essay on impact on slavery

What Is a Legacy of Slavery?

An essay by david blight.

Because slavery is so central to the history of the United States—its origins, economic development, society, culture, politics, and law—it has left in its wake a wide array of legacies that seem ever-present yet ever-changing in our world. Sometimes the question of slavery’s legacy seems out-of-focus, inaccessible, or expressed in fuzzy language. Other times the legacy of slavery and emancipation may confront us when we least expect it. In 1961, in an essay in the  New York Times  titled “As Much Truth as One Can Bear,” James Baldwin observed that when Americans reflect on their history, the “words are mostly used to cover the sleeper, not to wake him up.” Indeed, the living meanings, surviving challenges, and sometimes seemingly intractable problems born of great events or vast human practices and systems from the past are what make history matter. This is why legacies matter. And that is why the Council of Independent Colleges and the Gilder Lehrman Center have launched the Legacies of American Slavery project….

What then is a legacy? A historical legacy can be an idea or an eternally recurring question at the root of a dream—for example, “Why is human equality so hard to achieve?” A legacy can be emotional, manifesting itself in habits of thought, assumptions, behaviors, and lasting psychological patterns of struggle, action, or expectation. A legacy can be political, emerging in voting tendencies and recurring public policy issues. A legacy can be economic, evolving in patterns of growth and access or lack of access to material goods, services, human capital. A legacy can exist in law, in court decisions, in government policies that change when challenged or revert to older practices in times of reaction. Legacies can be laid down and commemorated in stone, in bronze, in musical traditions, in all manner of artistic forms. Legacies can be embodied in a very literal sense, as patterns of health and disease that can be traced to past experience through medical research. A legacy might be as local as a family story passed from generation to generation, or as big as a national origin narrative. Legacies can be institutional, growing as part of organizations that exist to educate, advocate, preserve, protest, or advance a set of ideas….

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Most Americans say the legacy of slavery still affects black people in the U.S. today

A U.S. House of Representatives committee plans to hold a hearing this week on the topic of reparations for slavery, the first hearing on the topic in more than a decade. The legacy of slavery still resonates for many Americans, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted earlier this year, with 63% believing it affects the position of black people in American society today either a great deal or a fair amount.

Black adults are particularly likely to say slavery continues to have an impact: More than eight-in-ten say this is the case, including 59% who say the legacy of slavery affects the situation of black people a great deal. By comparison, 26% of whites, 29% of Hispanics and 33% of Asians say slavery affects the position of black people in American society today a great deal, though majorities of each group say it does so at least a fair amount.

The survey also found that more than four-in-ten U.S. adults (45%) think the country hasn’t gone far enough in giving black people equal rights with whites, while 15% say it’s gone too far and 39% say it’s been about right. About eight-in-ten black adults (78%) say the country hasn’t made enough progress in this area, compared with 37% of whites and 48% of Hispanics. (Because this question was asked of a random half of the sample, the views of Asians can’t be analyzed separately; for more information, see “ A note about the Asian sample .”)

In addition to their bleak views about the country’s racial progress, black adults are also skeptical about the prospects for racial equality in the future. Among black Americans who say the country hasn’t gone far enough in giving black people equal rights with whites, 64% say it’s not too or not at all likely that the country will ever achieve racial equality. Whites who say the country still has work to do in this area are more optimistic: 80% say it’s very or somewhat likely that black people in our country will eventually have equal rights. Hispanics’ views are more mixed.

Democrats and those who lean to the Democratic Party (80%) are far more likely than Republicans and GOP leaners (43%) to say the legacy of slavery still affects the situation of black people in American society today. And while most Democrats (66%) say the country hasn’t gone far enough in giving black people equal rights with whites, just 18% of Republicans agree. About three-in-ten Republicans (28%) say the country has gone too far on this issue, while 53% say it’s been about right. These differences are virtually unchanged when looking only at white Democrats and Republicans.

For more on Americans’ views about the state of race relations and racial inequality in the U.S., see “ Race in America 2019 .”

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Background Essay: The Origins of American Slavery

How did enslaved and free Blacks resist the injustice of slavery during the colonial era?

• I can articulate how slavery was at odds with the principle of justice.
• I can explain how enslaved men and women resisted the institution of slavery.
• I can create an argument supported by evidence from primary sources.
• I can succinctly summarize the main ideas of historic texts.

