For the second blog I will talk about how slavery was an encompassing system of racial hierarchies that structured American social, economic, and political relationships. I will also explain how slavery was woven throughout American society and all people implicated in it. The last thing I will explain in how we can see similar systems of social control at work in our lives.
How was slavery woven throughout American society? Slavery was going on for so long that the people thought it was part of society. People accepted it because it was the way of life at that time. They did not know any difference. People may have recognized that it was wrong, but it was part of American society. People may have condoned it, but they did not want to say anything, it was part of the American society.
How were all people implicated in it? Slavery shaped the American nation, its economy, its politics, its culture, and its most fundamental principles. For most of American history, the United States was a society of slaves and slaveholders. The American economy, of course, was founded upon the production of slave-grown crops. The great staples-tobacco, rice, sugar, and finally cotton-which slave owners sold on an international market, brought capital into the new colonies. That capital eventually funded an enormous economic infrastructure upon which the modern American economy rests.
What was necessary for it to end? Civil War. Slavery was the main reason for the Civil War.
Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, but it sold the love of millions of Americans and changed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every federal troop expanded the domain of freedom. However, the Proclamation did announce the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, which enabled the liberated to become liberators. In conclusion by the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.
The first days of the Civil War slaves had acted to establish their own liberty. The Emancipation Proclamation confirmed their insistence that the war for the Union must become a war for freedom. This added moral force to the Union and strengthened the Union both politically and militarily. Towards the end to slavery's final destruction, the Emancipation Proclamation has assumed a well known document of human freedom.
Can we see similar systems of social control at work in our lives? Blue Collar (factory workers) versus white collar workers (office people). Most blue collar worker (factory) only high school education - white collar (college educated). The perception is those white collars are more educated and wealthier than blue collar workers. The wealthy and powerful/important people needed to demonstrate that slavery should end. Within the United States, Intercity versus rural areas. The perception of intercity is less education, less work ethnic. These people attitudes are "what is the government going to do to help me". The rural areas attitude "what can I do to help the government and/or country. Within the World - There has been fighting in the Middle East for centuries. Children growing up in these areas think that bombs and guns are everyday life. Many children probably do not know what they are fighting for any more; it’s just part of their life. Both examples are social driven people may not agree with it, but they do not want to say anything, it is part of society.
I like how you pointed out that slavery shaped the economy of America. Slaveholders were getting rich on slave planted, cared for and harvested crops. Can you imagine if all slaves had rebelled at once? Especially if they had combined their forces with all non-whites. They could have easily taken over if they could have worked as one entity and set their differences aside. And since they had all the knowledge and abilities to produce great crops they would have left the white man struggling. Especially if the white man refused to do all of the hard work that it would have taken to create crops on their own. Also since many of the non-whites specialized in areas that the white man only controlled but was not talented at that would have caused another area for the whites to struggle through. Would the slaves and non-whites have cared at that point if the whites were suffering? If the tables had turned would they have treated whites with more care then they had been treated with or would they have become the monsters they hated? More than likely it would have all depended on who they chose as their leader. A world led by Frederick Douglas would have been much different then one led by Martin Delaney.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the army and navy did allowed that black man to be enlisted that early. That would scare me if I was a slave owner because those slaves would want their revenge, and 200,000 black soldiers is alot. Mallory you hit most of the basics that needed to be touched on and I really do not know what else to say about that.
ReplyDeleteTo comment on Leslies point about the slaves rebelling I really do not think it would have been all that bad. Most of the slaves were doing jobs that would bring in money not neccessity food. It would have been different if the slaves were making your fruits and vegitables that people eat. And even then the slave owner could have done enough to make enough food for his family to eat. It is not like the slave owners were not capable of doing work they just were doing more work to bring in more cash to the plantation than what his family could do. So that is why they bought slaves because they were a cheap form of labor.
Leslie I like how you said that the world would be so different if the leader would have been different. It is very true because even in this day in society if George W. Bush would not have been president after 9-11 who knows what that could have turned into. Maybe Al Gore would have been the president and brought us to a world war or maybe Al Gore would never started this war at all it is really hard to tell.
Ryan- I concede that you may be right that the white man may not have been as incompetent as I described. However what if during the rebellion the slaves and non-whites actually took all of the land from the whites and drove them away. Where would they go? If they could not own property what would they have done to make a living? They may not have been able to get menial jobs or maybe they would have only to realize that they could not make enough to feed, clothe and house themselves and their families. Some would probably have packed what little belongings they could and headed back to England if they still had any family that they kept in contact with there.
ReplyDeleteI have often pondered what would have happened during 9-11 if Gore had been president and not Bush. I was on the fence that year and could not decide between the two so actually chose not to vote. Originally I was behind the war and what Bush chose to do but unfortunately along the way him and his military cronies seemed to lose sight of their original goal and thus lost my support. Which always brings me back to wondering would things have been any different under Gore and would that be good or bad? I know one thing I will never be undecided at election time again, even if I do not choose the obvious republican or democrat I will always vote for who I think will make the best choices for the United States.
I don't think that we could have known that 9-11 was going to happen and how devistating it would be for the US but it is now something that we have to think about because Korea is starting to get a little to crazy over there and we know from experience they will never give up if something gets started.
ReplyDeleteAlso Leslie I did not see the other side of view when I first thought about it. It is very true and I do not know what the slaves would have done because of the lack of cash. My ancestors came with 50 cents from Germany many years ago when they came over just hoping to find something and that is probably what the white slave owners would hope for as well.
Hmmm…I feel that you could elaborate more in answering what was necessary for slavery to end. Was Civil War all? For instance, you say, “People accepted [slavery] because it was the way of life at that time.” Okay, so what about when people realized that slavery wasn’t okay, that their justifications weren’t really justified at all? If we consider that, then this realization was necessary for the end of slavery…and plenty more, I think.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you’ve said about the blue collar/white collar system of social control, and I like how you’ve included the different levels of education in that. I think there is a definite parallel in that system when compared with slavery…though, obviously, not as severe.