Because of its early past, the United States of America has a rich and diverse culture. Native American red Indians were the first people to live in the US, and European settlers began to arrive there around 1600. A period of migration by Europeans of different ancestries began with the entry. The British colonial period, which brought slavery with it in an effort to increase farm hands for the production of raw materials that would be transported to England, saw the expansion of slavery. The goal of this essay is to examine the problem of slavery and the various strategies employed to combat it in the 19th century. This paper examines the outcomes of the 3/5ths compromise, Missouri Compromise, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and Dred Scot Decision, the reasons why slavery was incompatible the US political and economic system, as well as, the driving forces that lead to the Civil War.
The tension and division between the slave and Free states were not desirable for a country that was striving to the unit. One of the notable actions was the Missouri compromise of 1820 which was arrived at after a request to Congress by Missouri to be allowed to join the pact as a slave state (Kiser, 2017). This would only be granted as a compromise as Maine would also be entered in the agreement as a free state. The Congress also drew an imaginary line which would be used to differentiate between the slave and Free states. The line would only be compromised in 1854 by the Kansas Act prepossessed by Stephen Douglas (Gold, 2011). According to Douglas, the boundary was too superficial and caused problems that needed to be solved by relinquishing the 1820 agreement. The new proposal was contested by Abraham Lincoln and upholding it led to the renowned bleeding Kansas which precipitated the civil war.
Although Kansas was eventually admitted by the Congress to statehood in 1861, secession was looming. The abolitionists abandoned their southern links leading the southern slavery supporters on their own. The issue would divide the democrats and republicans further despite their original; disagreement. The conservationists felt that the move to abolish slavery would choke its economy and would do anything to maintain that. This would be followed the abolition of slavery in 1863 in the US (Blashfield, 2012). Contrary to the fears of the confederationists, the removal of slavery opened doors of opportunities to the freed slaves in the north. This would be made possible by the new technological advancements that led to the need for factory workers in the north. Additionally, the Southerners also had the opportunity to improve their farm machinery to reduce the number of workers needed in their farms. Although the southern economy slummed for a while, it would later normalize.
The black Americans took it to own property, join educational institutions previously a preserve for the whites. Working in the factories and contributing to the economy was essential to the economic growth of the nation. Notably, although the law in 1861 granted freedom to the slaves, the act had to be pushed into implementation through various demonstrations by the blacks and women. Eventually, women would be involved in the development of the country.
In conclusion, the US is melting pot of people of various origins. It was initially inhabited by the natives who would be joined by European immigrants and later the slaves to support the southern farms. Their role is essential to the growth of the American economy. This would lead to a division between states that supported slavery and the abolitionist. However, various instruments were used; some of them were compromised while others remained abolitionists strictly until the inauguration of Lincoln. Nonetheless, the freeing of slaves led to the including of the slaves and minority groups including women.
References
Blashfield, J. (2012). Slavery in America. New York: Children's Press.
Gold, S. (2011). The Missouri Compromise. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.
Kiser, W. S. (2017). Borderlands of Slavery: The Struggle Over Captivity and Peonage in the American Southwest. University of Pennsylvania Press.