Essential Vocabulary

Written by: The Bill of Rights Institute

American Slavery in the Colonies

Throughout the colonial era, many white colonists in British North America gradually imposed a system of unfree and coerced labor upon Africans in all the colonies. Throughout the colonies, enslavement of Africans became a racial, lifelong, and hereditary condition. The institution was bound up with the larger Atlantic System of trade and slavery yet developed a unique and diverse character in British North America.

Europeans forcibly brought Africans to the New World in the international slave trade. From the fifteenth to the nineteenth century, European slave ships carried 12.5 million Africans, mostly to the New World. Because of the crowded ships, diseases, and mistreatment, only 10.7 million enslaved Africans landed at their destinations. Almost 2 million souls perished in what a draft of the Declaration of Independence later called an “ execrable commerce.”

Europeans primarily acquired the enslaved Africans from African slave traders along the western coast of the continent by exchanging guns, alcohol, textiles, and a broad range of goods demanded by the African traders. The enslaved were alone, having been separated from their families and embarked on the harrowing journey called the “ Middle Passage ” in chains. They were frightened and confused by their tragic predicament. Some refused to eat or jumped overboard to commit suicide rather than await their fate.

This diagram depicts the layout of a slave ship. (Unknown author – an Abstract of Evidence delivered before a select committee of the House of Commons in 1790 and 1791, reprinted in Phyllis M. Martin and Patrick O’Meara (eds.) (1995). Africa third edition. Indiana University Press and James Currey.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Passage#/media/File:Slave_ship_diagram.png

Most Africans in the international trade were bound for the European colonial possessions in the Caribbean and South America. The sugar plantations there were places where disease, climate, and work conditions produced a horrifying death rate for enslaved Africans. The sugar crop was so valuable that it was cheaper to work slaves to death and import replacements.  About 5 percent of the human cargo in the slave trade landed in British North America.

The African-American experience in the 13 colonies varied widely and is characterized by great complexity. The climate, geography, agriculture, laws, and culture shaped the diverse nature of enslavement.

Enslaved Africans in the British North American colonies did share many things in common, however. Slavery was a racial, lifetime and hereditary condition. White supremacy was rooted in slavery as its victims were almost exclusively Africans. It was a system of unfree and coerced labor that violated the enslaved person’s natural rights of liberty and consent. While the treatment of slaves might vary depending on region or the disposition of the slaveholder, slavery was at its core a violent and brutal system that stripped away human dignity from the enslaved. In all the colonies, slaves were considered legal property. In other words, slavery was a great injustice.

Differing climates and economies led to very different agricultural systems and patterns of enslavement across the colonies. The North had mostly self-sufficient farms. Few had slaves, and those that did, had one or two enslaved persons. While the North had some important pockets of large landowners who held larger numbers of slaves such as the Hudson Valley, its farms were generally incompatible with large slaveholding. Moreover, the nature of wheat and corn crops generally did not support slaveholding the same way that labor-intensive tobacco and rice did. Cities such as New York and Philadelphia also had the largest Black populations.

On the other hand, the Chesapeake (Maryland and Virginia) and low country of the Carolinas had planters and farmers who raised tobacco, rice, and indigo. Small farms only had one or two slaves (and often none), but the majority of the southern enslaved population lived on plantations. Large plantations frequently held more than 20 enslaved people, and some had hundreds. Virginian Robert “King” Carter held more than 1,000 people in bondage. As a result, in the areas where plantations predominated areas of the South (especially South Carolina), enslaved people outnumbered white colonists and sometimes by large percentages. This led to great fear of slave rebellions and measures by whites, including slave patrols and travel restrictions, to prevent them.

Robert “King” Carter was one of the richest men in all of the American colonies. He owned more than 1,000 slaves on his Virginia plantation. Anonymous. Portrait of Robert “King” Carter. Circa 1720. Painting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Carter_I#/media/File:Robert_Carter_I.JPG

The regional differences of slavery led to variations in work patterns for enslaved people. A few Northern enslaved people worked and lived on farms alongside slaveholders and their families. Many worked in urban areas as workers, domestic servants, and sailors and generally had more freedom of movement than on southern plantations.

Blacks developed their own cultures in North and South. Despite different cultures and languages brought from Africa and regional differences within the colonies, a strong sense of community developed especially in areas where they had greater autonomy. Slave quarters on large plantations and urban communities of free blacks were notable for the development of Black culture through resistance, preservation of traditions, and expression. The free and enslaved Black communities kept in conversation with each other to transmit news and to hide runaways.

