The Impact of Slavery on the Development of the United States - Essay Example

number Part I The Impact of Slavery on the Development of the United s Exploitation of the black slaves used to be a common practice in the USA up to the middle of the 19th century. It is possible to say that the US would not be able to develop its economy so fast and successfully without the institute of slavery. Nevertheless, independent societies of the Western Hemisphere considered this social institute to be a shameful relic of the colonial past, which cannot be tolerated. Though, slavery has been existing for 89 years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It is an absolute record for the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Brazil was the only exception – there slavery was abolished later than in the US. However, the period of independent existence of this country was much shorter. Severe nature of the Northern states provided appropriate conditions for the industrial development. The local model of economy required highly motivated and skilled workers. Of course, the quality of slave labor could not meet these requirements. On the other hand, plantation economy of the South was in need of mass low-qualified labor force. The institute of slavery seemed to be a perfect solution. The bigger the plantation was, the more slaves its owner needed. Thus, the economic advancement of the Southern states was rather fast-paced. Unpaid slave labor became its integral component. The economy has been especially profitable from the 1840s until the beginning of the Civil War. Cotton, its main export product, was one of the most important factors of its success. The demand for cotton was really high in European countries, especially in Great Britain. In addition, the prices for cotton tended to increase. People used to call cotton “the King”. Southern plantations supplied 75% of the worlds cotton by 1860 – it accounted almost 50% of the export of the US. The agrarian slave-owning South and the industrial North used to be independent economic regions in the early 19th century. Each state could pursue its own economic policy. Despite the constant population increase and economic development, the flow of integration processes was rather slow. The North required resources from the South, especially cotton. At the same time, the South was in need of machinery from the North. That is why the coexistence of these two regions had been peaceful and mutually profitable for a long time. However, a number of contradictions emerged soon. One of the most disputed issues related to the institute of slavery. It is possible to provide many examples. Fugitive slaves is one of them. It was disputed if they are to be regarded free in free states. The radical opponents of this idea insisted that even those free people who provide such slaves with shelters should be punished. In addition, many Southern states refused to tolerate free black people within their territories. Many other issues arose too. In addition, the situation was not static. A lot of new territories were colonized by the US. Heated debate arose around the constitution of every future state. The institution of slavery has been one of the sharpest matters of argument. Its advocates insisted that new states are supposed to be slave-owning. On the contrary, its opponents thought that new states should be free. The situation changed the moment Abraham Lincoln came into power. He pronounced all the new states to be free. The politicians of the Southern states faced a perspective to remain in the minority. In other words, all the further controversial issues, discussed at Congress, were going to be settled in behalf of the Northern states. Thus, the institute of slavery used to be an economic foundation of political and financial might of large plantation owners in the Southern states. The status of elite, exercising control over major part of territory, realty, and capital, was endangered. The abolition of slavery posed a threat to the economy model and life pattern of the South. In addition, the movement against slavery was also based on moral and religious principles. However, only the representatives of the most radical groups admitted the total race equality. The majority of people considered the idea of ex-slave repatriation to be the best problem solution. For this purpose the US founded a colony, Liberia, which was later settled by freed slaves. This process, now known as the Back-to-Africa movement, was supported by Lincoln too. At the same time, the idea to make rights of the white people absolutely equal to rights of ex-slaves was disapproved by greater part of the population even in the North. In the middle of the 19th century the situation became extremely tense – the very existence of the US as a state was endangered. The Northern states despised the archaic institutes of the South, while the Southerners tended to consider themselves a self-sufficient nation and culture, which can exist without the Northern states. It became clear that the war could not be avoided. However, the abolition of slavery was not the main purpose of the Civil War. Lincoln has once pronounced that his main task is to save the Union, but not to abolish or preserve slavery. Thus, the Southern states strived to expand the system of