Reform American History - Essay Example

I believe that the ‘Abolition Movement’ had the greatest impact on the American history mainly because it paved way for democratic society that believed in equal rights. Tradition of slavery has been one of the biggest slurs on human race where White mainstream population promoted racial discrimination through deliberate use of power politics. The African slaves brought from Africa by the European colonizer to work on fields in America later became intrinsic part of American society. They were victimized because they were poor, non-white and believed to be racially inferior to the whites. The American War of Independence in 1789 was a landmark event that brought into being United States of America, world’s greatest democratic state. The first President of America, Abraham Lincoln who issued ‘Emancipation Proclamation’ for slaves that served as catalyst for ending the tradition of slavery.
Abolition movement was significant for myriad reasons. One of the most important factors was to end the enslavement of African people and to stop the exploitation of local people and local resources by the colonial rulers in America. The American Revolution became the major propellant that gave huge thrust to the abolition movement. While the institution of slavery per se ceased with the emancipation proclamation in 1863, but it was the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that brought in a new era of hope, opportunities and empowerment for the blacks in America. It ensured equal rights and equal opportunities for all across race and gender. Harris, Chapman and McKenzie (2005) strongly assert that today blacks have significant influence in legislative outcome. Indeed, President Obama is scintillating example of equality across race and color.
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Reference
Harris, Fredrick C., Sinclair-Chapman, Valeria., and McKinzie, Brian D. ‘Macrodynamics of Black Political Participation in the Post-Civil Rights Era.’ Journal of Politics 67.4 (2005): 1143-1163. Read More