Slavery, Abolitionists, & Rebellion.

             

You are just a little child. You’re playing outside your hut on a hot sunny day while your parents put something together for dinner. Suddenly strange men approached you and take you and your family away. The things you were playing with lay where you dropped them. You have heard your parents concern of something such of what is happening to you all right now. You know what is going to happen deep down but you try to push the thought away. Next thing you know you and your parents on on a boat to America with other African people like you from villages near and far. Some speak of this thing called a slave trade but you try not to listen because it sounds frightening. After weeks upon the boat you arrive in America only to be roughly treated and taken to a strange place where you soon find out you and your family are being separated and most likely will never see eachother again.

It seems so long ago that something so irrational like slavery could exist in America. It is difficult to even imagine something of the sort could have ever happened in this country at all, considering the modern day culture and occurrences that now take place. Slavery is when one is forced to do harsh work with little pay or reward, often living in tough conditions. To give you an idea of how they were treated, it is noted they were often treated like property. This once existed in America and was not thought wrongly of.

It started from the beginning of colonists settlement and last until 1865 when the 13th amendment was amended into the Constitution. Those who were enslaved by plantation and small farm owners were of African American Origin. The life of a slave was far from easy. They were treated like property and often separated from their loved ones, never seeing them again. A slaves life consisted mostly of living in shacks that rarely had furniture and often had dirt floors. Working six days a week from sun up to sun down left little time for them to do anything else besides concentrate on their duties. A slave did as they were told too or they would be beaten or punished for not obeying their owner. Slaves were sometimes even killed when they disobeyed. Some tried to run away but if they were caught the punishment was severe and there wasn’t much place for them to go. Not everyone owned a slave, but slavery was definitely more supported in the south. Actually only two out of the first ten presidents never owned slaves.

Although slavery was slowly becoming a questionable thing as time went on, it often caused difficult debates and many arguments. It is actually one of the main causes of the Civil War that took place between the North and South. The civil war was the last straw though. There were many other attempts to end slavery before the thought of war even came about. Some African Americans believed they deserved the right to share the same freedom as a white man. They argued the point of also being part of the building blocks in what had formed the country. Anti-slave societies existed, but never had much of an impacted until abolitionists began to take a stand. Abolitionists were activists who devoted their life to the cause of ending slavery. Some even died due to their actions. They sent petitions to Congress, campaigned for change and even tried to find ways to overthrow slave owners. They were a minority that slowly changed from peaceful to aggressive.

One slave by the name of Nat Turner even planned a rebellion after claiming to receive visions from God telling him to organize a rebellion of slaves against slave owners. About seventy slaves got together and went from one plantation to the next killing about seventy-five white men before they were stopped. Due to the situation, Turner and eighteen others were hanged. Restrictions on slaves were also tightened. This was just one of many slave rebellions in history as well. Another abolitionists by the name of Federick Douglass was a former slave who escaped slavery at the age of 21. As a former servant and slave, he was able to read and write so well that he spoked out against slavery. He did such a good job some people even questioned his past life of a slave.

Slavery was an exponential part of American history, even though it was completely inhuman. Although I don’t agree with it I would say that the impacted it had on our history certainly helped to mold the country we live in today. It also gave us a foundation to learn from and history would be completely different if it never happened. Sometimes light comes out of the darkest things with just a little time.

The Market Revolution & Its Lasting Impact.

The Market Revolution was a period of time in America where rapid change was inevitable. It changed the world & the future of America. Things that were beginning to become reality, that were beyond people's wildest imaginations. Inventions varied from sewing machines to the cotton gin. I wouldn’t say one invention was even more important than another, because they all impacted history. The cotton gin changed many things as far as the duties of slavery and also the amount of cotton being produced to export to other countries as wells he in America. Eli Whitney was the inventor, and with his invention slaves' duties changed, but they were still needed to harvest the cotton. The cotton gin separated the seeds out of the cotton fibers, which was once slaves jobs, but now they focused on harvesting because the demand increased so much.

Transportation changed drastically during e market revolution as well. The first U.S railroad was established during it . Also the first turnpikes and interstate roads were constructed. the turnpike was the first toll roads in our country and played an important role in transporting goods. This changed the game of trade as well as produced many jobs. Farmers and merchants were able to move their goods to greater distances. This changed the economy completely and really helped America move forward. Finally, lifestyle rapidly changed as well . People began moving out west because of the opportunities available. Open land for farming and the possibility of gold were just some of the opportunities. The way our country developed really affected how things are today. From transportation, to old historical structures that once and possibly still offer opportunity. Also the way women lived was slowly evolving.

The work women did at home was slowly becoming jobs that were done in factories. Their home duties change more to sustaining relationships and taking care of the kids. Women were seen as emotional and better home makers meaning men should make the decisions for the household because they wouldn't do it based off emotion. This gradually changed during this time as well, which is one reason women live the lives they do now. Women basically live the same lives men do now. Not in all cases,but most women are not the home makers anymore. The duties are split unless the family is divorced, which also wasn’t common during the time of the market revolution.

Beliefs also changed during the market revolution as well, part of the change in beliefs makes me think that is why society morphed slowly into what it is now. Some people wanted nothing more than to depend on themselves and no one but their sole self. This was called individualism. In my opinion there are still individualists today, but most people depend on society’s ways. People express individualism by expressing their own beliefs, the way they express themselves, and the things they choose to do to make them happy.

Even though freedom isn't new, people still embraced their rights and wanted to be seen as an individual, and capable of supporting themselves without the help of another. One man even said “ that events in the first half of the nineteenth century made the United States into the capitalist and liberal nation it is today.” I believe he was referring to the movement of individualism.

