In a broad spectrum, slavery refers to a condition by which people own others by applying the principle of property law to human beings allowing people to be commoditized. It is in this respect that people sell, buy and own other individuals for economic, social or political reasons. Scores of studies establish that slavery had been in existence throughout the history of human existence. However, the American society started to experience slavery in the late 16 th century and the issues augmented in the 17 th century when Dutch sailors introduced 20 African Slaves to the British Colony of Virginia. 1 As a result, slavery became a significant emblem of the American colonies throughout the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Although slavery was not coined in the use of African people only, most Americans of the African origin provided the energy needed to drive the slavery agenda in the US. As a matter of fact, historical scholars associate African slaves to the robust economic growth and social growth experienced during these periods in the history of the US. It is worth acknowledging that slavery not only influenced the economic dynamics in the US but also contributed towards the building a succinct and diverse political, cultural, and social environment. 2 Although at some point Civil Rights Movements such as the Westward Expansion and the Abolition Movements played a significant role in ranging a war against slavery, the issue prompted a debate that almost tore the US into two distinct factions through the civil war which ensued. As a result, slavery through the emancipation period, the reconstruction period and the emancipation periods has significantly influenced the American history as it defined and shaped the economic, social and political environment to a great extent.
The institution of slavery in the US played a critical role in the shaping of the dynamics of change as far as emancipation proclamation is concerned. The then President of the United States Abraham Lincoln stance was that slavery was inhuman and referred to it as an unqualified evil against the African-American people despite the resistance the natives and slave owners had, in regards to the issue. In 1863 Lincoln announced the Emancipation proclamation setting free slaves and creating a precedence that sought to promote justice, equality and respect for human rights although it did not provide justice for all as expected. 3 Inasmuch as the emancipation proclamation is concerned, it shaped the American history to such an extent that it influenced the amendment of the constitution creating an avenue for abolishment of slavery and the creation of a free and just America. 4
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It was as a result of the civil rights movements that African Americans fought against slavery seeking to acquire equality, freedom and full American citizenship. Although the civil rights movements resulted to the death, incarcerations and general suffering of the African American societies as slave owners and government agencies fought against their will, the endeavor resulted in the generations of policies and regulations that have streamlined equality, equity and justice in the American society and laws that discriminated Negroes were outlawed. 5 Throughout the slavery era, it was apparently clear that most of the minority groups were denied by the government systems their rights tight to vote, the rights to equal access to public facilities as well as the rights to employment, housing and education among other essential rights. Compared to the modern world, the minority groups which were perceived to be cheap and easy sources of labor greatly suffered due to the slavery issue. Although most of the people in the current generation enjoy equality, freedom and equal opportunities within the American fraternity, all the accolades should be attributed to the people who fought during the civil rights movement era for the purpose of abolishing slavery and all its constituents. Since most people refer to the civil rights movement as the second reconstruction, it is worth attributing most of the American success in institution human rights related regulations and policies to the institution and abolition of slavery endeavors. 6 Were it not for the institution of slavery, maybe the American society would be struggling in making a mark in the world’s equality and justice affairs.
In the American context, slavery was an economic issue that influenced the current domination of the US in the world economy. Human slavery was viewed as the main agricultural catalyst especially in the South where the profits made from using free slave labor in the agricultural sector burgeoned individual incomes of slave owners and the US economy in general. 7 In the 16 th , 17 th and the 18 th centuries, indentured slavery served as the main fulcrum of the America’s agriculture whereby free labor was used for the farming of tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton among other crops but a series of strikes ensued. 8 An in-depth analysis of the role of slavery in the US economy establishes that the agricultural sector was the backbone of the US success. It is precisely evident that through the use of the easily available cheap labor, maximum profits would be made with less investment in maintaining the slaves. It was during this period of slavery that most slaves were enlightened through their experience therefore developing a culture of hard-work that they maintained even after the abolishment of slavery in the later years. Despite the fact that there were other considerable aspects that encouraged the slave culture in the US, the economic dream encouraged servitude in totality.
