This well-researched paper examines the highly debated topic of reparations for slavery. With the debate still on the table about reparations, many feel that compensation goes far beyond a dollar amount.
Abstract This paper analyzes the issue of reparations for slavery. While this topic has received very little media attention in the public eye, the majority of reparation activists passionately believe that their cause will help heal racial tensions. On certain college campuses many have turned the debate for slaveryreparations into a debate about free speech. The writer of this paper supplies an overview into how the African-American slaves were mistreated and why the issue of what and how much reparation is due is still such a sensitive and controversial topic. Along with countless hours in the field, there was very little regard on behalf of slave owners to the families of their slaves. Blacks were regularly separated from their family and sold to different families, for the simple profit of their owners. After the construction of the law that manipulated the offspring of any African to follow the condition of their mother, slaves could then be bred for free and sold for nothing but profit. If a slave owner happened to purchase a female, the act of breeding slaves was the cheapest and most cost effective means of increasing profit. The writer contends that this legalized discrimination has trickled down all the way through the generations and still exists today. Many people have come to the conclusion that African-Americans deserve monetary compensation as sufficient reparations for slavery. With the debate still on the table about reparations, many feel that reparations go far passed a dollar amount.
From the Paper "The Trans-Atlantic slave trade later became profitable for the government as a means of accruing taxes. This initiative was intended to slow the traffic of slave ships from the West Coast of Africa. The taxes were only effective for the trans-Atlantic slave trade, however, there were no taxes on domestic slave trading. In response to this, slave owners made an effort for another means of avoiding taxes. In many cases where female slaves did not marry, they were often subjected to the will, or desire of their masters. In some instances, female slaves would adhere to the sexual advances of their masters in order to receive less harsh treatment, those who did not adhere were raped -- this happened more often than not. With the introduction of mulatto children, (children born to female slaves impregnated by white masters) the domestic slave trade found new life, with a transfusion of these children which could be separated from their families, and sold without having to pay taxes."
Abstract This paper contends that granting reparations to individuals based solely on their racial and ethnic backgrounds acts against the basic principle of equality in the West. It argues that without a doubt, the effects of slavery and colonialism are still felt to this day and that the suggestion of writing a check to the descendants of those individuals who were directly harmed by slavery is a gross oversimplification of a complex historical issue. It examines the pros and cons of reparations, including historical precedent, concluding that direct reparations should be eschewed in favor of other options.
From the Paper "Issuing reparations - whether monetary or otherwise - has become a controversial political issue in the United States, ranking perhaps higher than other racially charged issues like affirmative action. Proponents of such a measure argue that the ill effects of slavery in this nation did not end with the end of slavery. The social institutions that made slavery possible for centuries throughout the West and propagated the slave trade in Africa transformed and continued, creating intergenerational effects that have stifled the potential of Africans in the United States, not to mention the development of African nations that have been permanently affected by colonialism. However, there are problems with issuing reparations. "
Abstract This paper discusses the argument of "Should the U.S. Government pay Reparations to the Descendants of Slaves". The argument is in favor of the case but supports the thesis through the presentation of both sides of the argument and presenting a solution in the best manner possible.
Abstract This paper examines and analyzes K.J. Carillo's article, "Reparations Movement Looks to Gain from Bush's Goree Island Slip" about what can be gained for the reparations movement in the United States after President Bush admitted that the United States was mindful of the past wrongs it had committed in enslaving stolen people from Africa.
From the Paper "However, Carrillo does more than simply focus on the "residual value" gained by the reparations movement from what she terms as a slip on President Bush's part. For, she also takes great pains to place in context the significance of Goree Island's notorious "Door of No Return." Carrillo achieves this through descriptions that bring alive the horrors of a place that had witnessed, "human beings...delivered and sorted and weighed and branded with the marks of commercial enterprises and loaded as cargo on a voyage without return." Indeed, Carrillo is unsparing in her efforts to describe the anguish suffered by slaves in societies that prospered by their unpaid labor, while remaining indifferent to their plight."
Abstract This twelve page paper examines German reparations after 1919 in terms of their origins and implications for the world economy. The writer points out that this issue requires analyzing the political conditions in Europe on the eve of World War I, examining the precipitating actions Imperial Germany took that contributed to the outbreak of war in August 1914, and discussing German conduct during the war. The writer notes that clarifying these issues explains why the Allies imposed crushing war reparations on Germany in 1919 and serves as a basis upon which examining the implications of reparations on the world economy can be pursued.
