Slavery in the South essays

Slavery in the South essays Enslaved African Americans and freed slaves were at the bottom of the southern society. The nearly four million slaves who lived in the south in 1860 made up more than one-third of the regions population. Although the slaves of African descent, few knew anything about Africa from firsthand experience. In 1808, congress outlawed the importing of slaves into the United States. While thousand were still smuggled in after that time, by 1860 the vast majority of the enslaved people in the south were native born. Many could claim a longer ancestry in North America than could the white families who owned them. Although the vast majority of African American in the south was slaves, some 250,000 were free. These free African Americans were former slaves or the descendants of slaves who had gained their freedom. Occasionally, a planter would state in his will that his slaves should be free when he died. A few slaves were able to save enough money to buy their own freedom. This was impossible for a plantation slave, but the urban slaves were frequently allowed to make money for themselves during their free time. Although free Americans were no longer in bondage, their social status was not much higher than that of slaves. Most southern states passed laws that severely restricted liberties of free African Americans. In some states free African Americans could not assemble in large groups unless a white person was present. They were also excluded from occupations that would involve frequent contact with slaves out of fear of slave revolts. Throughout the south, free African Americans were second-class citizens. As the North passed gradual emancipation laws, freed slaves moved toward cities. In 1820 African Americans made up about one-tenth of the populations of Philadelphia and New York City. They were excluded from white churches and public schools and, increasingly, from the skilled crafts, dock labor, and household service at which they ...