How did Native American and U.S. Relations Intersect with the Institution of Slavery - Essay Example

How did Native American and U.S. relations intersect with the of slavery? Slavery began in America in the year 1619. During this period, many slaves were dropped in Jamestown, which was the first settlement currently the U.S. It continued up to the end period of Civil War in the year 1865. In South, there was great need of work force. Most of the paid workers did not have the urge to work under the prevailing working conditions in the plantations in the South. Therefore, the plantations owners required workers who did not have freedom. For a while, the owners used white indentured workers but later on turned to black slaves (Buell 10). The decision to use black people as slaves was a way of preventing them from fleeing away. However, the relationship between Native American and U.S was an intersection of slavery. Most of the natives had good knowledge of the land and had more rights as compared to blacks who arrived from Africa. The natives made the blacks feel that they had very few rights as compared to the whites (Buell 9). Farming development created an opportunity for the farming people to put the prisoners captured during the war to work in the plantations. The government allowed the prisoners to work as slaves in the plantations. The people they owed enslaved people who could not make it to clear their debts. This form of institution was the root for slavery in America. Landowners in the colonies had the urge to apply forced labor in their plantations and that made them enslave a limited number of natives and hiring a huge number of indentured servants from Europe. Servants who needed transport across the Atlantic, had to commit themselves to the owners of the lands for a period of four to seven years. In the early 1619, there was importation of slaves from Africa (Baptist & Stephanie 275). Tobacco farming became very popular in 1670’s and there was a decrease in the number of people willing to continue working as indentured servants. In 1680’s, there was an increase in the number of slaves brought to America from Africa. These African slaves replaced all the native American slaves. It was found that the native Americans were highly susceptible to all the diseases originating from Europe. However, a small number of slaves came from kidnapping, crimes and those who did not pay their debts. The U.S allowed people to own slaves as a property. However, blacks were not allowed to own slaves and it was right for a farmer to buy or sell slaves. As a matter of fact, the states did not recognize slave marriages. There were few rights for the blacks and the slaves (Buell 26). The laws governing the colonies in the south indicated that it was illegal for any salve to marry, acquire their freedom, or own their own property. These laws prevented slaves from getting education or even manage to learn how to read. Some of the plantation owners carried out punishments to their slaves to force them to work. The punishments included physical beatings, denying the slaves food or even threatening them that some of their family members could be sold. Other owners executed some slaves for suspected serious crimes and hang them or burry them alive. Most of the Native Americans were the owners of the plantations. Those who were very rich managed to own a huge number of slaves and became high respected leaders in their locality. These leaders were members of the local governments. Therefore, they could not represent the needs and cries of the slaves. In addition, they attended legislatures meetings in the colonies’ capital twice a year. The owners of the slaves were educated and had plenty of time to influence the political life of the colonies in the south. Most of the difficult work in the plantations was done by the slaves (Buell 24). In the early 1700’s, slaves ownerships were very common amongst the rich people. Most of the people who fought for independence of America owned a big number of slaves. Slave ownership was common in the north and southern colonies. Therefore, since most of the leaders owned slaves, then it was difficult to get rid of slavery during that period. Actually, most of the lawmakers made rules in their own favor and not in the favor of the slaves. There was poor definition of the African’s legal status in America. Indentured servants from Europe acquired their freedom back after offering service for some years (Buell 16). The laws enacted in the colonies oppressed slaves and definition of slaves. However, at some time from 1660’s the laws provided that all black slaves and their children were supposed to serve as slaves for lifetime. Considering that the population of slaves continued growing naturally, that meant that slavery would expand and survive. Virginia law stated that any child born could possess the status of the mother. If the mother of the child was a slave, then the child could be a slave too. The law further stated that any white who married or eloped with a black servant would become a slave too. The law aimed at preventing the whites from being slaves (Lerner 3). How did international issues threaten US relations with Native Americans and African Americans during the Antebellum Era? In the history of US, Antebellum period refers to the period I between 1812’s war and civil war. The period started after the war that took place in the year 1812 and since America adopted the constitution in the year 1789 up to the commencement of the Civil War. The period involved increase in gradual polarization and abolition in the country between the supporters of the slavery and abolitionists. During the period, the economy of the country shifted towards the north to manufacturing as the industrial revolution commenced. In the south, the economy plantations were center of the economy because of the cotton boom. The annexation of new expansions in the Western caused the reinforcement of