Grave markers in colonial america - Essay Example

Both the whites and the blacks has ever since observed some form of marking to the passing of a person with grave markings being among the most used forms of observing the passing on of a person. Colonialism, slavery as well as the ideology of being free had a critical part to play while observing this stage of life and hence the interest in carrying out this study. In understanding the evolution of humans through the stages of slavery, colonialism as well as the independence, this paper intends to focus on historical artifacts and records to establish the perceptions and attitudes of persons towards slavery, colonialism and their effect on tradition and the issue of grave markings with a special focus on America.

This paper therefore intends to answer the question on how the larger society have swayed over years from the dictates of slavery and colonialism in such social concerns and whether this can be observed in the grave markers. The evolution of social perceptions and attitudes towards the death of a person and the subsequent burial of the remains can be seen through many archaeological features among which are grave marks. Early markers have evolved to shape what we have today in many societies with a definite evolution from then use of wood, slate, sand stone, marble/sandstone as well as granite for making grave markings (Erik, 2014).

Besides, the reshaping of the society as influenced by religious believes would be seen to have had great influence on how people would perceive death. For instance, traditional African faiths had much respect of dead persons as were believed to only change in physical state but living in the spirit after death. In the 18th century (after great awakening), the religious wave in America changed the perceptions of the whites much through the faith that death was not to be feared but rather looked forward to.

Christianity taught that death gave a person a time to reunite with