Southern Secession and the Fight to Preserve the Union

The Civil War is arguably the most important event in American history. In "America's Civil War" introduction and Chapter one Simpson identifies to the reader the historical importance of the Civil War and the events leading up to the first shot on Fort Sumter. Simpson first highlights on the fact that any history book ever written was written from the views and opinions of the writer, he does not claim his book to be any different but identifies the need to bring together these ideas stating none are more correct than the others but all of significance for understanding this important nation changing part of American history.

Is "slavery" just a Southern term?

            The American economy experienced a great deal of change throughout the early to mid 1800s.  It saw itself start to drift away from its original ways of life to a more modern way and for some it was a difficult transformation.  The nation was finally completely connected and they didn’t have to rely on other nations for trade. Instead they were now able to trade and produce products within the nation that they hadn’t been able to do before.  This did however lead to poor working conditions for all workers in America, not just the slaves in the South. 

The Ideology of Manhood

During the mid-nineteenth century, defining manhood proved to be complicated. But as James Corbett David wrote in The Politics of Emasculation: The Caning of Charles Sumner and Elite Ideologies of Manhood in the Mid-Nineteenth-Century United States the varying definitions were not strictly based on whether you lived in the North or South. "What it meant to be manly or honourable was contested within as well as across sectional lines." (page 325) There are two main conflicts of what defined one's manhood according to David, passion versus self control. 

A Perspective On Bleeding Kansas

"Come on, then, gentlemen of the slave states. Since there is no escaping your challenge, we accept it in the name of freedom. We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas, and God give the victory to the side which is stronger in numbers, as it is in right." -- Senator William Seward, on the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, May 1854

Was Slavery A Necessary Evil?

When we think of slavery we think of something bad. A better word would probably be evil or immoral. The Webster dictionary defines slavery as "someone owned legally by another person and is forced to work for that person without pay". This barely scratches the surface of what slavery was and in some cases, still is. But there is no question that there were benefits to such a system and this blog post will make an argument that one could make the case that slavery was a necessary evil. However, this opinion does not in any way represent my personal feelings on the matter.

From Slavery to Abolitionism

All the way throughout class on Tuesday there were same two (2) themes kept reappearing over and over; the abolishing of slavery and giving equal right s to all people regardless of color. There were many different groups and organizations that were working towards these goals such as "The American Colonization Society" (est. 1819) and later "The American Anti-Slavery Society" (est. 1833). Like I said earlier the main cause of liberation for black and the equal treatment of all people was noble but there were also many underlying reasons that were not and noble and just as you think.

For example, "The American Colonization Society" was against slavery and did want to abolish the practice but they did not like the idea of black men and women living and coexisting with white men and women. To make sure that would not happen the sent back some 40,000 black men, women, and children "back" to Africa. These were men and women that were born in the United States that knew just as little about Africa as the people that were rounding them up and sending them "home". To make it easier of a transition, the ACS bought land in West Africa and  made a colony which is the West African country of Liberia whose capital (Monrovia) was named after the American President at the time, James Monroe. 

At this time I want you to think; if you were a black person during this time, what would you do? If it meant being free would you completely leave the only life you knew behind in order to start fresh in a place you barely even know? 
Personally I dont think I would have been able to leave for the simple fact that I would be leaving the only thing I knew even though it was bad. But that is what these men and women of African decent had to deal with.

Further along the line once more and more Northeners could not get through to wealthy Southeners and other people that supported the enterprise of slavery, drastic measures were being taken by abolitionist as well as slaves. The biggest slave slave revolt in America was lead by a slave by the name of Nat Turner. He and his group of newly liberated slave went fro plantation to plantation murdering all whites that opposed their will. As they were killing slave owners, there would be more and more slaves that would join the cause of "Freedom by Any Means". Nat and his band of vigilantes were finally caught and killed. This revolt scared people up and down the Eastern sea board and more slave laws were put in affect afterward. This brings me to my next question.

If you were a slave during the time of Nat Turner's revolt, would you join the revolt or notify someone that they were near? Knowing that the punishment would be death, would your freedom mean that much or that little too you? Explain why or why not.

On the other hand of the coin, abolitionist were telling the gruesome stories from slaves about the inhumane treatment they were receiving from the "slave masters" and overseers. When people still were not able to quite comprehend the atrocities that were happening to these people in a place were all mean are supposed to be treated equal, the American Anti-Slavery Society started doing something that was completely unprecedented for that time. 
They would have former slaves and women both speak at conventions and other engagements. This had never been done before, blacks and women BOTH speaking out to white men about that abolishment of slavery and women's rights. One former slaves that told about his struggles of being a slave, his name was Fredrick Douglas. One of the most influential black abolitionist of the era. He was a former salve that taught himself to read and write and become the well spoken man that he was. He wrote about in his narrative called, "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas: An American Slave. The things that he went through really opened up the eyes of white men and all men that what was happening was wring and that the institution of slavery had too come to an end.

What is your “Nationalism” stance and where do you place your heart?

I believe that our Nationalism comes from our multiple sources of identity.  My reference to 9/11 and all that were good and bad, this was a time of recognition as a country and of oneself.  Many Americans were called to service and many more volunteered their service to anyone of need.  This was a calling that many were falling astray from believing in our country.  What percentage of our class could stand and say the “Pledge of Allegiance”? 

Ists and Isms

Reading the The Dangerous Isms and the Fanatical Ists by Michael F. Conlin was not only an interesting read but an comically ironic one as well. I don't want to sound like I was laughing through the whole passage because I wasn't at all it's just that even after years of history classes and many lessons on the Civil War I still cannot wrap my head around what society was like in this period of American history. The United States of America is known as a melting pot, a country of many freedoms and liberties to all citizens but in this document Conlin's analysis and explanation clearly paints a picture of the foundation and starting point of this very important issue in our history. In class we have talked about how yes, the U.S. has developed and overcome the unfair treatment of many individuals in this country but how we also still have a long ways to go.