Different systems of work developed on Southern plantations. One was a “gang system ” of labor in which planters or their overseers drove groups of enslaved people, closely watched their work, and applied physical coercion to compel them to work faster. They also worked in the homes, laundries, kitchens, and stables on larger plantations.

On the massive rice plantations of the Carolinas, enslaved people were often assigned tasks and allowed to stop working when they reached their goals. The “ task system ” could foster cooperation and provide incentives to complete their work quicker. Plantation slaves completed other tasks including cooking, cleaning, laundry, childcare, and worked as skilled artisans.

The treatment and experience of enslaved people was rooted in a brutal system but could vary widely. Many slaveholders were violent and cruel, liberally applying severe beatings that were at times limited by law or shunned by society. Others were guided by their Christian beliefs or humanitarian impulses and treated their slaves more paternalistically . Domestic work was often easier but under much closer scrutiny than fieldhands who at times enjoyed more autonomy and community with other enslaved people. Slaveholders in New England were more likely to teach slaves to read or encourage religious worship, but enslaved people were commonly restricted from learning to read, especially in the South.

Enslaved people did not passively accept their condition. They found a variety of ways to resist in order to preserve their humanity and autonomy. Some of the common daily forms of resistance included slowing down their pace of work, breaking a tool, or pretending to be sick. Some stole food and drink to supplement their inadequate diets or simply to enjoy it as an act of rebellion. Young male slaves were especially likely to run away for a few days and hide out locally to protest work or mistreatment. Enslaved people secretly learned to read and that allowed them to forge passes to escape to freedom. They sang spirituals out of religious conviction, but also in part to express their hatred of the system and their hope for freedom.

Slaves developed their own culture as a way to bond together in their hardships and show defiance to their owners. This image depicts slaves on a plantation dancing and playing music. Anonymous. The Old Plantation. Circa. 1790. Painting. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States#/media/File:Slave_dance_to_banjo,_1780s.jpg

The enslavement of Africans in British colonies in North America developed differently in individual colonies and among regions. But, the common thread running throughout the experience of slavery was injustice. Blacks were denied their humanity and natural rights as they could not keep the fruits of their labor, lived under a brutal system of coercion, and could not live their lives freely. However, a few white colonists questioned the institution before the Revolutionary War.

Comprehension and Analysis Questions

• How did slavery violate an enslaved person’s natural rights?
• How did slavery vary across the 13 British colonies in North America?
• How did Blacks resist their enslavement?

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Introductory Essay: The Declaration of Independence and the Promise of Liberty and Equality for All: Founding Principles and the Problem of Slavery

The Columbian Exchange | BRI’s Homework Help Series

Have you ever looked at your teacher with a puzzled face when they explain history? I know we have. In our new Homework Help Series we break down history into easy to understand 5 minute videos to support a better understanding of American History. In our first episode, we tackle the Columbian Exchange and early contact between Europeans, Natives and Africans.

Origins of the Slave Trade

Why did Africa and Europe engage in the slave trade?

The New York Times

Magazine | the 1619 project, the 1619 project.

AUG. 14, 2019

In August of 1619, a ship appeared on this horizon, near Point Comfort, a coastal port in the English colony of Virginia. It carried more than 20 enslaved Africans, who were sold to the colonists. No aspect of the country that would be formed here has been untouched by the years of slavery that followed. On the 400th anniversary of this fateful moment, it is finally time to tell our story truthfully.

Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. black americans have fought to make them true., if you want to understand the brutality of american capitalism, you have to start on the plantation., myths about physical racial differences were used to justify slavery — and are still believed by doctors today., america holds onto an undemocratic assumption from its founding: that some people deserve more power than others., for centuries, black music has been the sound of artistic freedom. no wonder everybody’s always stealing it., ‘i slide my ring finger from senegal to south carolina & feel the ocean separate a million families.’, what does a traffic jam in atlanta have to do with segregation quite a lot., why doesn’t the united states have universal health care the answer begins with policies enacted after the civil war., slavery gave america a fear of black people and a taste for violent punishment. both still define our prison system., the sugar that saturates the american diet has a barbaric history as the ‘white gold’ that fueled slavery., a vast wealth gap, driven by segregation, redlining, evictions and exclusion, separates black and white america., a re-education is necessary., most americans still don’t know the full story of slavery. this is the history you didn’t learn in school., ‘we are committing educational malpractice’: why slavery is mistaught — and worse — in american schools., the 1619 project continues, the 1619 podcast.

An audio series from The Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery.

Live at the Smithsonian

Watch highlights of a symposium about how history is defined — and redefined — featuring historians, journalists and policymakers.

