves became a useful source of labor, especially in cotton plantations and households. However, it was not until 6 th December 1865 when slavery and slave trade officially ended in the USA after the ratification of the 13 th Amendment that came to force after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on 1 st January 1863. Unlike northerners who were ready to end slavery, southerners strongly opposed the ending of slavery, and they vigorously campaigned against it, including ordinary people who did not own slaves (Calhoun, 1837). Although slave trade was easy to end, it was more complex and complicated to completely eradicate slavery because it was entrenched institutions in the American society, particularly among southerners.
Interestingly, a significant number of southerners defended slavery even though they were not part of the "Plantation Aristocracy." Many reasons have been given to explain why southerners supported slavery, including peasants and people who did not own slaves. However, based on the statement that was made by John Calhoun in 1837 as he expressed his views on slavery, it is possible to conclude that the feeling of superiority was the main reasons why common southerners who did not own slaves defended slavery (Calhoun, 1837). White southerners had the feeling that they were superior to slaves, who were mainly black people. Slavery gave southerners who were not part of plantation aristocracy some sense of self-worth mostly because they could feel superior to some of the people in the society. The feeling that whites were superior to black slaves also helped in boosting the self-esteem of southerners who defended slavery, even though they were not directly benefiting from it. Hence, superiority feeling is one of the main reasons why southerners defended slavery.
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Also, the feeling that slavery was not wrong because any civil society must have laborers and wealthy people made common southerners to see no evil in the slave trade. For instance, people like John Calhoun argued that slavery was a positive good and was evil as was perceived by many people (Calhoun, 1837). Therefore, according to people like John Calhoun, slavery was right as long as slaves were accorded some level of humane treatment. This perception was shared by many southerners who believed that slavery was not evil. As a result, some reasons were used by southerners to defend slavery although they were not part of the plantation aristocracy.
At the same time, it was easier to end slave trade and slavery in the USA, especially in the south. Ending slave trade was easier because such practices were widely perceived as evil in many societies across the globe. An anti-slavery society that was first initiated by British changed the perception of many parts of the world about the slave trade, making it easier to end the practice. British, in particular, abolished the slave trade in its colonies (Oldfield, 2011). Ending slave trade was also made easier by religious organizations, the need to uphold humanitarianism, and the international desire to respect human rights and freedom. As a result, many people and organizations were compelled by local and international pressure to end the slave trade.
On the contrary, ending slavery was never easier than eradicating slave trade. Many people had heavily invested in slavery and stopping it would significantly affect their businesses and lives ( Brinkley, 2011) . Specifically, plantation aristocracy was so entrenched in the south that that ending slavery was not seen as possible. Plantation owners were firmly persuaded that ending slavery would crumble the southern economy, including the agricultural industries. At the same time, planters' aristocracy controlled the government, making it hard for policymakers to outlaw slavery even if they were willing to do so. The institution of slavery was the driving force behind southern economic growth and development and ending it was associated with significant impact ( Brinkley, 2011) . Besides, there was a strong political connection between politics and slavery, and it enhanced political tension between the south and the north. Therefore, slavery was more complicated than slave trade because the former was not only linked to the lives of individuals but the society at large, especially regarding economic development and growth of various industries such as agriculture and commerce.
In conclusion, the institution of slavery was so entrenched in the USA and other parts of the world where it was practiced that ending it was never easy. Southerners highly valued slave trade because it significantly contributed to the economic growth and development in the area. At the same time, they used slavery to achieve social status in the society, as slaves were perceived to be inferior. Although ending slavery was not easy, the word united against slave trade through anti-slavery movements. Besides, slavery was finally stopped in the USA after the ratification of the 13 th Amendment on 6 th December 1865. Slave trade and slavery were evil practices that destroyed lives of many people and families, even though it benefited a few people.
References
Brinkley, A. (2011). The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People, Volume II (Vol. 12, p. 7284). McGraw-Hill.
Calhoun, J. (1837). Slavery a Positive Good . Retrieved from http://highered.mheducation.com/olc/dl/40804/chap13elem1.htm
Oldfield, J. (2011, February 17). British Anti-slavery. BBC News . Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/empire_seapower/antislavery_01.shtml
