Second Class Citizenshipship Case Study
1512 Words
Lanny Ng 4/24/14 HIS 3060 Second Class Citizenship: Challenges Faced by African Americans After the abolishment of slavery African Americans were given a chance to climb the social ladder. They believed that if they worked hard they could achieve the American dream defined by providing their family more than the bare necessities. They were able to find work, improve their social status and even enter politics. During the Reconstruction era a few of them were elected into the House of Representatives and two were elected into senate. However, the progress of the African American came to a swift halt at the end of the Reconstruction era. Feeling threatened by the African Americans, whites created legislative laws that bar African American from politics and sought to undermine them starting with the Black Codes and later the Jim Crow law. Slavery had existed since the colonial times. The need for an expensive but continuous source of labor set the European’s sight on Africa. There they kidnapped Africans from their native villages and sold them to the highest bidder. This was essentially the start of slavery. Many slaves were bought to work on the sugar and tobacco plantations. There they worked long hours and were brutally beaten by their white masters. Slavery was not only a lifelong condition but it was also hereditary. Children born to slave mothers were also slaves themselves. Only in rare instances would a master grant his slave freedom. It took four years of war for slavery to come to a halt in the south but even then the lives of slaves did not improve. The southerners were forced to accept the end of slavery; however, that did not prevent them from finding other ways to dominate the blacks. After the assassination of Abraham... ... middle of paper ... ...they had less than whites: less income, wealth, occupational prestige, housing, education, and political influence.” Many migrated to the North in hopes of improving their living conditions only to be disappointed. While there were no visible signs hung up that divided the races the division were still very visible. Whites had the best property and were the priority. Blacks lived in slums and remained as second class citizens. Those who choose to remain in the south had two choices. They could either accommodate the Jim Crow laws or they could oppose it. These two opposing positions gave rise to two leaders, Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois, who would have opposing positions on how African Americans should respond to their second class citizenship. Proposal: I would like to research the Jim Crow law and its effect on politics and everyday life in America.
Let Our AI Magic Supercharge Your Grades!
Related
- ...ution of slavery in America began with the European colonialists who established their colonies in various parts of America. The Europeans then starting exploring on a number of farming activities that required labor. This gave rise to slave trade through which the Europeans could obtain cheap slaves from Africa, then transport them to America. The slaves resisted being sold into slavery but most of them ended up suffering as a result of it.The history of slavery of America has undergone a number of shifts characterized by a number of abolitionist movements that played a key role in liberating slaves and their future generations.3207 wordsRead More
- Slavery has being a part of human history for centuries. Powerful civilizations captured their neighbor people and enslaved them. These people are primarily used for labor in constructions and farms. Other times slavery is mean to pay off debt that you owe someone. In these cases, slavery wasn 't intended to be for life or a system of hereditary; moreover, slavery only happens with people of the same skin color. However, slavery had evolved over time. When Columbus set foot in the American continent, he enslaved the Native Americans as a mean to advance his personal interests. The practice of enslaving other people that had different skin color had contributed to the U.S 's slavery. The American system of slavery was different from that of1575 wordsRead More
- Tragically, however, very few of these goals were achieved. It seems as if every time the African Americans manage to move one step closer to reaching true equality among the Southern whites, whether it be in a social, political, or economic fashion, the whites always react by committing violent acts against them. Initially, the Southern whites (in fear of black supremacy in Southern politics) fought to preserve the white supremacy Southern politics had always functioned by. This “ushered most African Americans to the margins of the southern political world” (Brinkley, 369). Secondly, African Americans struggled to survive once they were set free; they had nowhere to live and nothing to eat. Because of such reasons, most former slaves decided to remain living on their plantations as tenants, paying their tenancy by working the crop fields. Sadly, even this failed for the African Americans due to the birth of the crop-lien system. Lastly, the Southern whites counteracted the effects of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments by establishing the Jim Crow laws, which aided them with upholding, if not increasing, the steady level of segregation in the South. Ultimately, out of the very few accomplishments made by the African American population during and following the Era of Reconstruction, there existed one achievement significant enough to change the course of American history: the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments. As a result of these amendments, “would one day serve as the basis for a “Second Reconstruction” that would renew the drive to bring freedom to all Americans” (Brinkley,1281 wordsRead More