Reader Responses

We asked you to share photographs and stories of your enslaved ancestors. The images and stories helped paint a picture of a too-often-erased American history.

We asked you how you learned about slavery in school. You told us about degrading role play, flawed lessons and teachers who played down its horrors.

Race/Related

The 1619 Project was conceived by Nikole Hannah-Jones. In this interview, she talks about the project and the reaction to it.

In the N.B.A., the very term “owner” has come under fire, as players, most of whom are black, assert self-determination.

Behind the Scenes of 1619

Since January, The Times Magazine has been working on an issue to mark the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved people arriving in America.

For teachers

Looking for ways to use this issue in your classroom? You can find curriculums, guides and activities for students developed by the Pulitzer Center at pulitzercenter.org/1619 . And it’s all free!

More on NYTimes.com

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Slavery Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on slavery.

Slavery is a term that signifies the injustice that is being carried out against humans since the 1600s. Whenever this word comes up, usually people picture rich white people ruling over black people. However, that is not the only case to exist. After a profound study, historians found evidence that suggested the presence of slavery in almost every culture. It was not essentially in the form of people working in the fields, but other forms. Slavery generally happens due to the division of levels amongst humans in a society. It still exists in various parts of the world. It may not necessarily be that hard-core, nonetheless, it happens.

Impact of Slavery

Slavery is one of the main causes behind racism in most of the cultures. It did severe damage to the race relations of America where a rift was formed between the whites and blacks.

The impact of Slavery has caused irreparable damage which can be seen to date. Even after the abolishment of slavery in the 1800s in America, racial tensions remained amongst the citizens.

In other words, this made them drift apart from each other instead of coming close. Slavery also gave birth to White supremacy which made people think they are inherently superior just because of their skin color and descendant.

Talking about the other forms of slavery, human trafficking did tremendous damage. It is a social evil which operates even today, ruining hundreds and thousands of innocent lives. Slavery is the sole cause which gave birth to all this.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The Aftermath

Even though slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, the scars still remain. The enslaved still haven’t forgotten the struggles of their ancestors. It lives on in their hearts which has made them defensive more than usual. They resent the people whose ancestors brought it down on their lineage.

Even today many people of color are a victim of racism in the 21st century. For instance, black people face far more severe punishments than a white man. They are ridiculed for their skin color even today. There is a desperate need to overcome slavery and all its manifestations for the condition and security of all citizens irrespective of race, religion , social, and economic position .

In short, slavery never did any good to any human being, of the majority nor minority. It further divided us as humans and put tags on one another. Times are changing and so are people’s mindsets.

One needs to be socially aware of these evils lurking in our society in different forms. We must come together as one to fight it off. Every citizen has the duty to make the world a safer place for every human being to live in.

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Impact of Slavery in America

Slavery affected not only slaves and the people who owned them, but those who were against slavery. Because the northern states had become more industrialized than the south, the north did not hold slavery as a positive development for the nation. The market revolution along with the Industrial Revolution from England convinced the north that free labor would be better for the country. Slavery was not only morally wrong—it was not as economically sound as it once was. Slave narratives impacted the way the nation perceived the institution of slavery.

Often people viewed slavery in terms of the institution. Slave narratives helped to shift the focus from the system to the personal. Former slaves such as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs were able to escape their slave masters and write their stories. The slave narratives were a rallying force for those who opposed slavery. The descriptions included were to shock those who either did not know about the effects of slavery or those who did nothing to stop it.

Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Harriet Jacobs, in her narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, acknowledged that those who were not acquainted with slavery would be in disbelief by stating: “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 short of the facts” (Jacobs 439). Abolitionists were strongly opposed to slavery and appreciated the slave narratives that assisted their cause.

The North and South

As the nation progressed, the north and the south developed with differences. One example of the division between the north and the south on the issue of slavery would be the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The land that was west of the Mississippi River and east of the Appalachian Mountains was to outlaw slavery. This was crucial because it helped establish the idea of Free states and slave states. Another example would be the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which was created to solve the dispute over what would become of the states in the western part of the nation. The compromise allowed Missouri to join the nation as a slave state and for the state of Maine to be a free state.

Great Compromise

Throughout the early part of American history, compromising was considered a virtuous trait and the nation valued the ability to solve differences of opinion peacefully. However, these compromises would not last when the nation engaged in the Civil War. These attempts at compromising illustrates that slavery did cause divisions between different regions of early America.

