Equality is when people have the same rights and opportunities as others. After the American Revolution, 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence announcing freedom from Great Britain. Americas founding fathers wanted a source of government that would prevent the authorities from overruling the country, like Great Britain did to the 13 colonies. The first ten amendments, also known as the Bill Of Rights, helped the new country keep an equal balance between politics and the society. Some may say that we cannot reach equality because people still discriminate other people’s ethnic, but that is just those people’s opinions on how they feel about one another and it shouldn't matter whether it’s equality or not. Even if the word “equality” may not appear in the constitution, it is possible to achieve equality if people follow the 27 amendments. Nevertheless, people can speak …show more content…
Take care again. By this rule, you are to be slave to the first man you meet with an intellect superior to your own” (“Fragment on Slavery” 760). This shows that, Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president, was against slavery and wrote this to change peoples mind that slavery is wrong. The reader can predict that he also wrote this to give hope to all slaves. Fourteen years later Amendment thirteen was ratified an with the written words, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (William and White 170). This shows that nobody can volunteer as a slave because everyone is equal. No individual can be forced to do something or be held in captivity because no one should be held as a slave. In consequence, nullifying slavery made citizens commensurate to one
The use of labor came in two forms; indenture servitude and Slavery used on plantations in the south particularly in Virginia. The southern colonies such as Virginia were based on a plantation economy due to factors such as fertile soil and arable land that can be used to grow important crops, the plantations in the south demanded rigorous amounts of labor and required large amounts of time, the plantation owners had to employ laborers in order to grow crops and sell them to make a profit. Labor had become needed on the plantation system and in order to extract cheap labor slaves were brought to the south in order to work on the plantations. The shift from indentured servitude to slavery was an important time as well as the factors that contributed to that shift, this shift affected the future generations of African American descent. The history of colonial settlements involved altercations and many compromises, such as Bacons Rebellion, and slavery one of the most debated topics in the history of the United States of America. The different problems that occurred in the past has molded into what is the United States of America, the reflection in the past provides the vast amount of effort made by the settlers to make a place that was worth living on and worth exploring.
Frederick Douglass's Narrative, first published in 1845, is an enlightening and incendiary text. Born into slavery, Douglass became the preeminent spokesman for his people during his life; his narrative is an unparalleled account of the inhumane effects of slavery and Douglass's own triumph over it. His use of vivid language depicts violence against slaves, his personal insights into the dynamics between slaves and slaveholders, and his naming of specific persons and places made his book an indictment against a society that continued to accept slavery as a social and economic institution. Like Douglass, Harriet Jacobs was born into slavery, and in 1853 she published Letter from a Fugitive Slave, now recognized as one of the most comprehensive antebellum slave narratives written by an African-American woman. Jacobs's account broke the silence on the exploitation of African American female slaves.
The Frederick Douglass text is an excellent and personal account of slavery. It was compelling to read and follow the different changes in his life throughout his time as a slave with different masters. The text significantly articulated the experiences that made Douglass the man that he was. In looking at his life and the way that he expressed this trough writing provided a unique view of the harmful effects of this cruel bondage on whites as well as blacks. It was apparent that Douglass had a purpose, which he served extremely well, in writing his life story. The insight that was gained from reading it was so overwhelming that one can see why it made such an impact upon its original circulation. I was touched in reading the text, as it is a history that very much interests me. The tribulations that Douglass endured and witnessed were so real that in reading them one can almost imagine seeing the images that were described. In his graphic detail and description Dogulass succeeds in maintaining not only an interest but also a concern, sincere emotion that cannot be denied upon experiencing his words. The explanations for certain occurrences by the slaves were helpful and also an aid in evoking emotion. I felt pity and anger as Douglass provided examples of the way that slaves would argue and even fight about whom had the best or smartest master. In writing his autobiography he not only allowed raeders to explore his trial as a slave but also provided an undersating the system itself pertaining to its operation and evaluation thereof. An example of this is the description of what was looked down upon by both slaves as well as whites such as not giving a slave enough to eat. The reading was very interesting but heart-wrenching, though sympathy was not a goal for the fervent author.
The Great Emancipator or a white, racist, bigot? These two viewpoints defined Abraham Lincoln throughout the course of history, but in reality, he was neither. Lincoln was a self-educated man and despite coming from poorer roots, was highly ambitious as a lawyer and leader of the Illinois Whigs. Personally, he was a very logical and honest person, skeptical of religion and ambitious. Despite this, he suffered from depression and was very superstitious. It is important to note that he was highly accepting of people, even if they were seen as the” swamp of society”; he always hated human bondage and that it strayed from the ideals of the Founders, whom he idolized, and was a means of white supremacy that mocked the Declaration of Independence.
