African American History Since 1877.
Part of American history lies in the nature of the African American or commonly known as Black Americans. They are descendants of African slaves who lived in the continent from 1619 to 1865. These are people from the Caribbean whose predecessors migrated from Central Africa. The majority of enslaved Africans were either sold as prisoners of war or kidnapped directly by Europeans or Americans. Others Black Americans are relatively immigrants from South America and elsewhere who identify themselves as being part of African ancestry. Today, Black Americans make up the single biggest marginal group in the United States and form the second largest racial group after the whites.
The English Colonies and African Slavery
The early 1600 s marked the eagerness of England to gain colonial superiority over the North American continent and the first completion of this plan was founded at Jamestown in Virginia.. The first concern of these settlers was to work in the developing seafaring industry, labor to clear the forest and create more plantations and farms.
After the first settlement in the area, there was a need for colonial labor. African slaves provided the extra labor. Colonists treated the Africans as indentured servants, who could achieve their freedom after they already settled their obligations to their owners. However, a new race-based slavery system has been developed and the majority of these Africans or African American became slaves for their entire life. Thus, control over their captive slaves became a significant issue for white settlers as fear of rebellion spread over the entire continent.
However, as the merchants freed their servants, the slaves turn out to struggle for resources and basic commodities, while the merchants found replacement slaves afterwards. The combination of the nature and social status of Blacks together with the hardships in using in any other group of people led to the downgrading of Blacks into slavery. Thus, in 1641, Massachusetts was the first colony of the British Empire to legalize slavery. Other colonies followed afterwards by creating laws that passed slavery onto the offspring of slaves and making non-Christian Africans slaves for life.
The number of individual slaves increased throughout the colonies, corresponded to an increase in the demand for slaves. In 1672, the King of England officially approved the slave trade and contracted the Royal African Company to increase the procurement of slaves in Africa. After 1698, the English government passed a law which legitimized the slave trade. This led to the increase in number of Africans brought to the British colonies, from 5,000 to 45,000 per year surpassing Spain and Portugal as the number one trafficker of slaves in the world.
History of African Slave Trade and the Middle Passage
All along the west coast of Africa, Europeans established about sixty forts which served as trading post for African slavery. European sailors in search of riches brought cloth, guns, rum and other goods and traded them for human beings. This human cargo was transferred across the Atlantic Ocean (Middle Passage) and finally to slave owners. This slave trade devastated African life, culture and traditions. Many families were broken as a result of abductions especially for the young men. As a result, wars developed all over African continent.
After the abduction of the potential slaves, merchants required them to join in slave caravan to European coastal forts, approximately 1,000 to 2,000 miles distance. Only half of the people being abducted survived in the death march. The sick and weary were killed and often left up if they cannot keep up the caravan. The successful individual who reached the forts were imprisoned in underground dungeons until they were boarded up to ships.
The Middle Passage or the transport of the slaves across the Atlantic delivered goods from European ports to West Africa. Then the ship captains loaded their empty holds with slaves and transported them to the Caribbean as well as the Americas. A typical Atlantic voyage took about 60-90 days but mostly lasted up to four months because of some of the ships stop over in nearby ports. Upon the arrival of the ships, the captain traded the slaves to raw materials to be brought back to Europe which was considered to be the last part of the trip. Documents showed that roughly 54,000 trips were made every year by Europeans to acquire the trade slaves.
During the Middle Passage, Africans were often treated like cattle. On the slave ships, people were stuffed between decks in room too low for standing. The room was often unbearable and the air is suffocating. Women are abused sexually and men are often chained in pairs. Peoples were crowded together that they often had to lie in each other s feces, urine and other dysentery. When the diseases occurred like small pox and yellow fever it spread all over the room rapidly. Because of small crew that had to control the entire population of the slaves, brutal measures were done to control them such as whippings and iron muzzles.
Researchers found out that during the period of middle passage, between one to two millions died in the crossing. These mean that many African died because of the hardship being experienced throughout the entire period of the transport. There are also reports that while ships were still close to shore, uprising of desperate slaves sometimes broke out. Many went crazy in these barbaric situation others chose to jump to the ocean than to face slavery on their destinations.