- Slavery in the United States first began in 1619 when Dutch traders seized a captured Spanish slave ship and brought those aboard to the North American colony of Jamestown, Virginia. When the North American continent was first colonized by Europeans, the vast land proved to be more work than they had anticipated and there was a severe shortage of labor. Land owners needed a solution for cheap and plentiful labor to help with the production of lucrative crops such as tobacco and rice. Although many land owners already made use of indentured servants- poor youth from Britain and Germany who sought passage to America and would be contracted to work a given number of years before they were granted freedom- they soon realized that in order to continue expansion they would need to employ more labor. This meant bringing more people over from Africa against their own will, depriving the African content of its healthiest and most capable men and women. Since individuals with African origins were not English by birth, they were considered foreigners and outside English Common Law and were not granted equal rights. Many slave owners intended to make their slaves completely dependent on them and prohibited them from learning to read or write. The oppression of black slaves was on the rise and many sources estimate that nearly twelve million slaves were brought to the ...1136 wordsRead More
- To begin with, ever since America was colonized there were slaves. Most were brought over by European ships coming to America through the Atlantic slave trade (African Americans). Once coming to America the African Americans were auctioned off in auctions, and sent to large plantations where they picked cotton, cleaned their owner’s house, made clothing, and did other chores. Inside the plantations the slaves were treated horribly. Women in the household were subject to sexual abuse from owners and foremen of the plantation and often bore white children (African Americans). Men were subject to whippings, being chained to posts; beat by owners, and separation from their families (African Americans). Although there was cruel treatment, freedom was around the corner for the African Americans. On April 12th, 1861 the Civil War began and America was divided. The North was commanded by Abraham Lincoln, and aimed to abolish slavery; the South was led by Jefferson Davis and backed the idea of sla...1212 wordsRead More
- Slavery has existed in one form or another for centuries and in some places in the world it still exists today. In most places slavery is a way of life and there is nothing that can be done about it, and in southern America that was the case too for over three hundred years. During that period many people fought against slavery and tried to get it abolished from the country, but little did they know how long and how brutal the fight would be. Even after slavery was abolished by the thirteenth amendment in 1865, the African American and some European people suffered even harder times than they did during the years of slavery. After slavery was abolished a few years later the Jim Crow laws were introduced in the south, making it nearly impossible for African Americans to live a free life, and these laws would eventually shape the race relations in the south for several years to come. The Jim Crow laws made African Americans second class citizens to the white people of the south. Even though slavery was abolished in the south, these laws made sure that African Americans were not able to enjoy their new found freedom. These laws were implemented by white community to make sure that they kept the power that they once had over the African Americans, because they were afraid of what might happen if they gain power. The white people in the south were successful in doing so for almost eighty years.2124 wordsRead More
- Slavery was introduced into the Southern colonies around the time that Jamestown was settled. Many people became enslaved, especially African Americans. They were brought to America by force when people in the colonies needed free labor. As the years went by slavery continued to grow and expand along with the nation.730 wordsRead More
- During the mass immigration era of America, an abundant number of people traveled to the urban industrial society of the United States in aspiration to seek job opportunities and better lives than the ones they left behind. These groups included the Poles, Italians, Chinese, Mexicans, Japanese, East European Jews, and the African- Americans. However, one of these groups mentioned was distinctly different from the rest: the African-Americans. They were already American citizens, who migrated to the northern American cities to free themselves from segregation, oppression, and harsh conditions they experienced in the South and obtain equal rights and opportunities. Although the African-Americans' ambitions were exceedingly high, there were strong barriers that kept them from reaching their goals of Americanization. The historical legacy of slavery acted as a barrier, and left the African-Americans with fewer civil rights than all other Americans and immigrants. To understand the meaning of "civil rights," it can be defined as "the rights belonging to an individual by virtue of citizenship especially the fundamental freedoms including civil liberties, due process, equal protection of the laws, and freedom from discrimination" (Dictionary.com). African-Americans were similar to the new comers from abroad in that they both experienced change and adjustment when entering urban American, but due to the legacy of slavery and the impact it had on the African-Americans' civil rights, the African-Americans migration experience was clearly different than other immigration experiences.1615 wordsRead More