Abraham Lincoln and Slavery Many Americans believe that Abraham Lincoln was the “Great Emancipator,” the sole individual who ended slavery, and the man who epitomizes freedom. In his brief presidential term, Lincoln dealt with an unstable nation, with the South seceding from the country and in brink of leaving permanently.
He then continues by declaring that all slaves from the Southern States which he mentions in the text are from now on free, ordering that the navy and army along with the Government of the United States ensure that it is carried out. He then addresses the former slaves to abstain from violence, unless it´s needed for self-defence and he asks them to work faithfully in return for wages, he also makes known that any man of a suitable age and condition will be more than welcome to enlist in the Union Army. He then finishes the text invoking both “the considerate judgment of mankind” and “the gracious favour of Almighty God” as would be expected following the conventions of the time, however it did not apply to nearly the 500,000 slaves in Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland or Delaware which were Union states. The President knew that only congress could remove slavery permanently, but he had the satisfaction of seeing it come true before his early death, becoming the first American President to be assassinated on April the 14th 1865. On January the 31st of 1865 slavery was abolished completely when the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was passed by the House of Representatives. Another two Amendments were passed to ensure no more discrimination against former slaves the first one was the 14th Amendment, it gave citizenship to people born or naturalized in the United States and
In 1776, five members assembled to draw up the Declaration of Independence, a document that clearly stated independence from Britain, and listed the colonists’ grievances and natural rights. One of the most controversial components was the following statement: “We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” The concept of equality debated and understood in a variety of ways throughout American history. Equality, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, can be defined as “the quality or state of having the same rights, social status, etc.” Consequently, changes have been sought to obtain rights that were not easily granted. Marginalized members of society have fought to acquire rights, whether human or civil, since they believe that, as citizens, they deserve equality. The trend of change in the name of equality has brought about numerous fundamental and eternal transformations in American society.
Quote 1:“Reader, be assured this narrative is no fiction. I am aware that some of my adventures may seem incredible; but they are, nevertheless, strictly true. I have not exaggerated the wrongs inflicted by Slavery; on the contrary, my descriptions fall far short of the facts.”(2) Analysis 1: In this straightforward statement in the introduction of her novel, Harriet Jacobs assures her readers that her story is all fact. Because of the mostly white audience who were reading her novel, she needed to make it clear that no matter how exaggerated or fictional the story may have seemed at points, it was still a completely
Under American law everyone is considered equal, the term equal refers to the many different ways people are treated the same in American society; even if they are not truly equal with each other. Everyone ranges from being poor to rich; they also range in
Everyone has the ability to be a functioning member of society, despite any dissimilarity or obstacles in their life; diverse individuals who stand out are often taken advantage of and targeted. Equality is a right that everyone should be entitled to on all levels, despite gender or any mental, physical or developmental differences.
What is equality? The first thought that arises in most our minds when we hear this word is the condition of being nondiscriminatory, particularly in cachet, entitlement and opportunities. Based on the Cambridge English Dictionary, equality refers the prerogative of multiple people groups to have a homogeneous social status and deserve identical treatment (Dictionary, 2017). Nonetheless, in the context of this research, equality is the unbiased treatment towards people regardless of their gender.
1.1b Equality means removing of barriers to fair treatment of people regardless of their differences, making sure no one is left behind or disadvantaged . Every human being has the right to equal life opportunities, such as housing, transport, health and social care and so on. Equality is also about helping those with disabilities that impact on them having a decent standard of living by providing appropriate services that meet their needs.
Equality can be seen as such a vague term. What does it really mean? Is being equal with all your peers a good thing? Well it depends on your definition of equality. Two definition by Merriam Webster and Cambridge Dictionary give to clear, but slightly different definitions of equality. After reading, do you think these definitions could be improved? Equality is also a quality in which most societies are reaching for, and none have succeed yet. However many have made great strides. For example, Barack Obama passed a law allowing gay marriage in U.S.A. Another great example is in the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. After a revolution over humans, are the animals all equal or not?
“Dreams from 1991 are becoming reality. We will build good relations between nations and people. We will strive towards mutual respect and equality of every individual, sex, race and national or any other minority.”- Janez Drnovsek (Brainyquote.com). From the beginning of the Bill of Rights to the end of slavery and equal voting rights, equality has come a long way with the Constitution in play.
Equality is ensuring every individual is treated and acknowledged equally and not discriminated against their age, race, gender, disability, belief or religion, and sexual orientation. Equality is a symbol, which is about ‘creating a fairer society, where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfill their potential’ (DoH, 2004). This enables individuals to eliminate prejudice and discrimination as everyone is respected and no one is less favorable. Promoting equality helps to reduce discrimination in all areas. Every individual has the right to equality and to be treated with dignity and respect. This allows every individual to have a choice and to be valued as an individual.