Slavery was Important

Slavery played a critical role in the development of early America. Slavery came after the use of indentured servants and was a way for the new nation to advance economically at the expense of thousands of people. From the Middle Passage to the institution itself, slaves faced terrible abuse and mistreatment. Slavery was morally wrong yet it was allowed to continue because it was grounded in the belief that without slavery these individuals would not be Christians.

The Social Impact

The social impact slavery made on the nation could be seen in the slave uprisings. White slave owners maintained the fear that slaves would rise against their masters. As time went on, racist views became apparent as people instilled values of racial superiority in the whites. This idea of whites being better than blacks would persist long after slavery ended. Slavery caused the rift between the north and the south in post-Civil War America. Samuel Watkins, a confederate soldier from the Civil War, summarized the division between the north and south accurately when he stated: “The South is our country, the North is the country of those who live there. We are an agricultural people; they are a manufacturing people” (Watkins 7).

Differences of the North and South

The northern part of the country was becoming industrialized and did not need slavery like the agrarian south did. The south wished to maintain slavery and the north, influenced by former slaves and the growing understanding of the institution, was willing to oppose it. Slavery had influenced the beginning of post-Civil War America and would continue to impact it as the nation entered the Civil War.

Jacobs, Harriet. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. New York: Signet, 2002. Print.

Sprigs, Elizabeth. “Complaint of an Indentured Servant (1756).” Voices of Freedom 1(2008): 66-68. Print.

Watkins, Sam. Company Aytch. New York: Plume, 1999. Print.

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An Essay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species

• Thomas Clarkson (author)

The first of many anti-slavery tracts written by the Quaker Thomas Clarkson. This one began as a prize-winning Latin dissertation submitted to Cambridge University in 1785. In it he examines the history of slavery, the slave trade, and the nature of slavery in the European colonies.

• EBook PDF This text-based PDF or EBook was created from the HTML version of this book and is part of the Portable Library of Liberty.
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• MARC Record MAchine-Readable Cataloging record.

An Essay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, particularly the African, translated from a Latin Dissertation, which was Honoured with the First Prize, in the University of Cambridge, for the Year 1785, with Additions (London: J. Phillips, 1786).

The text is in the public domain.

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Excessive Use of Slavery

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Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 599 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

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Historical context, social and economic impact, potential solutions.

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The Impact of Slavery

Slavery’s impact extends beyond the enslaved individuals to broader societal structures, including economics, politics, and culture. Its repercussions can be felt in present-day racial disparities, socio-economic challenges, and deep-seated prejudices. Recognizing this impact is crucial for addressing contemporary racial injustices. More free essay examples are accessible at PapersOwl about Human Trafficking topic.

How it works

The participation of England in the slave-trade began in the early 16th century, with the country, on par with Portugal, being the most successful in the trading business until the abolishment of Slavery in the UK in 1807. The original interest of the British traders was more-so with the produce from within Africa, such as ivory and gold, rather than the people of Africa itself. The interest shifted however when the demand for labourers increased and rich British figures became involved in the slave trade.

However, the prominence of African slaves was less so in England than in The Americas, known archaically as the ‘new world.’ Slaves became somewhat of a normality in the US for many years, with every moderately wealthy person owning one or many.

The exploitation of African’s used for slavery eventually became noticeable to the people of America, with anti-slavery movements strengthening by the 1830s. One impact that slavery had on the US is the divide it caused between the north and south. Attitudes towards slavery was less aggressive in the north, with a higher population of abolitionists as well as fewer owned slaves. As well as this, the higher rate of agricultural work in the north meant slaves posed a threat to workers, as they are not paid, meaning less work would be available to them. This created an economical fear in US citizens, even some fearing that they may have to become slaves to find work. By 1850 a compromise was made between the north and south, making slavery illegal in state such as California, but remaining legal in Texas.

The term slavery is often seen as an old concept and not considered a contemporary problem by many. Modern slavery is however on the rise and is becoming a multi-billion dollar business. The estimate of victims of modern slavery in the UK has risen from 13,000 in 2013 to 136,000 in 2018, 41% of this being children under 18. According to the Walk Free foundation, the country with the highest amount of modern slaves at 18.4 million is India. However, this form of slavery is well concealed due to modern technological advances. One example is the use of encrypted Tor browsers, in which people are marketed and sold online, without being apprehended. The ability to use encrypted browsers creates an easy pathway for the traders and a troublesome one for the authorities. This has expanded the ability for humans to be trafficked like cattle. The main victims of online human trafficking are woman and children, who all experience the same fear of the continuation of slavery. The affects that this form of slavery places onto children however are the broadest and hardest to reverse, due to a child’s need to form attachments to appropriate and caring adults, which are unavailable for child victims of slavery. As well as this, psychological research suggests that children experience trauma differently and more severely than adults, meaning that the psychological affects of slavery can be life-long. These affects range from; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Panic Disorder, Anxiety and Suicidal thoughts. One common form of modern slavery that is mis-concepted as a cultural normality is forced domestic servitude. This practice occurs in the UK, with men even being able to buy ‘wives’ online through Tor browsers.

