Skip to main content

From 1775 to 1830, many African Americans gained freedom from slavery, yet during the same period the institution of slavery expanded. How did both...

Between 1775-1830, some African Americans gained freedom, even though the institution of slavery increased in the United States. There are reasons why this occurred.


The North had been less suitable for the use of slaves. Because the soil was rocky and the climate was cooler than in the South, there were fewer slaves in the North. The North had a great deal of manufacturing and industry, which tended not to require the use of slaves....

Between 1775-1830, some African Americans gained freedom, even though the institution of slavery increased in the United States. There are reasons why this occurred.


The North had been less suitable for the use of slaves. Because the soil was rocky and the climate was cooler than in the South, there were fewer slaves in the North. The North had a great deal of manufacturing and industry, which tended not to require the use of slaves. As a result, there was more support for eventually ending slavery in the North. While some states ended slavery in the 1780s, slavery didn’t actually end in some of these states until the 1820s or later. William Lloyd Garrison and others joined anti-slavery societies. Garrison published an anti-slavery newspaper. These actions helped bring attention to the goals of the abolitionist movement. Eventually, slavery was eventually banned in the northern states.


In the South, the situation was very different. The land was very fertile, and the climate was suited for farming. As a result, most of the people farmed in the South. When the cotton gin was invented, it made it much easier to separate the seeds from the cotton. As a result, the amount of land that was used for growing cotton increased significantly in the South. Slavery, which already had existed in the South, was now more important. The demand for slaves grew as more cotton was grown. The white southerners couldn’t envision their economy being successful without the use of slaves. Cotton also became an important southern export. Thus, slavery became more entrenched in the South and expanded throughout the South during this time period.


Once slavery ended in the North, African Americans in the North worked to help slaves from the South escape to the North. While some of these African Americans in the South tried to escape to the North, others continued to live as slaves, either because they didn't want to risk an escape or because they had accepted slavery as a way of life.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more