Slavery and Racism 2
A slave is a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another. Slavery can be defined as the condition of a slave; the keeping of slaves as a practice or institution; a state of subjection. Racism can be defined as a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, involving the idea that one's own race is superior. These terms play major roles in the history of the United States. Slavery played a central role in the history of the United States. It existed in all the English mainland colonies and came to dominate agricultural production in the states from Maryland south. Eight of the first 12 presidents of the United States were slaveowners. Debate over slavery increasingly dominated American politics, leading eventually to the American Civil War, which finally brought slavery to an end. The first African slaves in North America landed in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Brought by early English privateers, they were subjected to limited servitude, a legalized status of Native American, white, and black servants preceding slave
ry in most, if not all, the English colonies in the New World. The transatlantic Slave Trade played a major role in the history of slavery in America. It forced transportation of at least ten million Africans to destinations in Europe and America during the 15th through 19th centuries. Africans were taken from their homes, herded onto ships where they were sometimes so tightly packed that they could barely move, and sent to a strange new land. When traded, the slaves were examined from head to toe. Most ended up on plantations growing crops and tobacco. Africa lost much of its population. An extensive body of law developed from the 1660's to the 1860's governed slavery in the United States. Every slave state had its own slave code and body of court decisions. Slavery was a permanent condition, inherited through the mother, and defined slaves as property, usually in the same terms as those applied to real estate. Slaves, being property, could not own property or be a party to a contract. Since marriage is a form of a contract, no slave marriage had any legal standing. All codes also had sections regulating free blacks, who w
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 770
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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