Slavery and Freedom
In a nation where we are presently born into liberty, granted inalienable rights, and ruled by a government that prevents one person from owning another person, it is challenging to understand how slavery could have been considered acceptable by the fathers of this freedom. How did we, as a people, develop our sense of humanity and freedom while utilizing and perpetuating something as cruel and inhumane as slavery?
Before attempting to understand our forefathers’ apparent acceptance of slavery, one must first be properly informed of the culture that developed during settlement and early colonization. Slavery was not a new concept by any means and has been used for centuries by societies throughout history as a cheap source of labor, but could it have been an integral part of our foundation?
In England, before settlement of the new world had begun, society as well as the economy had been stricken with an overabundance of poor and idle people who had no land or means of gain. There were several thoughts on ways to solve the problem while few, if any were ever carried out. The most common similarity amongst these ideas was idleness creates poverty, poverty creates thieves, and unwillingness to seek a better existence creates slavery and bondage. The problems that Europe was dealing with were reason enough to want a life in a place untainted by a society riddled with decay. Get rid of the poor send them to the new world where they can improve their existence.
The English vision of the ideal colony was one of peaceful coexistence where the liberties of England were more freely enjoyed. Some of the first settlements were occupied and maintained by groups of freed Spanish slaves brought from the Caribbean working with the exported poor Englishmen in an attempt to extend the empire.
In 1585 one such settlement at Roanoke Island made a terrible and lasting first impression of “white men” on the native people of North America. The natives’ knowledge of resources and
Before attempting to understand our forefathers’ apparent acceptance of slavery, one must first be properly informed of the culture that developed during settlement and early colonization. Slavery was not a new concept by any means and has been used for centuries by societies throughout history as a cheap source of labor, but could it have been an integral part of our foundation?
In England, before settlement of the new world had begun, society as well as the economy had been stricken with an overabundance of poor and idle people who had no land or means of gain. There were several thoughts on ways to solve the problem while few, if any were ever carried out. The most common similarity amongst these ideas was idleness creates poverty, poverty creates thieves, and unwillingness to seek a better existence creates slavery and bondage. The problems that Europe was dealing with were reason enough to want a life in a place untainted by a society riddled with decay. Get rid of the poor send them to the new world where they can improve their existence.
The English vision of the ideal colony was one of peaceful coexistence where the liberties of England were more freely enjoyed. Some of the first settlements were occupied and maintained by groups of freed Spanish slaves brought from the Caribbean working with the exported poor Englishmen in an attempt to extend the empire.
In 1585 one such settlement at Roanoke Island made a terrible and lasting first impression of “white men” on the native people of North America. The natives’ knowledge of resources and