Slavery was also a political issue in the early American society. As slavery took root in the US, two political factions emerged one in support of slavery while the other having some questions about the entire institution of slavery. It was evident that those from the South were in support of slavery while the North was against it though with little energy and purpose. 9 The politics of westward expansion and territorial expansions extending the gaps between both factions created tensions that later led to the support of emancipation proclamation and the civil right movement. In the south, slave owners thought that slavery was the only way towards their political success and civilization; they felt that slavery freed the upper class from providing manual labor and creating an avenue for imparting political influence throughout the US. 10 On the other hand, the Northerners had no significant influence on slavery matters as they lived in a non-slave era. As a result, there were political alignments that escalated, leading to the enlightenment of many hence the making of the civil rights movement, justice, and equality for all activism.
Slavery was also a social issue that was anchored on moral, ethical and legal concerned. Arguing that slavery was a social issue is imperative in analyzing the issue of slavery as pertains to the early US history because it contributed to inequality, discrimination and it was dehumanizing. As a result of its institution, the civil right movement was characterized by killings, pains and sufferings that still have impacted the attributes of the contemporary world social sphere.
In conclusion, historians view slavery as the cause of the major social, economic and political challenges that affected and still affect the American society. It is with acknowledging that the disadvantages associated with slavery are more as compared to the benefits it brought to the American society thus creating an elusive debate to the current and the future generations. It is therefore imperious to resolve that through the different phases slavery took, it shaped the American history in a broad scale.
Bibliography
Acharya, Avidit, Matthew Blackwell, and Maya Sen. "The political legacy of American slavery." The Journal of Politics 78, no. 3 (2016): 621-641.
Chong, Dennis. Collective action and the civil rights movement . University of Chicago Press, 2014.
Faragher, John Mack, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel J. Czitrom, and Susan Hodge Armitage. Out of Many: A History of the American People, Combined Volume . Pearson, 2014.
Filler, Louis. Slavery in the United States . Routledge, 2018.
Raphael, Ray. A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence . New Press, The, 2016.
Reed, Thomas Vernon. The Art of Protest: Culture and Activism from the Civil Rights Movement to the Present . U of Minnesota Press, 2019.
Riches, William. The civil rights movement: Struggle and resistance . Macmillan International Higher Education, 2017.
Schwartz, Barry. "The emancipation proclamation: Lincoln’s many second thoughts." Society 52, no. 6 (2015): 590-603.
Singleton, Theresa A. The archaeology of slavery and plantation life . Routledge, 2016.
Zinn, Howard. A people's history of the United States: 1492-present . Routledge, 2015.
1 Faragher, John Mack, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel J. Czitrom, and Susan Hodge Armitage. Out of Many: A History of the American People, Combined Volume . Pearson, 2014. Page 243
2 Raphael, Ray. A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence . New Press, The, 2016. N.P
3 Filler, Louis. Slavery in the United States . Routledge, 2018. 8-10
4 Schwartz, Barry. "The emancipation proclamation: Lincoln’s many second thoughts." 590-593
5 Zinn, Howard. A people's history of the United States: 1492-present . Routledge, 2015. 182-183
6 Chong, Dennis. Collective action and the civil rights movement . University of Chicago Press, 2014. 221
7 Singleton, Theresa A. The archaeology of slavery and plantation life . Routledge, 2016. 3-10
8 Riches, William. The civil rights movement: Struggle and resistance . Macmillan International Higher Education, 2017. 70
9 Reed, Thomas Vernon. The Art of Protest: Culture and Activism from the Civil Rights Movement to the Present . U of Minnesota Press, 2019. 117
10 Acharya, Avidit, Matthew Blackwell, and Maya Sen. "The political legacy of American slavery." The Journal of Politics 78, no. 3 (2016): 621-641.
