ipl-logo

Summary Of Voices Of Freedom By Erik Foner

667 Words3 Pages

‘Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History/Edition 4, by Erik Foner is a book that addresses a theme in the history of America as it pertains to freedom. The author argues that, the idea of freedom is dynamic as it is constantly changing. Based on the US history, the struggle for freedom has been in existence since time immemorial. Eric Foner argues that, freedom has undergone transformation since the Cold War and the American Revolution. There are different definitions of freedom, and different individuals/groups hold those definitions based on their opinions. Different definitions of freedom According to Erik Foner, there are different definitions of freedom. Foner argues that freedom means different to different people at different times, …show more content…

These people desired to have freedom by the revocation of slavery. In this regard, they wanted to have equal rights just like normal people (Foner, p.94). The people were advocating for the abolishment of slavery as they viewed it as highly oppressive (Foner, p.95). These people felt that they were not enjoying equal rights as other people. Just like anyone else, they advocated for the rights to vote as they felt discriminated in this area. According to Foner, Freedmen had no rights of land ownership and they were not equal to other citizens (Foner, p.96). They felt that they did not enjoy the right of choosing their leaders through voting. Additionally, the people felt that they lacked rights of dedicating their responsibilities and loyalty to their country. The Mississippi Black laws were meant to restrict the freedom African-Americans. These laws compelled the African-Americans to work in the economy by earning low wages, which was a form of slavery (Foner, p.96). Religious groups also hold different definitions on freedom. According to Foner, some religious groups feel they do not have the adequate freedom to advance their interests. Various religions view one another as enemies because of their beliefs concerning freedom. Many people also feel they do not have freedom because of their gender, whether male or

Show More
Related
506 Words | 3 Pages

Cry Liberty: The Great Stono-River Slave Rebellion of 1739 was written by Professor Peter C. Hoffer, who taught as a historian at the University of Georgia. This novel is a brief, yet very informative piece of work that provides a re-examination of a series of incidents that occurred during the Stono Rebellion (which transpired on September 9, 1739). This rebellion manifested once a group of about 20 slaves had broken into a store alongside the Stono River, nearby Charles Town, which is now known as Charleston, South Carolina. The author did an excellent job recreating events in this book and developing the question of whether or not it was actually a rebellion.

Read More
1317 Words | 6 Pages

The Old South was the largest and most powerful slave society the modern world has known. To describe the relationship between the master and slaves in the American South, was that the masters did have all of the power in this relationship at the beginning, but later in time, the enslaved then exerted some of that power. “Planter not only held the majority of slaves, but they controlled the most fertile land, enjoyed the highest incomes, and dominated the state and local offices and the leadership of both political parties” (Foner 411). In 1850, according to the Table 11.2 on page 411 in “Give Me Liberty” by Eric Foner, shows the numbers of slaves that were owned by slaveholders in each family (in rounded numbers). The ownership of slaves provided

Read More
839 Words | 4 Pages

During the 18th and 19th century a lot was changing in the Colonies but, one constant during a crazy time in American history was the idea of liberty. Freedom meant that you were able to choose where you wanted to live, work, and speak your mind when you wanted to, without fear of a strict government coming down on you for it. The people of America wanted to be able to feel free but have a government there to protect them and Britain was not allowing the colonies to feel free or represented. In this paper I will talk about two excerpts In the Voices of Freedom by Eric Foner. One is a letter written back home from a German immigrant who is now living in Pennsylvania.

Read More
760 Words | 4 Pages

In Source C, it illustrates, “Nither can recap an equal benfet from the laws of the land which doth not justifi but condemns Slavery or if there had bin aney Law to hold us in Bondege we are Humbely of the Opinion ther never was aney to inslave our children for life when Born in a free Countrey.” This quote displays how there was no benefit of the law that the country they were in because they were slaves. Source C also provides how they lost their culture and cannot form a family. Children were taken away from them, and their lives were embittered. In Source A, it says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Read More
1020 Words | 5 Pages

They barred African Americans from things such as voting, serving in the state militia or even testifying against white people in court. African Americans were required to sign labor contracts which kept many on the same plantation they had worked on as slaves. For many blacks, the end of freedom did not mean the beginning of freedom. The problems encountered by both American Indians and by African Americans were almost entirely created by white Americans.

