After paying a lot of attention in my Western Civilization class I have a lot of follow up questions. Today we discussed the civil war and it's impact on American culture, history, and pretty much the roles that everyone played. From the notes that I took today I have broken these people into four different categories:
- ABOLITIONISTS
- NORTHERNERS
- SOUTHERNERS
- SLAVES
The Abolitionists to my understanding were very vocal in the North, they were able to recognize a violation of American Principle. However, they were strictly for freedom not necessarily Equality.
Northerners were the bulk of the Union, they believed that the abolitionists were radical in their thinking. Southerners feared the Abolitionists, they were scared at the fact the abolitionists would encourage an uproar or rebellion of the slaves. Southerners were gaining riches off the Slaves. Which brings me to my next point. The Slaves, for the majority amount of people living in the south, the possessed the least amount of power.
Naturally before the Civil War even transpired, the American Revolution led to the adaption of the Declaration of Independence. The very first line of this document will read, "All men are created Equal". Unfortunately, this line did not apply to the African slaves or Native Americans. With the xenophobic (fear of new people) embedded in the mindset of the white men, Slavery was a hot topic for debate once the Civil War erupted.
How did my ancestors survive this? Did they try to flee and if so to which state?
With such harsh conditions that my ancestors and many African-Americans like mine had to endure for such a long period of time, how did they manage. Of course, the obvious answer would be, by simply obeying the rules. My Grandfather is from Mississippi, which is the centerfold of the most aggressive methods of slavery and Jim crow laws, still makes me beg the question, how did the people who came before him learn to live through such torment and torture with such hope in their hearts.
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