Revolutionary War Dbq

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Many Americans in this day and age recognize that the Revolutionary War was a crucial point in their history. But the question still stands. Did this war truly shift America as a whole? The word revolution means a sudden change in the structure of society. To an extent, the Revolutionary War did shift America and the lifestyle of many, but only in favor of the white male. The Revolutionary War is not as revolutionary as one would think because it did not improve the lives of minorities such as African Americans, Native Americans, and women in a fair and equal way until centuries later. Prior to the war, the successful 13 colonies were undergoing a crisis of their very own. Insane taxes, constricting acts, and the refusal to have any say …show more content…

Slavery was alive and well before and during the Revolutionary War. After, one would think that the same benefits of freedom would also affect African American slaves. In reality, the enslavement lasted more than three-quarters of a century after the war. According to the data in the North of Slavery, 1961 map, a large number of southern states did not abolish slavery until abolition acts were passed in 1863 and 1850. The states that passed it in 1863 were Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and part of Louisiana. The states that passed it in 1865 were West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri and the other part of Louisiana. Although the act of abolishing slavery was fantastic, it was not until 75 years after the Revolutionary War. That’s a lengthy time to grant freedom to people who deserve it as well as anyone else. Even after the fact that many were given freedom, including the blacks in the north, numerous African Americans could only strive to gain the basic rights that white men were granted. This is clearly described in a speech by an African American in 1819 who was the valedictorian of his class in his New York free school. He basically stated his worries and discouragement mainly due to the fact that he is a black male in America. He said that he feels inferior to …show more content…

A letter from three Seneca Native American tribal leaders expressed their concern to President George Washington in 1790. Essentially, the letter explained that they and the Iroquois were completely and utterly frightened by Washington and his men even post-Revolutionary Wartime. They also described how hostile the Americans were to their tribes after the war and that the chiefs were so powerless compared to the Americans that they gave up their lands up to them. Then nearing the end of the letter, they question Washington whether it was just and reasonable for his commissioners to act in such a manner towards them. Finally, they close with a statement that is fundamentally true no matter how one looks at it. They say that the land that the Americans took never belonged to the king of Britain and that means that these lands could not possibly go to them. Basically saying that they can't take what was not theirs in the first place. Again, this is a prime example of the fact that the Revolutionary War did not only not improve, but actually, hurts certain minorities. The Natives were fearful of the white men that came in and destroyed their town. The white men took lands, then took the lands they destroyed as their very own. Over time, yes, the issue got better over many centuries went by shown in modern society, but the whole barbaric act after the

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