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Essay On Slavery In 19th Century America

743 Words3 Pages

During 19th century America, slavery was at its peak. Slavery was brought to the south to provide a source of labor that cut costs. Slavery was a system that made men into property with no rights. Even though slavery brought southern agriculture a sense of stability, slavery also brought many negative changes with it. As stated in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass, slavery could corrupt the best people, the best courts, and even the best christians. One can see the flaws with in slavery and this essay will further prove that slavery was negative for everyone involved.
First, slavery negatively impacted the slave and slaveholders morals. Slavery could infect the kindest of people with a disease that turned them into an unfeeling and cruel master. For example “That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery, soon became red with rage; that voice, made of all sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord; and that angelic face gave place to that of a demon” (Douglass 32). As seen from the quote describing …show more content…

Slavery in the south was the spine of the workforce at the time, binding the slaveholder to a certain amount of profit that was possible. As shown “Rain or shine, work or no work, at the end of each week the money must be forthcoming, or I must give up my privilege”(Douglass 104). Even though slavery was a system that seemed profitable, instead it was a system that reduced the industrial and economic power of the south and of the slaveholder. Consequently the slave was paid in basic human needs. For example “Here,too, the slaves of all other farms received their monthly allowance of food, and their yearly clothing”(Douglass 9). The economic situation of the slave was miserable and unchanging. As can be seen the economic situation of the slave or the slaveholder was not one to brag

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They had this particular view because they had thought it was essential due to the circumstance that they were not at fault for being in this situation, but the Europeans slave traders were to blame for this way of life since they were the first to bring salves to America. They had also defended this point of view by declaring slavery an “economic necessity” (19). They had assumed that they needed to enslave the blacks to sustain their economy because they were maintaining their investments. They compared their population (majority of blacks) to the North’s population (majority of whites) and declared that the reason the North could free their blacks was because of their small percentage of blacks to whites, while the South relied on their large population of blacks to help their large investments of land and harvesting the money crops. White Southerners had claimed that they did not like slavery, and blamed it on the fact that they were in no position to change it.

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Douglass uses paradox to demonstrate that slavery degragrates the slaverholder. When Douglass under Mr. Sever’s care he described that: “He was less cruel, less profane… He whipped, but seemed to take no pleasure in it. ”(Douglass 24). Most slaveholders are characterized to be cruel and inhuman because of the whipping and the way they treated the slaves.

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Frederick Douglass throws light on the American slave system by writing about his view of slaveholders, the conditions of slavery, and how he escaped. He explained his experience with slaveholders when he states, “He was cruel enough to inflict the severest punishment, artful enough to descend to the lowest trickery, and obdurate enough to be insensible to the voice of a reproving conscience.” (Page 32) This displays the fact that most slaveholders in the south were cruel and inhumane. Frederick Douglass shows the condition slaves had to go through, when he states,”I suffered much from hunger but much more from cold.

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By Douglass stating just how his mistress begun to take precautions of him being able to read, and how furious his mistress became, Douglass brings irony in his writing to convey to his audience that the same woman that provided for the unfortunate and aided the ones that needed it the most… is now restricting a slave from his freedom. Douglass transitions onto concluding the effects of slavery and how his mistress has been affected prior to and after the effects of slavery. He states “She was an apt woman; and a little experience soon demonstrated, to her satisfaction, that education and slavery were incompatible with each other.” Douglass recognizes how his mistress altered with “experience” of becoming a slave owner and his greater purpose is to reveal how it had brainwashed his

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In the book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, the author gives accounts of his life as a slave in the 19th century. The narrative also highlights the abolitionist movement in the US, giving details about slavery. It has important information regarding the wishes of the slaves to be set free. Issues such as slavery, economic and political alignments took center-stage in the US in the nineteenth century and the early 20th century. According to Douglass (2014), the slaves were exposed to vices such as inequality and favoritism in behaviors based on originality, economic and social status.

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In the 1700-1800’s, the use of African American slaves for backbreaking, unpaid work was at its prime. Despite the terrible conditions that slaves were forced to deal with, slave owners managed to convince themselves and others that it was not the abhorrent work it was thought to be. However, in the mid-1800’s, Northern and southern Americans were becoming more aware of the trauma that slaves were facing in the South. Soon, an abolitionist group began in protest, but still people doubted and questioned it.