                                “The Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe in the 1700s, had producednew inventions and methods of production. American inventors transformed the U.S. economy with new innovations of their own.” The Market Revolution was basically to America as the Industrial Revolution was to Europe. Our country could use a revolution that had as much impact as this did now! (source 4)

Links/Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_Revolution (3)
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/precivilwar/section6.rhtml (4)
http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521709897 (2)
Packet from class written by Eric Foner (1)
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/precivilwar/section6.rhtml

Presidential Debate (Repost)

We all have our own views and beliefs about what is good and bad or right and wrong. In the upcoming election the two most publicized running politicians are Mitt Romney (Republican) and Barack Obama (Democrat). On October 17th a live debate between the two was broadcast all over the media. The debate included ideas and plans both candidates would attempt to put into effect if elected. Mainly the debate focused on the lacking number of jobs in America and also tax cuts.

The debate began with the discussion about people who have just graduated college not being able to find a job and struggling to afford basic needs. Romney covered how his plan was to better the economy and create more jobs. Obama also began by attempting to say that he was going to create more jobs too. This matters to me because I am almost out of high school and the lacking number of jobs is a little frightening. I don’t want to spend my life working in the fast food industry or hopping from job to job.

The next issue they discussed that interested me was the raised in gas prices. Gas is practically $4 a gallon now. I feel that because gas is considered a necessity it is being overcharged. Romney started off saying how he would fight for coal, oil, and other natural gases. Obama then defended himself when Romney pointed out the increase in gas prices since Obama took office. Obama claims “When I took office, the price of gasoline was $1.80, $1.86. Why is that? Because the economy was on
the verge of collapse, because we were about to go through the worst
recession since the Great Depression.” I personally strongly disagree with Obama because if we were in a good economy the budget would be balanced or close to it, and also inflation and gas prices would both drop down. Obama did not cover how he would get prices to decrease he rather just said he believes he can form jobs dealing with natural energy.

One issue that is a large concern is tax increases and decreases. People say Obama wants to make tax cuts for the middle class but what even is the middle class? Less and less people are in the middle class now. Making a tax increase for the upper class isnt going to help the job situation though. If you tax those that have the money to supply jobs they may not have the extra money to support more people in their business. Romney’s idea is similar to that. While Obama just wants to increase taxes for those with a good income.

In all honesty though this debate was just one big argument as far as I can tell. They were like children, and they also kept going off topic. Instead of going into detail on what each one of their plans were, they went back and forth pointing out one another flaws, mistakes, and disagreed beliefs. Instead of focusing on their ideas to better this country they focused on what the other one is doing wrong. Is that really whats important? I would say not. The point of this isn’t to bash each other. I can say that people probably care less about what they have to say about one another and this probably pushes people away from voting, or even wanting anything to do with politics.

I believe that Romney won the debate because he was able to back up his points. Maybe not as much as he should of but a bit more than Obama did. They both avoided a couple questions and didn’t always directly answer a question. I don’t really like either candidate but if I had to pick one it would be Romney because of the issues that I wrote about above. No I am not a republican, I am an independent...I just feel strongly that Romney has a better plan in order to move this country forward than Obama.


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/16/transcript-second-presidential-debate/?iref=allsearch
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/17/us/politics/20121017-second-presidential-debate-obama-romney.html

The American Colonies take Shape Questions

Section 2- The American Colonies & England
How did the English Monarchs force the King to accept the Magna Carta?
Where did the word habeas corpas?
What is mercantilism?

Section 3- Comparing Regional Cultures
Did the Regional cultures trade within each other?
How did the New Englanders transport the lumber they cut?
Were dame schools the same as one room school houses?
Were both boys and girls aloud to attend the dame schools?

The Early Colonies in America

The World would not be the way it is today if it weren’t for America and the early colonists that fought for freedom, spread ideas, and thrived off  the riches  American land had to offer. Colonists that came from all parts of Europe each brought something different to the table.

 

When 250,000 spanish colonists immigrated to America, many of them were many that married indian women. The native  american population in america decreased while the mestizos and immigrant population thrived.  Spaniards developed a hierarchy system in two  areas know as New Peru & New Spain, which were established by spaniards as well.  Spaniards spread out all over the South. The Spanish practically made the indians their slaves.

When the French began to Settle in America, they were civil with the Native Americans unlike the Spanish. The French and the native americans often traded goods that the French were incapable of retrieving. Some French slowly started to adopt indian ways and married indian women sometimes. The French did create a similar government  to the Spanish and even worked with the Algonquin indians to conquer the Iroquis.

Immigrants from England established colonies in England would solve some problems for England. Many thought it’d be best to send those in need of money to America so they could mine & raise crops. So England colonists settled in Virginia. They went through many hardships and many colonists died just like the French colonists that moved to Louisiana.  Indians tried to get along with the England immigrants but all they wanted was to take their land from them and colonize it. At one point a war even broke out between the indians and the colonists who were desperate for food & dying of starvation. England immigrants were in many wars that started because they didn’t get along with the native americans and were land hungry.

Puritans that immigrated to the New England area left England in seek of religious freedom. They like the other group of English immigrants in Virginia, did not get along with the indians and wanted to conquer their land while the indians just wanted to live with nature. They did learn knew things from each other though. Also horses, cows, and sheep were brought to this land by the Puritans and were new to the indians. Both indians and immigrants had to learn to overcome hardships. The Puritans hurt the population of indians drastically.

These are some similarities between the early colonies and what they brought to this country to make it what it is.