In the UK, the foundation for modern slavery is immigration and poverty. With one fifth (14m) people in the UK living in poverty, many are turning to extreme measures to break free from the grasp of a deficient life-style and some are manipulated into working as a modern slave. An example of how traffickers wield people from other countries for business purposes is the transport of Vietnamese girls to the UK to take part in the nail industry. These young girls are told by traffickers that they will be able to achieve a greater quality of life in the UK, but are forced into unpaid work and housed often in the attic of their traffickers home. The fact that these women are visible to the everyday life of a UK citizen presents the simplicity of the business, but also represents the countries responsibility to tackle such an expansive issue. Other victims can include illegal immigrants or asylum seekers, who are exploited by their employers for no or little pay, in exchange for an arrangement of housing and food “ in which the quality of both are extremely low. These form of labourers have little option but to take such work, due to their illegal status in the country.

Other forms of modern slavery, such as sex trafficking are considered the most traumatic for its victims. The development of forced prostitution in the country has only come about because of the increasing level of demand. As well as being psychologically damaging, this form of modern slavery is one of the most detrimental to the human body. Sexual assault can be one of the most physically and mentally traumatic experiences a person can have. It can cause many physical implications, such as internal damage to the victim which in a female case could lead to infertility, as well as carrying the risk of catching diseases, such as HIV/AIDs. The process of slavery can also be life threatening to its victims. For example, the living conditions of most modern slaves are abysmal. As well as this, the transportation of the victims can be life-threatening. Some modern slaves are transported by cargo in large vans, with little to no ventilation.

The survivors of human trafficking may struggle with their recovery from trauma due to their surroundings. For example, in some places the victims may be socially ostracised by their community or family due to their experience, which can lengthen the recovery process tremendously. They can have shame placed on them due to the association with sex, whether it is forced or not. As well as this, the stigma that has been placed on the people who have undergone this trauma can prevent other victims from possibly escaping the confines of their traffickers or seeking help after they have escaped. Those most susceptible to this are woman and girls, due to gender norms. These norms can consist of views such as the domesticated perception of the women, the prevention of proper education for girls and the objectification of women. All of these norms strengthen the barrier between female and male status and thus exposing more and more women to trafficking every day.

The process of using humans as slaves does not only affect it victims and the economy, but also can have an effect on the environment. The main affect it has is that it contributes to climate change, due to large amounts of CO2 being disbanded into the atmosphere. This can be due to the work that slaves are being forced to undergo, such as the destruction of rainforests for valuable resources, which is responsible for 17% of all CO2 emissions. A way in which this can be tackled however would be the liberation of such unpaid workers and possibly even the creation of a scheme in which they are paid to replant the forests. An example of how modern slave business owners utilise the environment for their own economical gains is the destruction of mangrove forests in India, which has high carbon levels as well as being the habitat for many endangered animals, such as the Bengal Tiger. The forests are destroyed in order to build small factories for the Fishing Industry, in which Slaves are forced to work. The destruction of such forests also removes protection from small villages for changes in weather such as cyclones. As well as this, in places such as Ghana, slaves are forced to extract gold from the earths surface, which can expose them to dangerous chemicals.

Modern slavery is an issue that must be confronted and resolved holistically, in order to; prevent the exploitation of human beings, to reduce the Earth’s Carbon footprint, to eradicate social norms that stabilise the ground in which modern slavery walks on and most importantly save the lives of millions of men women and children around the world.

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Slavery Effects on Enslaved People and Slave Owners Essay

Introduction, effects of slavery on enslaved people, effects of slavery on slave owners, works cited.

Slavery had many negative effects on the enslaved people as discussed by Douglass in the book, “ Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass” and McPherson in the book, “ What they fought for 1861-1865” . Reflecting on the life of Douglass Frederick and written in prose form, the narrative defines the thoughts of the author on various aspects of slavery from the social, economic, security, and the need for appreciation of human rights perspectives.

