...The issue of slavery was one that divided the nation like nothing else had in the brief history of the United States. It was one that many of the founding fathers disagreed with, but the reasons as to why they did not think a system of slavery should continue, were extremely varied. Another confounding aspect was that many of the founding fathers owned slaves, even though they did not think such an oppressive way of life was just. Two of these founding fathers were Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Rush, both slave owners who spoke for the equality of slaves, but had different understandings of equality and freedom. Rush looks at slavery as a blatant disregard of the moral human code. He argues for a moratorium on the importation of slaves’ form Africa,...
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...Aristotle believes that some people are by nature slaves. What is his argument for that claim? Do you agree with Aristotle that a slave-holding society can be democratic? According to Aristotle, a slave is the property of its master, and that any piece of property can be regarded "as a tool enabling a man to live". The slave, therefore, is a living tool of the master, whose purpose is to allow the master to live well. A slave belongs to a master, but a master doesn't belong to a slave. The rule of a master over a slave, then, is exercised with a view to the master's and the slave's goals or interests. He represents slaves as a tool in his definition of slavery. Aristotle continues his definition of slave by explaining that those people who are “slaves” are naturally born as slaves and they are naturally the property of some one else. “Those who are as different [from other men] as the soul from the body or man from beast – and they are in this state if their work is the use of the body, and if this is the best that can come from them – are slaves by nature….For he is a slave by nature who is capable of belonging to another – which is also why he belongs to another – and who participates in reason only to the extent of perceiving it, but does not have it.” Slaves are tools but they are alive and they belong to their masters. But when he widens his explanations about slavery, he states that all slavery instituted by human convention is not compatible with justice by saying...
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...Slavery is, “..the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised..”, as was described in the 1926 Slavery Convention. Slavery in the New World was horrid to start with since as soon as most of the Europeans settled in, such as the Spanish and Portugal, they exploited and abused the people of the New World for labor. and was immensely heightened by the trans-Atlantic trade in the 15th century, which led to the enslavement and exploitation of vast amount of Africans. The nature of slavery in the New World was cruel, abusive, and emphasized racial discrimination to the point that it created long-lasting legacies of prominent changes such as post slave-trauma, black rights,...
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...command of another man. “Slavery reduces the status of a person from a condition of freedom” (Lovejoy, 2011, pg.3), and where no freedom exists, man cannot be said to have liberty, as man is oppressed and restricted. Whether Locke was against slavery is contestable, however an anti-slavery view would have been surprising and controversial during the period which Locke wrote, as the African slave trade was still dominant. Craig writes that “historians have formulated arguments that Locke’s theory did not justify the trade nor the slavery of Africans” (2015). An argument against slavery in the 1600’s shows a huge focus on...
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...Back in the eighteenth century when slavery uprising happened in America, slavery was a debatable issue. Hence, the opinions toward it were a concern at that time. On July 4th, 1776, The Declaration of Independence was written to declare that the America was a separate country that had its own sovereignty rights. It was also stated that the two most important things that were “all men are created equal”, and they would have certain rights “among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. Slavery was a norm at that time, so the question arisen is how the Founding Fathers - leaders of America thought and took action about slavery. According to the Declaration, slavery is unacceptable. Among the Founding Fathers, George Washington...
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...The institution of slavery is, in modern times, almost universally condemned and abhorred. Much of the ancient world, however, regarded slavery as an indisputable fact of life. While it had its critics, the institution of slavery was never seriously challenged in the ancient world. Even cynical and stoic philosophers, who ostensibly believed in the brotherhood of mankind, were more or less mute in their opinion. Aristotle, in Politics, qualifies and defends certain forms of the institution of slavery, identifying two distinct forms of slavery, one illegitimate, one legitimate. According to Aristotle, superiority and inferiority are inherent in all systems and relationships, and human slavery is a case parallel to many in nature. The soul rules the body like a master rules a slave, and reason governs the appetites like a king governing a city. It is natural and advantageous for the soul to rule the body, just as it is better for animals to be ruled by man, and the relationship of male to female is a relationship of superior to inferior. The relation of master and slave is simply a manifestation of the law of subordination. A so-called "natural" slave is, according to Aristotle, one who does not possess the full use of reason. The natural slave participates in reason to the extent that he perceives of it, but he does not himself have use of it. He therefore lacks in his capacity to perform civic duty and lead an ordered life. He compensates, however, by being possessed of a body...
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...Between 1794 and 1852, the abolitionists arguments went through a major change in their nature and tone. The arguments against the United States and American institutions grew harsher, more radical, and more specific during this time. Numerous factors, such as the increasing brutality of slavery, the increasing aftermath of the abolitionist movement, and the worsening political condition in the United States, are responsible for this change. Richard Allen's "An Address to Those Who Keep Slaves and Approve the Practice" (1794) was an argument against slavery. Slavery was ethically unacceptable, according to Allen, a former slave who later became a minister. He argued that slaveowners should free their slaves. He also made a point to highlight his loyalty and his...
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...Chattel slavery in the antebellum South was a brutal and dehumanizing institution that was deeply intertwined with pervasive violence against enslaved individuals. This essay will delve into the multifaceted relationship between slavery and violence, drawing upon insights from three scholarly sources: "Slave Patrols: Law and Violence in Virginia and the Carolinas" by Sally E. Hadden, "The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery" by Eric Foner, and "The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism" by Edward E. Baptist. Through their analyses, we will explore the different forms of violence, their targets, and the underlying goals within the context of chattel slavery. Hadden's examination of slave patrols sheds light on how violence was institutionalized to maintain the slave system in the antebellum South. Slave patrols, organized groups tasked with enforcing slave codes, utilized physical force and intimidation tactics to assert control over enslaved individuals. The primary aim of these patrols was to uphold the economic and social order of the slave society by quelling any resistance or defiance among the enslaved population. By using violence as a tool of control, slave patrols perpetuated the dominance of white...
