Slavery Before The Civil War Essay

In the 1800’s slavery was a lifestyle in the southern parts of America. White Americans saw African Americans as inferior beings to them, this was especially seen when they used their power to harshly and constantly abuse in order to keep them working. Slavery was more profitable in the south because of the ideal climate and large amount of land for farming, so having slaves farm and grow cash crops led southerners to become very rich. The Northern economy was more based on manufacturing, so they did not need slaves as much. As years progressed tensions began over keeping slavery in the United States and started the civil war. Northerners won over the 4-year battle which led to the abolishment of slavery.Although African American slaves before

They were denied many important rights, but were able to have some such as the ones to own property and marry. The black codes also ensured that they could be used as cheap labor by many racist plantation owners. Many states required African Americans to sign yearly labor contracts, with the punishment of being arrested or fined if they didn’t. This is similar to the treatment of slaves before the civil war because of the discrimination against them, depriving the African Americans of their rights and making sure they were inferior compared to the white

She states that although they were kept under slavery and did not have independence, as slaves they did not have to pay debt, put them into jail, and had more good food to eat and more clothes to wear. As a freedman, slaves started to starve and they had to make money on their own by doing whatever they could. This living condition was different from being a slave because freedmen had to provide their own resources, compared to being a slave when everything was given for you in the payment of working. This shows how former slaves finally left as humans, even though they had their shares of struggles with living independently. The problems of being left without supplies were much more difficult for Annie Davis, as she states that she loved life a lot better back then. The treatment and conditions now, though, are much more different anyways, with the lack of supplies and the humane treatment of African Americans. Although unprepared, they had their start of being free as it progressively became better for them, through things such as the freedmen’s bureau that provided them with shelter, clothing, and medical services for them. The point of view of this document, a former slave, helps prove the thesis because Davis states that life was a lot different then compared to now with all the differences, with much more freedom to do their