Read More
1014 Words | 5 Pages

According to the author of Give Me Liberty, Eric Foner believes that it is important to take into account the notion of freedom when analyzing the history of the United States, since it is one of the most basic fundamentals of our nation’s constitution. Seeing that our meaning of freedom has changed drastically over the centuries, Foner was able to identify the three basic components of freedom—the meaning, the social conditions, and the boundaries. Using Foner’s analysis, I will explain how the Progressive Era helped expand the definition of freedom to include women, which was very much considered taboo at the time. Moreover, because the US has had many instances in which the meaning of freedom was limited, I will also use Foner’s analysis

Read More
1156 Words | 5 Pages

As a critical writer of the Declaration of Independence and running in office as the third U.S. President, Thomas Jefferson has surely played a major role in shaping our country into what it has become today. Examining his work in the Notes of the State of Virginia, we are able to vastly enhance our knowledge of America during this time period in history and understand the issues that led us to our present-day nation. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” is a common phrase known to all as it is particularly noted in the Declaration of Independence. The way he conveys freedom for man is the ability to do as he pleases, especially religiously, with limited government involvement and interference. While the general meaning of freedom does not change, the concept can evolve over time depending on the

Read More
93 Words | 1 Pages

Building on the work of other Reconstructionist authors, Stephen Kantrowitz sets his work in a larger historiography of Reconstruction. Drawing upon letters, newspapers, pamphlets, diaries, accounts and reports of both white and black activists in Boston, Kantrowitz sets the scene for the struggle of “colored citizens” and their wide-ranging campaign of equal citizenship. Bringing a bold new perspective to one of our nation’s defining epochs, More than Freedom helps to provide a conceptual framework for examining the extent and limits of the so-called freedom achieved in 1865 and the legacy that endures today.

Read More
1036 Words | 5 Pages

Freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The foundation of America is freedom. Freedom from Britain. However, the freedom is limited to white males who own property. When colonists started to immigrate to America, they wanted to escape from under the rule of Britain.

Read More
996 Words | 4 Pages

David foster Wallace “Kenyon commandment speech” and Amy Chua Battle of The Tiger Mother. Both show different meanings and expressions of the definition of freedom in their own way. That you have to look in a new perspective the way people perceive there ideas of what is freedom. That Amy Chua shows her freedom through being a strict Chinese mother by sacrificing everything she has done and learned, for her children. David Foster Wallace shows freedom through multiple accounts in his speech.

Read More
1494 Words | 6 Pages

From the Revolution to our contemporary world, freedom has been America's mightiest force for cultural development and motivated numerous powerful events. Eric Foner views freedom not as a record of facts but as a possession which has been debated greatly for its elasticity throughout American history. Foner’s text “Give Me Liberty” depicts freedom to have been constructed not only in politics and authorized environments but also by depicting struggle to achieve the rights of African Americans, women, the working class and immigrants. Injustice and freedom can only be comprehended retroactively, when looking back at the past, and is difficult to understand it while you’re in that era. It all comes down to the fundamental history of America

Read More
543 Words | 3 Pages

The first time I ever experienced freedom was when I came to America. Sometimes freedom ain 't really for all, you still have to follow all rules, and obey your parents. The word *Freedom* means to me is that you may have the right to do what you think is right, and you don’t really have to be one of those people out there that have no right. Even if you don’t have any right you can always dream, and experienced from the people around you, and your friends. When people always tell me what’s right, or wrong, that annoys me.

Read More
269 Words | 2 Pages

Importance of the Study This study aims to summarize the Ethics of Ambiguity of Simone De Beauvoir in a most comprehensible way the researcher can do for the readers not just to read it but also to contemplate on the concepts of the philosophy and on the point of view of the philosopher. This study is important because: • It helps the reader to understand why our existence in this world becomes ambiguous despite the strive of men to make things clear and to answer the questions men can formulate • It explains how our freedom become genuine: what prevents and enables us to exercise our freedom • It guides us on how our actions become ethically right Overall, the importance of this study are: it improves a person’s life by having an understanding

Read More
650 Words | 3 Pages

The main goal of the movement was the emancipation of slaves and the end of racial discrimination. Many abolitionists argued that slavery went against the “unalienable rights” outlined in the United States Declaration of Independence. These were the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Other abolitionist believed that the enslavement of others was a sin.

Read More
1434 Words | 6 Pages

Freedom Anyone in the world with an occasional source of internet has no choice but to see the seemingly outrageous news stories, posted weekly on events in the US. American’s have made their distrust in the government more than obvious, which in many cases, the government has provoked. The largest debate in the states today is the with the concept of freedom and where the lines are drawn between social security, equality, and one’s rights. Freedom is and always has been heavily emphasized in the development of the 50 states. It’s brought peace and war both figuratively and literally.

Read More

More about Summary Of Voices Of Freedom By Erik Foner

Related Topics

Open Document