American Revolution

DBQ

Many African Americans gained freedom of slavery during 1775-1830. However, slavery did extend and expand throughout the nation through the years. Through the expansion and the freedom, many African Americans, free and slaves were affected greatly. The outcome of the free and enslaved African Americans varied.

During the American Revolution, Britain had promised slaves and indentured servants freedom if they sided with the British (Doc A). This was appealing to the slaves in America because that means they would no longer be oppressed. This made a lot of slaves think and hesitate on their options, and to think of what they can do to make the British side with them. However, this proposition required for the slaves to run away from their masters and plantations. This was a debatable thing as the price to attempt to gain freedom was extremely high for the slaves. Slaves however still ran away for the hope of freedom from the British, but this did not work as Britain lost the war and could not enforce their promise earlier.

From about 1790-1830, there was a giant jump of slaves that were present around the United States (Doc C). After the ban of International Slave Trade in 1808, things changed quickly in the United States. Slavery slowly began to die off, and the North slowly began to let go of slaves. As the North was slowly letting go of slavery, it did not matter as the South had an incredible amount of slavery. South became dependent on slaves as cotton began to flourish in the lands, so the South eventually ended up with a great amount of slaves for their fields. Soon, the South became a highly slave-dependent part of the United States.

The South acquired more use of the slaves than just picking cotton. Although people saw it inhumane and wrong, the South said that the slaves would be a danger to society and themselves if they were freed (Doc E). The planters stated that if the slaves were to be freed, the black and white people would not be able to get along, and cause a giant split and disturbance in society. If the society of America was to be disrupted, America’s economy would fall and fail. They believed this to prove their use on slaves, and to re-spread the slaves in the South even more.

However, there were some masters that were not harsh to the slaves in the South. Some masters would promise and allow their slaves freedom if they could bring the money for it, and once they did, they would agree to it (Doc F). Some of the more famous slave masters were Andrew Jackson. He was known to have slaves once he became the president, and he was known to have treated them like family. He sat and ate with them rather than with the “other white folks” and would treat them as if they were his family. Even though he treated them with care and respect, the slaves of the South still were not happy on the fact that they treated