The African American in the War of Independence
The late quarter of 18th century was a time for political turmoil in the United States. In the middle of wars from British oppression and tyranny, large number of people led to the apparent duplicities of slave holders wanting for freedom. Thomas Jefferson, who owned over 200 slaves, drafted a manifesto for personal freedom and human rights, the Declaration of Independence. Moreover, a number of free Blacks movements increased and submitted a petition letter for the ending of slavery. However, these petitions were largely ignored, both by the British government and the some American politicians.
In 1750 s, revolutionary spirit help African Americans to launched widespread sentiment during the American Revolution protesters argue that slavery was a social immorality that needs to be abolished in the entire country. Thus, this leads to all Northern states to make a law of freeing slaves in 1780 to 1804. Most of these states assembled a way for continuing emancipation for the slaves until it will all vanish. Consequently, the Northwest Ordinance passed by Congress barred all types of slavery from the big portion of Northwest Territory. Massachusetts Constitution for example declared in 1780 that all men are born free and equal, thus abolishing its slavery.
Moreover, as the United States grew as a nation, the institution of slavery continues to establish in the southern states, while northern part of the country began to abolish it. However, a number of events continued to shape in respect on abolition of slavery. The abolition of international slave trade took effect in 1808 following the celebration of the victory of the Black American to fight against slavery. Thus, by 1819, there were 11 slave and 11 free states, which increased the division between the south and north part of the country.
The African American in the Age of Emancipation and Reconstruction
During the American Civil war in 1661 to 1865, President Abraham Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation, emancipating the slaves in the southern states at war with the north. In 1865, the 13th amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified banning slavery in the entire United States. The 14th amendment in 1868 granted full citizenship to African American following the extended right to vote in the 15th amendment in 1870. As a result, civil war speeds up the process of national African American identity information.
African American have advanced their economic and social status drastically since the Civil Rights Movement and past years have witnessed the growth of a healthy, African American class all over the United states. Amazing access to higher employment and education in addition to depiction in the highest position in American governments has been attained by African Americans in the contemporary period. However, the legacy of slavery, discrimination and racism to African American as a group remain especially in areas relative to European American. Constant economic, social and political issues are still inaccessible to some African American including discrimination in housing, insufficient health care access, education criminal justice and other substance of abuse.
The English Colonies and African Slavery
The early 1600 s marked the eagerness of England to gain colonial superiority over the North American continent and the first completion of this plan was founded at Jamestown in Virginia.. The first concern of these settlers was to work in the developing seafaring industry, labor to clear the forest and create more plantations and farms.
After the first settlement in the area, there was a need for colonial labor. African slaves provided the extra labor. Colonists treated the Africans as indentured servants, who could achieve their freedom after they already settled their obligations to their owners. However, a new race-based slavery system has been developed and the majority of these Africans or African American became slaves for their entire life. Thus, control over their captive slaves became a significant issue for white settlers as fear of rebellion spread over the entire continent.
However, as the merchants freed their servants, the slaves turn out to struggle for resources and basic commodities, while the merchants found replacement slaves afterwards. The combination of the nature and social status of Blacks together with the hardships in using in any other group of people led to the downgrading of Blacks into slavery. Thus, in 1641, Massachusetts was the first colony of the British Empire to legalize slavery. Other colonies followed afterwards by creating laws that passed slavery onto the offspring of slaves and making non-Christian Africans slaves for life.
The number of individual slaves increased throughout the colonies, corresponded to an increase in the demand for slaves. In 1672, the King of England officially approved the slave trade and contracted the Royal African Company to increase the procurement of slaves in Africa. After 1698, the English government passed a law which legitimized the slave trade. This led to the increase in number of Africans brought to the British colonies, from 5,000 to 45,000 per year surpassing Spain and Portugal as the number one trafficker of slaves in the world.
History of African Slave Trade and the Middle Passage
All along the west coast of Africa, Europeans established about sixty forts which served as trading post for African slavery. European sailors in search of riches brought cloth, guns, rum and other goods and traded them for human beings. This human cargo was transferred across the Atlantic Ocean (Middle Passage) and finally to slave owners. This slave trade devastated African life, culture and traditions. Many families were broken as a result of abductions especially for the young men. As a result, wars developed all over African continent.
