African American Rights Dbq Essay

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Rights are a foundation for a society's survival. Rights are defined as power or privileges granted to people either by an agreement among themselves or by law. African American slaves were widely traded for their labor and aid in the production of crops, such as cotton throughout the American colonies. They were viewed as property and disregarded as human beings. From the start of American history, African Africans were treated unfairly and given fewer rights than white Americans. From 1754-1865, rights of African American have remained static up until the Civil War. Throughout the American Revolution, rights for African Americans were drastically less than rights for colonists. As colonists experienced social and political improvements, …show more content…

Manifest Destiny is the expansion westward into new territory for a better economical society and an increase of resources for those who expanded. White Americans fulfilled their desire to stretch from coast to coast and receive land and resources in the process. On the other hand, African Americans were forced to expand as labor for their slaveholders. In 1872, John Gast painted a picture of an angel leading a spread of civilization depicting Manifest Destiny (Document 2). As Manifest Destiny is occurring and colonists are expanding westward, slavery is brought along with it. The need for slave labor increased as more land and farms were now expanded into. This shows the sustained lack of rights in African Americans and the continuing trend of slavery becoming more common. The belief in Manifest Destiny itself divided the nation, and the debate concerning slavery intensified. The expansion of slavery was also seen through the free-soilers. Free-soilers were a political party that opposed slavery. The political cartoon by J.L Magee shows democratic candidates from the 1856 election forcing a slave down a giant (who represents the free soilers) throat (Document 5). The burning building and hanging man in the background show the brutality of the time period. The image is in reaction to the violence against anti-slavery “free soilers”. The Democrats are enforcing expansion upon the free soilers and the boards labeled “Kansas”, “Cuba”, and “Central America” show their intentions with slavery. Expansion of slavery into new territories is a negative act which furthers slaves from obtaining any