The Abolishment of Slavery

The idea of slaves being on equal ground as white people began with the

Quakers in the 1680's. The Quakers comdemmed slavery because they

thought that it was unjust and it was against their morals. For this the

Quakers were descriminated against. Later, Patrick Henery and Thomas

Jefferson spoke out about slavery, but not until about 27 years later in

the late 1700's. There was an organization that was dedicated to the

abolishment of slavery. It was called the American Colonization

Society. It was founded On September 22,1862, a proclamiation was

issued declaring all slaves "forever free."On Jan. 1, 1863, U.S. President

Abraham Lincoln declared free "all slaves residing in territory in

rebellion against the federal government." The Emancipation

Proclamation actually freed few people. It did not apply to slaves in

border states fighting on the Union side and it did't affect slaves in

southern areas already under Union control. Naturally, the states in

rebellion did not act on Lincoln's order, but the proclamation did show

Americans, and the world, that the civil war was now being fought to

end slavery. Lincoln had been reluctant to come to this position. He was

a strong believer in white supremacy, and initially he viewed the war

only in terms of preserving the Union. As pressure for abolition

mounted in congress and the country, however, Lincoln became more

sympathetic to the idea. On Sept. 22, 1862, he issued a proclamation

announcing that emancipation would become effective on Jan. 1, 1863,

in those states still in rebellion. The Emancipation Proclamation did not

end slavery in America though, this was achieved by the passage of the

13th Amendment to the Constitution on Dec. 18, 1865.

The 13th states the following:

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a

punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,

shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their

jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by

approiate legislation.

Twenty five thousand dollars. It could probably get you a nice stero

system that could be heard from 4 and a half blocks away, or get you that

big screen TV you've always wanted with a VCR on the side. It might

seem like a lot to you or me but picture that being the price on your head.

I know looking out at my class mates that some of you might be dumb

enough to do something like that, but you would never see a dime of that

money. You wouldn't get paid for your labor. You would instead

recieve shaby living quarters and meals that would leave you feeling

malnurioushed and sick. You might grow tobacco, or pick cotton, but

either way you would be working up to ten hour days, only breaking for

lunch and dinner. If you were lucky your owner might not abuse you,

but few were that lucky. slavery is something that most people wish they

could forget. I know I wish it never would've happened, but you can't

forget about the past, you can only hope to learn from it. The folowing

will lead you through the path of slavery, from beginning to the abolition

of it. It will make you really understand what horror slaves had to go

through on an everyday basis.