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At times slaves were giving little food and inadequate clothing or kept hungry and expected to work their backs off in return, “ …we were allowed less than half of a bushel of corn meal per week, and very little else…. We were therefore reduced to the wretched necessity of living at the expense of our neighbors. This we did by begging and stealing”(Douglass 42). Douglass also writes about how he was robbed of his wages by his master, “When I carried to him my weekly wages, he would after counting the money, looked at me in the face with a robber like fierceness, and ask, “is this all?””(Douglass 71). He also writes about what happened to his grandmother, and how she was sentenced to a lonely fate which was sealed by the death of her master, ”

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In this autobiography, “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass”, by Frederick Douglass, slavery is introduced as a negative effect in many different ways. Although slavery is a tough subject to talk about, the reader believes that it should be addressed and considered as one of the most negative events in history. A moral effect from the autobiography, is from Frederick’s perspective of Mrs.Auld, a wife to a slaveholder. He states, “That cheerful eye, under the influence of slavery soon became red with rage; the voice, made all of sweet accord, changed to one of harsh and horrid discord;

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Through his story, Douglass proves that slavery has negative effects on slaveholders. He uses imagery, flashbacks, and characterization to persuade the reader of the true nature of slavery. His deep thoughts and insights of slavery and the unbalanced power between a slaveholder and his slave are unprompted for a social establishment. Douglass insists that slaveholding fills the soul with sadness and bitter anguish. In addressing effects of slavery on masters cause one man to rethink his moral character and better understand the laws of humanity.

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The impact of slavery on the Old South is a difficult measure to establish because slavery was the Old South. While the popular adage was “Cotton is King,” it was simply a microcosm of the delusion of the day. Truly, slavery was king. Slavery was the growing tension of the time, political catalyst and ironically crux of American power. To the masses, slavery was a social defining stance; the “peculiar institution” to some and a defining moral line to others, American life was changed depending on what view you took of slavery.

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Through deep characterization, emotional appeal, and religion, Frederick Douglass shows the readers what negative effects slavery has on the slaveholders themselves. Douglass successfully shows that slavery makes the slaveholder bitter and brings ultimate sadness into their lives. In addressing the harmful effects of slavery on the slaveholders, he makes one reconsider their moral righteousness and better comprehend the difference between humanity and atrocity. Though there are many other ways that slavery could have been harmful to the slaveholder, Frederick Douglass has shown that these ways given were true and has proven that they were indeed negative effects on the

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Frederick Douglass points out in his book,” Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass,” that slavery was not only negative for slaves but also the slaveholders. The slaveholders had big responsibilities by keeping their reputation, keeping the slaves ignorant, and it also turned good people into cruel human beings. The negative effects on slavery had an impact on everyone involved throughout the process. The slaveholders had to keep a good reputation so they could keep buying slaves. Often masters would whip their slaves.

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Have you ever wondered how life was for the slaves in the South? Slaves in the South suffered through many consequences. For example, they suffered through many whippings with cow skin if they didn't obey their master, they also got separated from their family mostly the fathers, so, they can be sold to a very mean slave owner. Even if they were living a miserable life on the farms, they had their own culture and they managed to even get married in the farmland or where they worked. Not only did the slaves live on the farm.

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In the book, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass reveals his life as a slave and the valuable lessons he learned from his experience. Douglass wants the truth about slavery to be revealed and wants to eliminate the lies that portray slavery as beneficial. Douglass exposes the reality of slavery by criticizing the “romantic image” of slavery, showing the intellectual capabilities slaves had, and revealing the reasons why slaves were disloyal to each other. Douglass criticizes the southern, romantic image of slavery by exposing the harsh treatment and sadness that slaves endured. It was southerners who thought slavery as beneficial, because it benefited themselves and white society.

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Introduction: During the 1800’s, Slavery was an immense problem in the United States. Slaves were people who were harshly forced to work against their will and were often deprived of their basic human rights. Forced marriages, child soldiers, and servants were all considered part of enslaved workers. As a consequence to the abolition people found guilty were severely punished by the law.

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