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...Throughout history slavery has played a large role in many countries and how their societies functioned and how the people were provides for. The slave trade also helped to shape the United States into what it is today. Today, when people think of slavery they are mostly only aware of its piece in the United States. Before the United States was even discovered traders were trading human beings for little trinkets and spices. The beginning of slavery was similarly started everywhere that it was present and grew to the point where it began to take over whole countries. According to Don Nardo, the author of “The Atlantic Slave Trade,” slavery had been going on for over four centuries. Slave trading was started by the Portuguese because they were the first people to begin exploring the world. The explorers went to other places and found that these new places didn’t only trade objects, food, and livestock; they traded people too. During the Seventh and Eighth centuries slavery was very popular too as well as in ancient Greece. Since slavery had been going on for so long, many did not think anything of the real nature of the trade. Even though some people may have found slavery to wrong and unjust the...
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...I never knew a ton of things about slavery. Before reading the excerpt, I only knew how cruel slavery was, what happened to the slaves, and how it was stopped. Now, I know what slaves like Douglass thought about slavery. After reading the excerpt from the Narrative of Frederick Douglass, I understand how Douglass learned about the cruel nature of slavery and why he thinks of his enslavers as criminals. I also understand why he wanted to be an animal and why he began to think of reading as a curse instead of a blessing. Douglass learned about slavery by reading a book called “The Columbian Orator”. In this book, he reads some of Sheridan’s speeches over and over again with great interest. After reading, he learns about the nature of slavery and human rights. This is what Douglass says in the excerpt: “What I got from slavery was a bold denunciation of slavery, and a powerful vindication of human rights.” However, later in the excerpt, Douglass begins to regret reading these speeches as they begin to make him think about his enslavers and freedom....
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...Jan Rey Juarez Mr. Palumbo Period 5 The Tempest and Slavery Slavery, in simple terms, is the forcing of an individual to perform labor. In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the character Caliban was forced into slavery by another character, Prospero. Despite the dark nature of Caliban’s enslavement, Prospero is justified in enslaving Caliban. This is due to the fact that in this specific circumstance, slavery is being used as a punishment for a terrible crime and for betraying Prospero’s trust. That being said, enslaving Caliban was justified because it rightfully punished Caliban for performing a deed of such immorality and for betraying Prospero. The misdeed, for which Caliban was enslaved, was the attempted rape...
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...Professor: Course: Date: The Link between an Evangelical Spirit as Found In the Second Great Awakenings and the Reforming Impulse Historians and sociologists have consistently observed the relationship between the abolitionist movement and revivalism. Evangelical movements and works contributed to the end of the slave trade and slavery which was rampant in Europe and the United States for the period between the 18th and the 19th century. The industrial and scientific revolution marked this period. To this end, slaves were in high demand on industries and plantations like the ones in South America. Most production was labor intensive, and this nature perhaps explains the intensification of the slave trade during this period. However, missionaries, philosophers and economists like Adam Smith started anti-slavery campaigns. Like Adam Smith, he was very certain that free people are more productive than slaves. Inhumane acts marked the lives of slaves. Masters could whip their Slaves even in public, and they were tied to immobilize them from running away. Thanks, to the antislavery campaigns through evangelism that led to the end of slave trade and slavery. An analysis of the second great awakenings reveals that there is a link between the evangelical spirit and the "reforming Impulse." This link animated the many movements of social reform in the years leading up to the American Civil War. The American evangelicals depicted Americans as the most religious people in the world. It...
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...Of the State of Nature, Locke begins to explain that all men live in a state of perfect power, equality and freedom. Men are all born naturally equal in the same state, where no one has power or privilege over another. Their actions and behaviors cannot be bound by other men. Locke states that the only time a man should obey authority and obedience, is in the presence of God; God is allowed to bequeath some dominance in power of man. He then goes to quote Richard Hooker— an influential Anglican Theologian—who writes that men crave things that satisfy them, such as affection. If they crave these things...
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...Deontology & Slavery PHI208: Ethics and Moral Reasoning Deontological ethics is a moral theory that is somewhat agreeable and sympathetic to human rights. Deontology focuses not on the consequences of actions but on the duties we have; and one man’s rights are another man’s duties. Deontology is based on the idea that good consequences do not override our duties. Doing the right thing is more important than increasing the good in society. The idea is that if you do the right thing versus what is good for society ultimately it will become what is good for society. Deontology does not accept slavery. Humans should be treated as objects of intrinsic moral value; that is, as ends in themselves and never as a mere means to some other end. We are not to enslave torture or murder one person even if that would increase total welfare. Respecting people’s right to be free is not simply good to do because you will be condemned if you don’t. It’s also more than the proper thing to do. It’s not just something that is strongly logical or something that you should do. Deontology is based on duties. A duty is specific and is something you must do. In all of my research I find that deontological ethics is widely against slavery in every way. Whether is against slavery because of the action or the consequence you will find that no form of deontology supports slavery. Based on Immanuel Kant’s ideal justice would always be safeguarded for individuals who are always “ends in themselves”...
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...Through the course of American history a ubiquitous theme of seceding oppression and holding true to one’s rights and beliefs is accentuated, however this sweet tea of American values has been brewed by an otherwise tart source, the tea leaves of tension. In the debate over slavery which consumed nineteenth century America, proponents and opponents of free labor clashed ceaselessly. The ensuing Civil War was caused by a self-preservation instinct that each side used to substantiate their discord. Foremost, beginning with the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, the South began to resort to outcrying against the government, as they saw their future potentially dwindle away. Thereafter, through the repercussions of the growing sectionalism and...
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