Dbq 13 American Slavery Essay

Slavery has existed for thousands of years in many societies and therefore slavery should have never been abolished. Slavery in America began in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. 1 A Dutch ship brought 20 Africans into the Colony and from there slavery spread throughout the American Colonies. It was practiced in the American Colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries and helped build the new nation. More than 7 million slaves were imported to America.2 There are several reasons that support the continuation of slavery, some of which include: economic, historical, religious, legal and social goods. 3
Slavery had a wide impact on Economic development. It not only impacted the south, but also the north and the world. Slavery was vital to the
In his speech to the Senate in 1837, Calhoun declared that slavery was “instead of an evil, a good-a positive good.” He also said “Never before has the black race of Central Africa, from the dawn of history to the present day, attained a condition so civilized and so improved, not only physically, but morally and intellectually.” 12 Supporting his view with the following reasoning: in every civilized society one portion of the community must live on the labor of another. 13 American slaves were treated better than slave elsewhere in the New World. John Wilkes Booth famously wrote that slavery was a “happiness for the slave” being brought from his heathen home in Africa to the saving grace of Christian America. Bringing Africans to American actually benefited them; African societies were unskilled, uneducated and savage so being here in the colonies was for their greater good. 14 Slaves in the United States grew through natural increase sustaining the population unlike slaves in other New World countries that had to continuously had to be imported. Supporting the fact that Slaves were better off as Slaves. 15
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