On the other hand, the book, “ What they fought for 1861-1865” is vital in understanding history of America and how wars change the social and political systems. Thus, this analytical treatise attempts to explicitly compare and contrast the views of Douglass and McPherson on effects of slavery on enslaved people and slave owners.

Across the first six chapters, Douglass explores several instances when slavery created an unequal social and economic environment between the slaves and those who enslaved them. To begin with, unlike the white children, Douglass and other blacks were not allowed to know their date of birth.

The children of the slaves were separated from their mothers by the slave owners at a tender age. The female slaves were subjected to sexual abuse by their owners and the children, out of these sexual exploits, were forced by the law to become slaves (Douglass, 13).

The slaves were subjected to vicious attacks by their mean masters. For instance, Aunt Hester was violently whipped by the Captain in what Douglass described as a hellish encounter. Besides, Mr. Gore, who is a ranch foreman, promptly shot a slave called Demby for refusing to vacate the creek after enduring physical attack by the mean and proud supervisor (Douglass, 31).

The slaves were never given beds and had to survive on bare minimal allowances consisting of a single piece of linen, pork and hardly enough corn. The freedom of speech and expression were not part of the master-slaver relationship. For instance, Colonel Lloyd was very mad at the honesty of one of the slaves that he had to sell him for speaking the truth.

Same as Douglass’ views on the effects of slavery on enslaved people, McPherson’s book defines the American conflict as greatly contributed by the inhuman treatment of slaves. He states that the “confederates fought for independence, for their property and way of life, for their survival as a nation” (McPherson, 27).

McPherson captures the memoirs of the soldiers and their resentments on brutality, sexual harassment, and denial of freedom of expression as the underlying factors which inspired them to go into the battle field.

McPherson underlines the ideological commitment and patriotism of the soldiers as a result of deep convictions to seek independence, freedom, and basic human rights for the slaves. Reflectively, “a large number of those men in blue and gray were intensely aware of the issues at stake and passionately concerned about them” (McPherson, 4). The author represents human interaction and belonging to a particular ideology as elevating visions of human society as free of slavery.

Due to unstructured relationship between the slaves and their masters, harmony balance was threatened by sudden changes in the social systems as influenced by the capitalist oriented slave owners. This brought questions on how people need to stay together and to attain their needs equitably, without involving in overindulgence, selfishness, and myopia.

Many soldiers endeavored to comprehend the revolutionary implications of the conflict as it continued to evolve in an ordinary arena of ideological expression within their scope of view (McPherson, 31).

Understanding the position of the slaves, in the then human society, requires critical analysis of cognitive values attached to practices, beliefs, and social dynamics which controlled and aligned the society towards astute of simultaneously interacting functions.

State of anarchy as a result of the conflict brought threat to the peaceful coexistence as a result of life interference brought about by slavery. Unlike Douglass who lived through the experience, McPherson adopted the passive voice in reporting the thoughts and views of the soldiers on slavery (Henretta and Brody, 21).

Douglass reflects on cheap labor, abuse of power, exploitation of humanity, expansion of profits, and entertainment as the benefits that slave owners had. To begin with, the slaves were treated as a commodity and provided cheap and abundant labor to the slave owners operating as a human exploitation cartel.

Captain Anthony, Gore, and other slave owners become very successful since they expanded their farms by exploiting the free labor provided by the slaves. The slaves were also objects of entertainment, sexual exploits, and part of assets which would quantify a slave owner’s wealth. Douglass, Demby, and other slaves are reminded of their position as servants of the powerful slaver owners (Douglass, 21).

The author identifies the need to expand dominance as factor which influenced the slave owners to buy slaves for their expansive ventures. Douglass is successful in linking the social, economic, and cultural elements of the slave owners to the establishment of a tight system of selling and buying slaves at will, irrespective of age or choice.

The growing interest from both ends of the divide spurred the slave trade relationship. This trade was protected from external interferences by the laws that slave owners and other agencies quickly created, especially when a situation demanded for such (Douglass, 21).

On the other hand, McPherson highlights the great economic leap experienced by the slave owners who capitalized on weak laws, influential organizations, and intimidation to reap maximum benefits, without having to incur any major costs of production. He explores the social class structure and how economics influenced the nature of the relationship the soldiers had with past experiences.

The author is successful in establishing the basic elements of social class structure as determined by the ability to organize unwilling human beings as commodities of sale in the form of slaves (McPherson, 23).