From the Paper "In order to examine German reparations after 1919 in terms of their origins and implications for the world economy, it is necessary to ask why these reparations were imposed. Answering this question requires analyzing the political conditions in Europe on the eve of World War I, examining the precipitating actions Imperial Germany took that contributed to the outbreak of war in August 1914, and discussing German conduct during the war. Clarifying these issues will explain why the Allies imposed crushing war reparations on Germany in 1919 and serve as a basis upon which examining the implications of reparations on the world economy can be pursued."
This paper analyzes the issue of slavery by focusing on the perspectives of a black slave woman, Harriet Jacobs and a white male preacher, Peter Cartwright.
Abstract This paper examines the differences in gender, race and social roles in 19th century American society that created the differing viewpoints of both Jacobs and Cartwright in opposing black slavery. In Jacob's autobiography, "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl," the author delves into her own personal account of what slavery had been for black women like her. Cartwright's "Autobiography of Peter Cartwright, Backwoods Preacher" illustrates his own perception of slavery through the eyes of a white American male. The writer contends and explains that while both authors were vehemently opposed to slavery, the two had very different opinions as to why slavery should be abolished. For Jacobs, slavery was a detriment to her life because she experienced sexual vulnerability and abuse whereas Cartwright considered the practice wrong due to the moral degeneration that occurred with the proliferation of adultery and unexpected pregnancies among black women slaves by their white masters.
From the Paper "This paper posits that Jacobs and Cartwright's narratives about their opposition and experiences of black slavery reflect that despite their agreement on the detriments of this practice, both have different opinions about the 'wrongness' of black slavery. That is, for Jacobs, black slavery was a detriment to her life because she experienced sexual vulnerability and abuse, while Cartwright considered the practice immoral because of the moral degeneration that occurred with the proliferation of adultery and unexpected pregnancies among black women slaves by white American males. In "Incidents," Jacobs narrated her account of slavery based on her experience as a slave of a family in South Carolina."
Tags:slavery, literature, perception, american, history
Abstract This paper shows how the study of the economics surrounding slavery can give a better understanding of the issues surrounding both slavery and the Civil War. Topics covered include the origins of slavery, opposing views on slavery, the and the economic effectiveness of slavery.
From the Paper "Slavery and the civil war are very complex economic and historical issues. Many prominent Economic Historians view the institution of slavery vastly different from one another. With the difference in views also comes opposing opinions on whether or not the Civil War was actually needed to end the practice of slavery. While it is impossible to truly know what would have happened had events been different surrounding the American Civil War, it is possible to learn about the differences in opinions. Examining the origins of slavery, the opposing views of slavery, and the economics of the civil war can lend a clearer picture of this time frame"
Tags:slavery, Civil, War, south, economics, emancipation, abolition, profit
Abstract The premise of the paper is that slavery was not caused perpetuated by racism. The paper examines the debates by historians and sociologists that slavery encourages racism, and racism establishes slavery.
The historical evolution of slavery is analyzed in order to establish that this idea of mutual supporting systems of racism and slavery is not correct.
From the Paper "For many years, historians and sociologists have debated the relationship between racism and slavery. Some contend that slavery caused and perpetuated racism, while others argue that racism caused and perpetuated slavery. Examining the historical evidence indicates that in colonial and pre-Civil War America, racism was both a cause and consequence of slavery. Ultimately, institutionalized slavery and institutionalized racism co-existed as mutually supporting systems, based upon prevailing social and cultural assumptions that blacks were an inferior race. In order to resolve this issue, it is necessary to examine and evaluate slavery's historical development, for doing so provides evidence that in many societies, slavery has not been caused or perpetuated by racism."
Abstract This essay discusses how slavery developed and what kind of culture grew out of the institution. The paper then discusses how slavery was abolished and how and why the North succeeded in emancipating the slaves.
This paper addresses the contradiction of slavery and egalitarian politics in colonial America, particularly the arguments surrounding the Virginian economy.
900 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 1 source, 2002, $ 35.95
Abstract This paper addresses the contradiction of slavery and egalitarian politics in colonial America, particularly the arguments surrounding the Virginian economy. These arguments are put forth in Edmund Morgan's classic text on the subject: American Slavery, American Freedom. The essay answers the question: what are Morgan's views on the contradiction stated above? It concludes that historical remove from the events lends us much more perspective on the issue than the slave-owning Founding Fathers.