After the abduction of the potential slaves, merchants required them to join in slave caravan to European coastal forts, approximately 1,000 to 2,000 miles distance. Only half of the people being abducted survived in the death march. The sick and weary were killed and often left up if they cannot keep up the caravan. The successful individual who reached the forts were imprisoned in underground dungeons until they were boarded up to ships.
The Middle Passage or the transport of the slaves across the Atlantic delivered goods from European ports to West Africa. Then the ship captains loaded their empty holds with slaves and transported them to the Caribbean as well as the Americas. A typical Atlantic voyage took about 60-90 days but mostly lasted up to four months because of some of the ships stop over in nearby ports. Upon the arrival of the ships, the captain traded the slaves to raw materials to be brought back to Europe which was considered to be the last part of the trip. Documents showed that roughly 54,000 trips were made every year by Europeans to acquire the trade slaves.
During the Middle Passage, Africans were often treated like cattle. On the slave ships, people were stuffed between decks in room too low for standing. The room was often unbearable and the air is suffocating. Women are abused sexually and men are often chained in pairs. Peoples were crowded together that they often had to lie in each other s feces, urine and other dysentery. When the diseases occurred like small pox and yellow fever it spread all over the room rapidly. Because of small crew that had to control the entire population of the slaves, brutal measures were done to control them such as whippings and iron muzzles.
Researchers found out that during the period of middle passage, between one to two millions died in the crossing. These mean that many African died because of the hardship being experienced throughout the entire period of the transport. There are also reports that while ships were still close to shore, uprising of desperate slaves sometimes broke out. Many went crazy in these barbaric situation others chose to jump to the ocean than to face slavery on their destinations.
The African American in the War of Independence
The late quarter of 18th century was a time for political turmoil in the United States. In the middle of wars from British oppression and tyranny, large number of people led to the apparent duplicities of slave holders wanting for freedom. Thomas Jefferson, who owned over 200 slaves, drafted a manifesto for personal freedom and human rights, the Declaration of Independence. Moreover, a number of free Blacks movements increased and submitted a petition letter for the ending of slavery. However, these petitions were largely ignored, both by the British government and the some American politicians.
In 1750 s, revolutionary spirit help African Americans to launched widespread sentiment during the American Revolution protesters argue that slavery was a social immorality that needs to be abolished in the entire country. Thus, this leads to all Northern states to make a law of freeing slaves in 1780 to 1804. Most of these states assembled a way for continuing emancipation for the slaves until it will all vanish. Consequently, the Northwest Ordinance passed by Congress barred all types of slavery from the big portion of Northwest Territory. Massachusetts Constitution for example declared in 1780 that all men are born free and equal, thus abolishing its slavery.
Moreover, as the United States grew as a nation, the institution of slavery continues to establish in the southern states, while northern part of the country began to abolish it. However, a number of events continued to shape in respect on abolition of slavery. The abolition of international slave trade took effect in 1808 following the celebration of the victory of the Black American to fight against slavery. Thus, by 1819, there were 11 slave and 11 free states, which increased the division between the south and north part of the country.
The African American in the Age of Emancipation and Reconstruction
During the American Civil war in 1661 to 1865, President Abraham Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation, emancipating the slaves in the southern states at war with the north. In 1865, the 13th amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified banning slavery in the entire United States. The 14th amendment in 1868 granted full citizenship to African American following the extended right to vote in the 15th amendment in 1870. As a result, civil war speeds up the process of national African American identity information.
African American have advanced their economic and social status drastically since the Civil Rights Movement and past years have witnessed the growth of a healthy, African American class all over the United states. Amazing access to higher employment and education in addition to depiction in the highest position in American governments has been attained by African Americans in the contemporary period. However, the legacy of slavery, discrimination and racism to African American as a group remain especially in areas relative to European American. Constant economic, social and political issues are still inaccessible to some African American including discrimination in housing, insufficient health care access, education criminal justice and other substance of abuse.
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