Causes Of Freedom In The North

It’s the 1800s. Tensions in the US rise as civil war brews in the future. The cause of this rapidly growing anger? Slavery. Throughout the southern US, slaves have become a necessary part of life. Thousands of slaves are still running the huge plantations that have made the South rich. Although, several free blacks live in the South, many are freed slaves or their children who were freed by their owners and they live a very restricted life. The North claims to be different. During this time period, the North is painted as a fair world. A paradise where all races are considered free and equal, but how true are these dreams? Is the North truly the promised “free land” it claims to be? How much freedom do northern Black Americans actually have? While it is true that slavery was rare in the North during this time (most were freed by 1800), there were still major restrictions in politics and society as well as education and economics which continue to hold African Americans back.
It was no different in the North where blacks faced many political roadblocks. Voting was the main restriction. In the North, the only states to allow black males to vote without restrictions were Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Some states, such as New York and Indiana, allowed blacks to vote, but a $250 property requirement kept most from using this right. Even fewer states allowed black men to serve on a jury with Massachusetts being the only one. Although, Black Americans could vote and even serve on a jury in some parts of the North, the majority of black men were still unable to participate in politics. The government of the North was still mostly controlled by white