early 1800s
There were many changes taking place in the US around the year 1800. The frontier land was constantly being pushed back by new settlements and would contribute to the history of slavery and African Americans. Louisana was purchased in 1803 and freedom-loving young settlers as well as successful cotton plantation masters moved west to try and exploit the unsettled land. This conflict was complicated by the Industrial revolution and development of the cotton gin which only promoted the use of slavery. The freedom-loving young settlers I mentioned were only one brand of explorers to the West. The other type of settler was the freedom-loving "exploit whoever I can along the way" type of settler who took many slaves with them and used the West to expand cotton production. African Americans played a large role in the exploration of the West. When Lewis and Clark set out in 1803 to explore the Louisiana Territory, Clark took his trusted slave York along. York distracted the Indians and provided food for Lewis and Clark through his skilled hunting and fishing. After the expedition was over, York was given his freedom and it is said that he returned to the West and became an Indian chief. The fur trade allowed many blacks to take
The War of 1812 allowed the cotton kingdom to grow unrestricted with plenty of new lands to develop. By 1840, in the Alabama-Missippi region, almost half a million blacks were present and most were slaves. Cotton-production was prominent, of course, in the Southern states but was becoming more present in the South Central states as well. Wealthy citizens were practically fleeing the Northern trade states to go make a fortune in the cotton kingdom that had developed. The West was considered a chance to make possible the development of a great 'empire of liberty' in the New World. However, these ideas of "freedom to all" were dependant on the successful use of slaves on the cotton fields. Expansion by the white Southerners was not to promote Democracy but to promote slavery and have it become so entreanched in the economy of the country that it would never be taken away from them. Although domestic slavery was very profitable, there was still regular, illegal African trade taking place. American ships were bringing an estimated 15000 Africans annually to Texas in the mid 1830's......this is of course 30 years after the law that importing slaves was deemed illegal. By the 1850's the African slave trade was, for all practical purposes, legal once again. African slave traders were given the opportunity to post bond when they were caught
Some common words found in the essay are:
West Slave, Central Wealthy, Americans Louisana, Indians Europeans, Orleans Jackson, South Central, Lewis Clark, Louisiana Territory, , Andrew Jackson, african trade, cotton kingdom, lewis clark, exploration west, cotton kingdom west, freedom-loving settlers, south central, type settler, successful cotton, slave trade, free blacks fought, slave traders,
Approximate Word count = 910
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