slaveholding into the colonized territories. It would make the preponderance of forces in Congress to their benefit. That is what the Northern states aimed to prevent. Military activities turned to be the only powerful method. The North expected to score a victory quite fast. However, it did not happen. At the same time, more and more people have been showing interest in the ideas of Abolitionist Movement. Slaves were promised freedom if they participate in the War on the side of the North. Of course, it helped Lincoln turn the balance in favor of the North. Lincoln laid account on slave rebellion behind enemy lines. Thus, slaves turned to be an important factor, which have influenced the outcome of the War. The Union has received the victory. Thus, slavery was finally abolished in 1865, after four years of a bloody war. However, almost 100 years passed until the moment black people gained all the fundamental human rights in the US. Part II 1. The Three-Fifths Compromise was reached between the delegates from the North and the South during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The issue was about how to count slaves while appreciating the total number of population in every state. This number was used to determine the number of seats that each state would have in the House of Representatives. Finally, states were allowed to count three fifths of each slave. 2. Cotton gin – it is a machine, invented by Eli Whitney in 1793. It helped separate cotton fibers from the seeds quickly and easily. Its influence over world economy is really significant, especially in the US. Cotton processing became much cheaper and faster. On the other hand, the profitability of slave plantations was significantly increased too. 3. Fugitive Slave Act – it is a law, passed in 1850. The population of all the states was forced to participate in the chase of runaway slaves. They were supposed to be taken back to their masters and suffer severe punishment. Those free people who helped runaway slaves hide were to pay a 1000$ fine or be imprisoned for 6 months. This Act was extremely unpopular. Abolitionists met it with violent criticism. 4. Abolitionist movement (prior to the Civil War). Its aim was to abolish both formal and informal slavery in all the states. Its participants elaborated the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and shelters used to help slaves escape to free states. Presidential election of 1860 and the Civil War denoted a prominent breakthrough in their struggle. 5. Bleeding Kansas – it is a series of armed conflicts and a violent crisis, emerged in Kansas after the Kansas-Nebraska Act, passed by Congress in 1854. On the one hand, hundreds of Missourians crossed the border in order to make Kansas a slave state. On the other hand, Northern abolitionists wanted it to be free. It is possible to say that Bleeding Kansas may be regarded a prelude to the Civil War. 6. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) became the 16th president of the US in 1860. He used to be the representative of the Republican Party and an advocate of abolitionist movement. The fact of his election turned to be a reason why South Carolina seceded from the Union. Lincoln is famous for Emancipation Proclamation, accepted in 1863. In April 1865 he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer. 7. Uncle Tom’s Cabin – it is a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852. This book became a bestseller of its time – almost 250,000 copies were sold in quite a short period of time. Its influence over public opinion was incredible – it turned Northerners against slavery and the Southern states more than anything else. In 1863 Lincoln called this book “the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war”. 8. Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) – an American soldier and politician, a former Senator from Mississippi. In 1861 he became the 1st and the only president of the Confederacy. He used to be the leader of the South during the Civil War. He elaborated the defense strategy of the Southern states, which, however, contained a number of flaws. In general, his aim was to unify the Southern states under the central government, since he considered it to be the only possible alternative under conditions of war. He died at age 81, in the presence of his friends and his wife Varina. 9. Emancipation Proclamation. It was issued by Lincoln in January 1863, after the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam. This proclamation has nominally made all the slaves in the Confederacy free. It came into force only in ten states. However, the proclamation made thousands of slaves free the day it was accepted. In addition, it became a turning point in ideology of the Civil War. Emancipation became associated with the restoration of the Union. 10. The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted on December 18 in 1865, abolished slavery and any other forms of forced labor. The only exception is correctional labor for criminals and public disturbers. However, the rights of African-American population remained limited even after this. Works Cited Roark, James, Michael P. Johnson, and Patricia Cline Cohen. The American Promise, Volume I: A History of the United States: To 1877. Bradford: Bedford Books, 2009. Print. Read More