The American Revolution
Analyze the ways in which supporters of slavery in the nineteenth century used legal, religious, and economic arguments to defend the institution of slavery.
Slavery was very common in the South as people relied on the work of slaves to maintain the large plantations and crops on the farm. In the North, the geography of the land allowed small farms and crops so slaves were not used. Southerners argued that slaves were not considered citizens but were considered property, that slavery actually bettered a slave's life due to the conversion to Christianity, and that the economy of the south would not survive without slavery. Although protesters questioned slavery, southerners used property rights, Christianity, and economic prosperity to defend the use of slavery in the nineteenth century. In the Declaration of Independence, the words “Men” or “Citizens” do not apply to slaves. They were seen as property to the supporters of slavery. South Carolina, at the time of signing the Declaration of Independence, opposed to having the word “slavery” in the document because they wanted and needed the use of slaves for work. This consideration was confirmed in the case of Dred Scott. Dred Scott, a slave who had lived with his owner in a free state before returning to the slave state of Missouri, had brought this case to the court. He argued that spending time in a free state made him a free man. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney disagreed to Scott’s statement. Taney was a supporter of slavery so he stated "it is too clear for dispute, that the enslaved African race were not intended to be included, and formed no part of the people who framed and adopted this declaration....”” declared African Americans were not protected under the Declaration of Independence since they were not citizens. Slaves were property so The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was seen as unconstitutional. After this case, in 1862, the Confiscation Acts were passed which permitted the confiscation of property,
Slavery was very common in the South as people relied on the work of slaves to maintain the large plantations and crops on the farm. In the North, the geography of the land allowed small farms and crops so slaves were not used. Southerners argued that slaves were not considered citizens but were considered property, that slavery actually bettered a slave's life due to the conversion to Christianity, and that the economy of the south would not survive without slavery. Although protesters questioned slavery, southerners used property rights, Christianity, and economic prosperity to defend the use of slavery in the nineteenth century. In the Declaration of Independence, the words “Men” or “Citizens” do not apply to slaves. They were seen as property to the supporters of slavery. South Carolina, at the time of signing the Declaration of Independence, opposed to having the word “slavery” in the document because they wanted and needed the use of slaves for work. This consideration was confirmed in the case of Dred Scott. Dred Scott, a slave who had lived with his owner in a free state before returning to the slave state of Missouri, had brought this case to the court. He argued that spending time in a free state made him a free man. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney disagreed to Scott’s statement. Taney was a supporter of slavery so he stated "it is too clear for dispute, that the enslaved African race were not intended to be included, and formed no part of the people who framed and adopted this declaration....”” declared African Americans were not protected under the Declaration of Independence since they were not citizens. Slaves were property so The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was seen as unconstitutional. After this case, in 1862, the Confiscation Acts were passed which permitted the confiscation of property,