Slavery and the Making of America - Essay Example

Slavery and the making of America s), First M. Last, Omit s and Degrees] al Affiliation(s Why did American have two different societal views during 1863 and few years later in 1877? What was the purpose of having two conflicting views? What did Americans hope to gain out from these messages?America’s societal views changed between 1863 and 1877 given the economic advantage available to the south through the use of free labor in the form of slaves. By 1863, Americans in the North wanted to defeat the Confederacy in order to unite the American nation.

However, after the end of the war, the newly liberated African Americans and their assimilation into society provided its own set of unique problems leading to differing societal views. Americans hoped to join the Union in order to restore America’s lost pride and to reduce the danger of competing free slave labor in the development of the West. Following the Emancipation Declaration, the need to rebuild the South and the absorption of African Americans required the American nation to soften its stance on racial bias (PBS, 2014).

Additionally, the need for cheap labor required the American nation to be more tolerant towards the African Americans.2. How did this impact African Americans? Did it help or hinder their fight for freedom and individuality?The shifting attitude of the American nation, namely the white population between 1863 and 1877, helped the African Americans win their fight for freedom on a recognized scale. However, the fight for individual freedom for African Americans for hampered for around a century to come.

Although the black man had been freed through legislation, namely the Emancipation Proclamation, but he was still in chains everywhere due to social and economic pressures. The average African American, especially in the newly liberated South, was still at the mercy of an overwhelmingly dominant white population. The standard of living for the average slave on the plantation had still yet to register a significant increase. Since the African Americans were socially isolated and unable to assimilate into mainstream society, their individual character could not fully emerge.

In order to resist the bulwark of an unforgiving society, the African Americans had to move within society as a group rather than as individuals.ReferencesPBS. (2014, November 9). Slavery and the making of America. Retrieved from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24U156LHXYM