Slavery In Unted States Essay Example

experienced this treatment spoke out about their loss of dignity and self-respect when treated like livestock. Being a slave is an intolerable life that no person should be subjected to, even briefly; it involves being forced into labor through physical or psychological abuse and threats.

Regrettably, the issue of slavery persists, whereby individuals are owned and controlled by employers who treat them as commodities available for purchase or sale. This often leads to slaves being subjected to harsh and humiliating treatment. Although French law has deemed this practice a crime against humanity since 2001, many continue to have their freedom restricted due to its ongoing existence.

Experts estimate that there are presently 27 million individuals worldwide who are enslaved, with an annual trafficking of 600,000 to 800,000 people. Approximately 80% of these enslaved individuals are women and children, including those situated in the United States.

Despite global efforts to eliminate slavery through conventions such as the 1927 Slavery Convention, the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights and the 1956 United Nations Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, several countries still participate in this abhorrent practice. The United States is one such country where an estimated 14,500 to 17,000 people are smuggled annually for involuntary labor according to Britannica Encyclopedia's calculations. It should be acknowledged that while slavery persists in some parts of America today, it was officially ended during the Civil War with President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 which declared all slaves free in Confederate states that had seceded from the Union.Although slavery persisted as legal until the final ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution on December 6, 1865, many slaves were liberated by Union

armies in southern regions or fled from their owners. Some joined the Union Army as workers or troops while others migrated to Northern cities. However, female and child slaves often faced forced prostitution or hard labor in sweatshops. A slave culture emerged over time with most becoming native citizens during the eighteenth century. Debt was a common reason for African people to offer their wives and children as hostages leading ultimately to permanent slavery.

Advocates of reparations argue that the effects of slavery and discrimination continue to impact African Americans today, despite more than a century and a half passing since the Civil War. Full integration into American society remains difficult to achieve. The United States Department of Labor occasionally investigates cases involving fraudulent imprisonment and coerced labor, suggesting that a less severe form of slavery persists in modern times.

Abraham Lincoln, a well-known American leader, vehemently rejected slavery and worked towards its abolishment as he believed it went against the basic principle of equal treatment for all. As a result of his actions, former slaves in the United States were granted citizenship and naturalization. Nevertheless, this integration caused turmoil between African Americans and Caucasian Americans due to differences in culture and ethnicity.

The majority of rights that citizens of the country had were not accessible to slaves. Black people, who were predominantly freed slaves, were prohibited from attending schools that were exclusively for white students, as demonstrated in the renowned Brown v Board of Education case. This type of discrimination seems never-ending.

The South considered slavery as a crucial aspect of their lifestyle and survival, although some anti-slavery movements emerged in the region, they lacked widespread support compared

to those in the North. The issue of slavery had political ramifications from the establishment of the United States after the Revolutionary War. Even during Constitution drafting, there was significant disagreement over how slaves should be counted for allotting representatives per state and regulating slave trade. Southern delegates insisted on full counting of slaves for House seats without any regulation on slave trade while Northerners wanted it to be opposite (Kernell 53).

The 13th amendment to the United States constitution prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a form of punishment for a crime committed within the country or any place under its jurisdiction. The political landscape underwent significant changes during the mid-19th century due to this amendment's development process. Despite some instances of slave trade still existing in smaller forms, it is crucial to eliminate all types of slavery if genuine freedom is to be achieved in America. Freedom denotes unrestricted living and behavior, which cannot coexist with slavery.