In unison, Douglass displays the ungratefulness and cunning nature of the slave owners towards their slaves despite getting free labor and maximum returns (Douglass, 31). Excessive harassment by the slave owners spilled into conflict as the soldiers were determined to restore their lost right (McPherson, 13).

The authors display a ferocious literature that identifies the aspects of racism and stereotyping in the early society of America as a result of slavery and slave trade. Slavery is presented as having imprisoned the blacks and half casts who are traded in the labor market as a commodity. The unfair treatment of slaves by the slave owners inspired conflict as the soldiers were determine to restore their rights and those of the slaves.

Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass . New York, NY: Harvard University Press, 2009. Print.

Henretta, James, & Brody David. America: A Concise History. New York, NY: Bedford, 2009. Print.

McPherson, James. What they fought for 1861-1865 . New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1995. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2022, April 13). Slavery Effects on Enslaved People and Slave Owners. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-slavery-essay/

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IvyPanda . "Slavery Effects on Enslaved People and Slave Owners." April 13, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-slavery-essay/.

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• Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal
• US’s Economic Recovery in the Aftermath of the Great Depression
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The harvard & the legacy of slavery initiative announces recipients of its inaugural grant program.

Photo by Nappy.co and the Children Nature Network

The Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative (H&LS) is pleased to announce the recipients of its inaugural Reparative Partnership Program , which supports innovative and impactful proposals addressing systemic inequities affecting people who have been harmed by slavery, particularly in the Cambridge and Boston communities. 

“I am excited about the opportunities these grant partnerships will create and the potential to make meaningful change within the local community,” said Sara Bleich , vice provost for special projects, Harvard University.

H&LS was established in January 2023 to implement the recommendations in the Report of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery . The initiative seeks to address systemic inequities by developing and advancing visible, lasting, and effective action through partnerships and by leveraging Harvard’s educational and research resources. This grant program is an important part of that broader effort and requires that projects be co-led by a Harvard partner and a community partner. It also requires that at least 60 percent of funds are awarded to the community partner.

Recipients will receive a seed grant of up to $25,000 for one year or an impact grant of up to $350,000 for two years. The projects will begin in July 2024. Over 50 percent of grant recipients will work on education-related projects, and 25 percent of grant recipients will work on economic mobility-related projects. Other project areas of focus include healthcare, criminal justice, and environmental justice. A sample of grant recipients include:

Community Art Center and the Harvard Art Museums , Project: Our Voice, Our Stories, Our Legacy: Celebrating Black Cambridge Youth through the Arts

The Initiative on Land, Housing & Property Rights at Boston College Law School and the Harvard Law School , Project: A Homeownership Estate Planning Project to Close the Racial Wealth Gap

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Historic Preservation Department and the Harvard Divinity School , Project: Tribal Archives Preservation and University Access

Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and Harvard Medical School , Project: Investing in Community-Led scholarship in Community Health Centers

Phalen Academies and the Harvard Graduate School of Educatio n, Project: PLA University: Workforce Development Program (for Boston and Cambridge unemployed and underemployed individuals )

To see the full list,  visit this link .

“We find ourselves at an exciting stage in our work, laying the groundwork for a transformative journey ahead,” said Roeshana Moore-Evans , executive director of the Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative. “It’s a privilege to collaborate with these organizations, who are committed to equity and justice.”

For more information, contact Senior Associate Director of Communications, Julita Bailey-Vasco at  [email protected]

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Chicago students honored for powerful essays on violence impact

'do the write thing' finalists announced in chicago.

There were 100 students honored Tuesday night for writing essays about how violence affects them.

CHICAGO - One hundred students were recognized on Monday for their essays reflecting on the impact of violence in their lives and communities.

The event, known as "Do the Write Thing," is part of a nationwide initiative aimed at curbing violence. The celebratory ceremony unfolded at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where the young participants were joined by their families, teachers and school principals.

Out of a total of 800 submissions from middle school students across the city, the top ten finalists emerged. From this talented pool, two exceptional individuals were unveiled as the winners.

Rylie Thompson, representing Arthur Dixon Elementary, and Beautiful Pearson, from Parker Community Academy, clinched the coveted titles. 

Alongside their well-deserved trophies, Thompson and Pearson secured an all-expenses-paid journey to the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

During their visit, the students will have the opportunity to explore the esteemed Library of Congress and, potentially, engage with policymakers. Furthermore, their compelling essays have been immortalized in a book, slated for preservation within the Library of Congress's archives.

Beautiful Pearson's essay can be found HERE or below.

Rylie Thompson's essay can be found HERE or below.