Tags: AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES / SLAVERY, COLONIALISM, virginia shift slavery
Abstract This paper is a brief review of the history of slavery in America. The paper examines the chronology of slavery in America from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century and also presents an examination of its long-term impact. The paper shows that the history of slavery is not only a history of America; it is also a history of missed opportunities.
From the Paper "There can be little doubt that the presence of indentured servants and chattel slaves greatly affected the development of British North America. This brief paper will examine the history of slavery and servitude in the New World, assess its impact, and determine how the history of British North America would be different if the institution of slavery had never existed. To begin with, the history of slavery in the New World is a long and ignominious one. In 1619, the first African-American slaves arrived in Jamestown. By the middle of the seventeenth century, tobacco-planting in Virginia and Maryland became institutionalized (Becker para.4). One estimate holds that, from the "early 16th to the mid-19th Centuries" the total number of Africans forcibly transplanted from their African home numbered between ten million and eleven million souls (Becker para.53-55)."
Abstract This paper discusses the issue of Native American slavery during colonial times in America. It references books and professional publications to determine the cause of this slavery, how it existed in relation to the slavery of African Americans, who was involved in the slave trade, the politics of the issues, and how the slave trade for Native Americans came to an end.
From the Paper "Americans are taught that there have been many injustices throughout history with regard to civil rights. While we learn about the plight of the African American who endured slavery, and the Japanese that were imprisoned in this country after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, there is little that has been written about the enslavement of Native Americans by the British when America was in its infancy. Though the information that is now available is incomplete, it presents a picture of the lives of the Native Americans during this time period that was unbearably harsh and unnecessary. Yet, it is a part of American history that should not be ignored. As colonists began to settle in the United States from England, they had originally begun a trading relationship with Native Americans in South Carolina (Perdue, 2003, p. 670). Native Americans offered labor to the colonists in exchange for manufactured goods from Europe."
Abstract The paper analyzes how the Bible was used throughout pre-Civil War times to argue both for and against the now-defunct institution of slavery. The paper firstly discusses several primary sources that argue for slavery, in that it is a divine right that it has always been, and that it is merciful. The paper then examines several primary sources that refute slavery on religious grounds.
From the Paper "In our society of today, when moral or political arguments arise, it is only too common to find those on one side using biblical scripture as their proof, evidence, or solid ground, while the other side often relies upon common sense, logic, science, or human and secular philosophy and ethics. In the fight over abortion, those in the pro-life camp cite scriptures and Bible verses and take solace in their religious leaders, while those who are pro-choice do not rely on supernatural or religious thought for their stance. When politicians and advocates argue about the rights of homosexual individuals and couples, one side aligns with their god and their religious texts, while the other side aligns with a common sense of morality toward others. Yet moral debates in the United States were not always aligned along such religious and secular boundaries."
Abstract The paper discusses how examining the emergence of chattel slavery in the Caribbean and Iberian America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, reveals the indigenous origins of African slavery and the sinister participation in this inhuman system of European governments and their colonies in the Western Hemisphere. The paper describes how slavery emerged and developed in the New World because of the existence of black slave markets in Africa. The paper explains that by the sixteenth century, African slave traders had been supplying slaves to the Islamic world for centuries and had taken advantage of the African tribal custom of selling captives of war debtors and enemies from other tribes.
Abstract The paper describes how Edmund S. Morgan's "American Slavery, American Freedom" examines the political and social impact of slavery in colonial America. The paper explains how Morgan emphasizes the tragic contradiction between freedom and slavery, particularly in the colony of Virginia that produced patriot leaders such as Washington and Jefferson, but also had the most slave owners. The paper further explains Morgan's thesis that this contradiction was caused by prevailing beliefs that racial and gender inequality was a natural condition.
From the Paper "American Slavery, American Freedom was written by historian Edmund S. Morgan and published in 2003 by W. W. Norton. The author's examination of slavery in America emphasizes the tragic contradiction between freedom and slavery, and focuses on Virginia, which produced leaders of the American Revolution who were dedicated to freedom and equality, but which also had the most slave owners. In his book, Morgan analyzes this paradox as he strives to understand and explain why such a contradiction existed."