individualism in America and of Manifest Destiny. It was the idea brought about by the U.S institutions and Americans. The U.S institutions were regarded to be more superior to Americans because the latter are supposed to oblige towards the spread of the American institutions (Volo & Dorothy 3). In the South American part, cotton plantations were a profitable source. In the year 1973, foreign policy took center stage unexpectedly. That was the time when revolutionary France became overwhelmed in war with the rest of Europe. That event was to be the core source of 22 years of war. France made a claim that its alliance with U.S in the year 1779 was meant to bind America to help France. Washington had a neutrality policy in his administration that was supported by many Americans. However, Jeffersonians were in the favor of France and did not trust the British because they felt that Britain was the enemies of Republicans. In addition, British sought to take over the Spanish territory in the West and in the South. However, business community and Hamilton were in the favor of Britain. By then Britain was the largest trading partner of America (Riley 10). During the winter period of 1793 – 1794, Republicans gained support when the Britain overtook the merchant ships belonging to America and instead impressed their crews into the Royal Navy. However, in 1794, Jay treaty resolved the tensions resulting the seizing of the American ships. The treaty commenced ten years prosperity in trade and was in exchange that Britain was to get their troops from the fortifications in the Canadian border. However, Jeffersonians analyzed the treaty as surrender to British moneyed interests. They mobilized all their supporters national wide to work hard towards defeating the treaty. Likewise, Federalists held rallies of their supporters in a violent conflict (Riley 12). The conflict continued until the year 1795 when Washington intervened publicly in a debate to secure ratification using his prestige in America. At this point, the political and economic advantages of the position of the Federalist was very clear to all those concerned. In addition, the position was a combination with growing despise for France after the Reign of Terror and Jacobin policies of anti-religion. There was a continued conflict between Hamilton and Jefferson all because of the foreign policy. The conflict led to the formation of the parties for Federalist and Republicans. Washington remained detached and made warnings against political parties in his farewell address. Washington was in the support of Hamilton and Hamilitonian programs over those programs of Jefferson. The Democratic Republican Party had a significant domination in the Upper South, Western frontier, and parts of the middle states. Federalist support concentrated more in South Carolina and Northern cities. Between the years 1792 and 1824, the first party system started featuring two national parties, which were competing for the control of the presidency, congress and the states. The Federalist Party was dominant up to the year 1800. Alexander Hamilton created the party. The Democratic-Republican Party became dominant after the years 1800. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison created the paty. The two parties originated politics in national politics but moved to organizing voters and supporters per state. The politics were based on voters but not aristocrats factions at parliament or court. Federalists appealed to the business community while Republicans appealed to the farmers and planters. By the year 1796, there was monopolization of state politics took place governed by the two parties. In 1803, purchase of Louisiana took place and the farmers in the Western regions had the opportunity to use the Waterway of Mississipi River and got rid of the presence of French in the United States’ western border ((Mokyr 166). The purchase gave all the American settlers with a great potential for expansion. However, two weeks later, a war between Britain and Napoleons’ France resumed. The US depended on the revenues from Europe that arose from exporting of agricultural products. US took to exporting raw materials and food to both France and Britain causing warring Great Powers. The government aimed at gaining profits from transportation of goods between Caribbean colonies and home markets. The two sides permitted the trade when it was beneficial to them but when it was not beneficial they opposed the trade. After the destruction of the French navy, Britain decided to impose monopoly over the overseas trade bonds of France. To retaliate against the practices of the U.S trade, Britain imposed a loose blockade of the Coast of America. In the pursuit of ending the blockade laid down by Britain, President and Congress Jefferson suspended all the American trade with foreign nations by use of the Embargo Act of 1807. U.S had a believe that Britain could not rely on other food sources apart from the United States. However, the act caused a devastation of the agricultural exports of America and made American ports weak and Britain got new sources of food (Mokyr 165). Works Cited Baptist, E. E, and Stephanie M. H. Camp. New Studies in the History of American Slavery. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 2006. Print. Buell, T. Slavery in America: A Primary Source History of the Intolerable Practice of Slavery. New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2003. Print. Lerner, G. Black Women in White America: A Documentary History. New York: Pantheon Books, 1972. Print. Mokyr, J. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History: Vol 1. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print. Riley, Padraig G. Northern Republicans and Southern Slavery: Democracy in the Age of Jefferson, 1800-1819. , 2007. Internet resource. Volo, J. M, and Dorothy D. Volo. The Antebellum Period. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 2004. Print. Read More