Slavery in the USA - Essay Example

Slavery in the USA The industrial revolution in both Europe and the United s of America resulted in slavery in bothcountries. This was as a result of the Atlantic slave trade that saw slaves acquired from Africa and transported to America where they were sold as property in order to work on plantations so that the industrial revolution that was taking place could be sustained. This paper will reveal how the chattel slavery began and spread in North America and how it became legal to own black people as property. The paper will then illustrate how narratives of fugitive slaves led to the abolition of slave trade and highlight on the characteristics of such narratives and the major points they addressed. Finally, it will highlight on the collective root causes, issues and problems that arose as a result of chattel slavery and then it will analyze approaches to abolishing chattel slavery. Origin of Chattel Slavery in North America Since slavery was incorporated in the world, slaves were viewed as property and could be moved as easy as when the owners wanted. This did not take long to be incorporated in the North America. This is so since from the time slaves were bought, or kidnapped in Africa, they were immediately treated as property to be exported into North America. There are various reasons why slaves were treated as property. First, the constitution at that time stipulated that as long as someone was white, they had the right to life and own property. This meant that black people were not considered as human beings by the law since they did not have the right to own property. This being the case, then they were treated as property which could be sold or bought as their masters wished. Chattel slavery also started in north America as a way of ensuring that slaves respected their masters and did anything they were asked. This is so since being property meant that they could eat, sleep and wear clothes at their masters’ pleasure. This resulted in the black slaves loosing respect for themselves resulting in their at most obedience to their masters. Another reason why chattel slavery was introduced in North America was to ensure that slaves did not run away from their masters. Slaves were branded to ensure that everyone including the slaves new that they were someone’s property. By doing so, the Whites ensured that a slave could not run away since there would be nowhere else they would go. This was the case because if a fugitive slave was caught by white people he/she would have been returned to his master who had branded him/he and severely punished through whipping or sometimes execution. Chattel slaver was legal in North America since it was protected by the constitution. In fact, even after the declaration of independence changes to the section on slavery had been architected in such a way that it would not have been changed for the next two decades. Fugitive Narratives and abolition of Slavery Fugitive slave narratives were stories either written or oral about the life and accomplishments of a slave who had ran away from their masters or a free slave. These narratives became so influential North America that they are considered a tradition in the United States of America. These narratives were instrumental in the abolition of slavery in North America since they resulted in many slaves revolving against their masters asking for their rights as they too were also human beings. These stories talked of how a slave experienced freedom and how in other parts of North America and the world black people were respected and treated as fellow human beings. In fact most scholars consider slave fugitive narratives as the major factor that led to the abolition of slave trade. This is so since it was through them that black people started to revolt against their masters and even fight for their freedom some even willing to die. As a result slavery got abolished since many slaves ran away from the southern states to join the war in favor of the union side of the American civil war which resulted in the Union winning. The first slave narrative to be published was that by Olaudeah Equiano a two volume book titled Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano written in 1789. The book is about Equiano who was sold as a slave in North America. He was able to escape and succeeded to be a British citizen. This narrative became a world best seller. Fugitive narratives also contributed to the abolishment of slaver in North America as they made away to the world on the living conditions that slaves were living in resulting in the world pressure the United States of America to abolish slavery. All fugitive slave narratives had similar characteristics. First, they were all true stories of fugitive slaves. Secondly, they all urged other slaves to revolt against their masters or escaped. The narratives also told of places where the black people were treated as equal with rights as white people. Another characteristic with fugitive slave narratives given orally was the fact that they were given in secrecy usually during at night since slaves did not want the masters to hear them talk about them. This would have resulted with corporal punishment. The major issues that these fugitive slave narratives addressed were the fact that black people were also human beings and deserved to be respected and accorded human rights such as those given to white people. The narratives also addressed the poor living conditions that slaves stayed by revealing to the world on the mistreatment and degrading living conditions. Up to to date fugitive slave narratives have been used as influential pointers in the fight against racism by black people in the United States of America. One of the influential slave fugitive narratives was that of Thomas H Jones titled the experience if Thomas H Jones. Different Approaches by Writers to Chattel Slavery Different writers have taken a different approach towards chattel slavery. This section of the paper will compare the different approaches proposed by Maria Stewart, David Walker, Harriet Jacobs, and Fredrick doubles. All four writers were people of African origin who were either born into slavery or they came from a back ground of slavery. David walkers took an approach where wrote against the American society violently of hypocrisy based on their Christian values. He rallied fellow black people to revolt against their masters and fight to proclaim their dignity and humanity (Baraka). He called the white people hypocrites since they were so keen n instilling Christian values onto African who they considered savages yet they went against the teaching of slavery. On the other hand, Fredrick Douglass took a persuasive strategy approach where he based his writing on sermons that insisted on teachings from the bible. He used imagery and rhythm to rally for the abolition of slavery. Fredric was one the writers that abolitionist used to spread propaganda to rally for the abolition of slave trade. Harriet Ann Jacobs is considered by most scholars as taking a feminist approach when writing about slavery in North America. This is so based on the fact that she dwelt on black women and what they were to do to bring an end to slavery. Martha Stewart also took a feminist approach since she dwelt on the freedom and respect of black women. When analyzing the different approaches that was taken by the above writers then it can bee said that the approaches complimented each other since they lead to the uprising of slaves in their fight for equal rights. Each approach had an effect on its own. For instance, Martha Stewart was able to rally women to join their brothers and husbands in demanding for their rights. Conclusion Chattel slavery was so embedded in North America that its effects are still present even today. Animals were treated better than black slaves despite the fact that they were human beings. This is so since at least white people fed and sheltered their animals well which was not the case when it came to their black slaves. White people use psychological and physical tactics that ensured that black people accepted the fact that they were property owned by their masters and he/she would have done with them as they pleased. Were it not for the efforts of a few courageous black slaves, then probably chattel slavery would not have needed in North America. It is of importance to point out the fact that it was the work of fugitive slave that contributed to the union winning the civil war hence the democratic America we have today. Work Cited Baraka Amini. David Walker’s Appeal and a Call for Unity, 2011. Web. Read More