- Slavery can be followed in time as far back as when settlement began in America. The first town established in the New World was Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, and the first slave arrived on the continent in 1619. European pioneers that colonized North America brought slaves with them to help settle the new land, work their plantations growing valuable cash crops such as tobacco and sugar, and to cook and clean in their homes. Most people didn 't see slavery as a problem at this time because it was quite rare in the New World with only a few wealthy landowners who owned slaves, however, public opinion changed through time.730 wordsRead More
- Slavery started in the early 1600’s and lasted until 1865.l Back in t eday, African Americans was treated like hairrible animaLS. They were not only derived of their freedom, but they were menally,pbysically, ans emotionally abused.”They were not considered human, let alone beautiful”(Zadeah). The African Ameican slaves were beaten, sexually assaulted, and killed by their s...1634 wordsRead More
- Even when the Amendment abolished slavery in 1865, and the black people embraced education, built their own churches, reunited with their broken families and worked very hard in the sharecropping system, nothing was enough for the Reconstruction to succeed. Whites never gave total freedom to African Americans. Blacks were forced to endure curfews, passes, and living on rented land, which put them in a similar situation as slaves. In885 wordsRead More
- After the ending of the Civil War in 1865, slavery was, at last, formally abolished by the Thirteenth Amendment. Due to the freedom of these African Americans and the South’s ever-growing hatred towards this group, African Americans were left to suffer harsh discrimination and horrible conditions. Africans Americans were left without homes, education, jobs, or money. Reconstruction was the Radical Republicans’ attempt to try and bring the Confederate states back to normal and unite both the South and the North into a whole country once again. Reconstruction was also set to protect and help the newly freed African Americans assimilate to the new society and the foreign economy they were placed in. Conditions of the African Americans in the South before, during, and after the reconstruction period were no doubt harsh. African Americans, before the Reconstruction Era, struggled to assimilate with the hateful society they were thrown in, if not still slaves. Although their condition improved slightly, African Americans during the reconstruction period experienced extreme terrorism, discrimination, pressure, and hatred from the south, along with the struggle of keeping alive. After the military was taken out of the South, African Americans’ condition after the Reconstruction Era relapsed back as if Reconstruction never happened.1071 wordsRead More
- African Americans have a history of struggles because of racism and prejudices. Ever since the end of the Civil War, they struggled to benefit from their full rights that the Constitution promised. The fourteenth Amendment, which defined national citizenship, was passed in 1866. Even though African Americans were promised citizenship, they were still treated as if they were unequal. The South had an extremely difficult time accepting African Americans as equals, and did anything they could to prevent the desegregation of all races. During the Reconstruction Era, there were plans to end segregation; however, past prejudices and personal beliefs elongated the process.2179 wordsRead More
- Colonist started to import slaves from South America in hopes that they would live longer and be more manageable to control. The slaves that were imported were trained past their first year of slavery, so that they would not die as fast. The first imported slaves came to America in the early 17th century. When they received the slaves they found out some of them were baptized, and were under the Christian religion. So they could not be treat as slaves under the religion so they were turned into indentured servants. There were very few vague laws on slavery, but it was always a permanent servitude. At first slaves had limited right, and were aloud to own land, after their period of slavery was over. They were allowed to marry and have children. The slaves kids that were born while they were enslaved were not consider to be slaves, but to be free under the law.1202 wordsRead More
- Slavery was created in pre-revolutionary America at the start of the seventeenth century. By the time of the Revolution, slavery had undergone drastic changes and was nothing at all what it was like when it was started. In fact the beginning of slavery did not even start with the enslavement of African Americans. Not only did the people who were enslaved change, but the treatment of slaves and the culture that each generation lived in, changed as well.1702 wordsRead More