The Abolition of Slavery

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the effect the abolition of slavery had on slaves. The paper contends that most people view the abolition of slavery in a positive light. The 13th Amendment is credited with ending slavery and involuntary servitude. The paper explains that, even though the emancipation of slaves was, at first, viewed as a triumphant success for the people it affected, there were many drawbacks. Most of the slaves that were freed did not embark on a life filled with the pursuit of happiness and freedom. Instead, many slaves actually struggled to survive and make ends meet in a society that still looked upon ex-slaves as 'second-class citizens.' The paper explores the notion of ex-slaves as second-class citizens and examines the many hardships they faced after passage of the 13th Amendment.

From the Paper:

"Many slaves experienced hardship after abolition. Ex-slaves own accounts attest to the difficulty a number of slaves had finding homes and jobs and protecting themselves from prejudiced and discriminatory behavior (Nichols, 1969). Whereas many slaves had grown up on plantations where they had a roof to cover their head and consistent meals to eat, many found themselves forced out onto the 'street' with nothing to rely on. Many had no job, no home and no education they could rely on to find a reasonable way to make a living for themselves in the world."

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