Slavery During The American Revolution
Slavery has been around since the beginning of agriculture. African decent people were forcibly detained and then sold as slaves to the New World. The outlook of being a slave was seen as a life sentence. The slaves were either died as a slave, freed by their master, or became a runaway. For most slaves, freedom was their dream. When the American Revolution rolled around, alternative opportunities arose. War brought the offer of freedom to whoever fought in the war. It didn’t really matter which side they chose to fight for because they were offered freedom from both side. It also provided the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution down the line that provides argumentative for slaves. The American Revolution created ways for African
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Lord Dunmore, the governor of Virginia, a slaves owner himself initially didn’t want the help from the black Virginians who had offered, however he eventually caved because he was outnumber by the Patriots (53). The proclamation was going to affect the Neutralists and they didn’t want to free the slaves, so the proclamation sway them to aside with the Patriots to show oppose to freeing slaves. Many of the slaves that fought with the British were exiled after when they received their …show more content…
Some slaves were denied their freedom because they were technically runaways. Jehu Grant was one of them. He petitioned for his pension to the Commissioner of Pensions J. L. Edwards, however he was denied on his first time around (68). He had written another petition in detailing why he should receive his pension for the war effort. He did eventually get rewarded. The laws of the land were used to justify slavery. The U.S. Constitution wasn’t helpful in the effort to abolish slavery, however it tightens the rules for slavery (71).
The Fugitive Slave Acts was a federal law that allows runaway slaves to be captured and return to their owner. The time of this act, majority of the states had already abolished slaves trading. The pro-slavery states were afraid slaves would go states had abolished slavery and return the slave because slavery had been abolished
Lord Dunmore, the governor of Virginia, a slaves owner himself initially didn’t want the help from the black Virginians who had offered, however he eventually caved because he was outnumber by the Patriots (53). The proclamation was going to affect the Neutralists and they didn’t want to free the slaves, so the proclamation sway them to aside with the Patriots to show oppose to freeing slaves. Many of the slaves that fought with the British were exiled after when they received their …show more content…
Some slaves were denied their freedom because they were technically runaways. Jehu Grant was one of them. He petitioned for his pension to the Commissioner of Pensions J. L. Edwards, however he was denied on his first time around (68). He had written another petition in detailing why he should receive his pension for the war effort. He did eventually get rewarded. The laws of the land were used to justify slavery. The U.S. Constitution wasn’t helpful in the effort to abolish slavery, however it tightens the rules for slavery (71).
The Fugitive Slave Acts was a federal law that allows runaway slaves to be captured and return to their owner. The time of this act, majority of the states had already abolished slaves trading. The pro-slavery states were afraid slaves would go states had abolished slavery and return the slave because slavery had been abolished