The document “African Americans Petition for Freedom” was written on January 13, 1777, to the Massachusetts Legislature Assembly, to petition legislatures to take action against the slavery. The petition was written by Prince Hall and his team. Prince Hall is one of the Americans leaders who opposed to the slavery system and campaigns seriously against throughout his time. The audience of the letter was the Massachusetts legislatures Assembly, and the content of the document was not altered because it was found from the memoirs. The reports discuss the life of slaves and content of a letter written to Massachusetts legislature assembly petition against slavery. The document was meant to petition the law makers to pass a law which abolish the slavery trade. The concern was raised by the arrest of three black men who was about to be
...sold to slavery at the Boston harbor.
The document I read is the primary source of information since it was written way back in the year, 1777 and it is a memoir. The article was written during the time when slavery was rampantly practiced in the United States. Hall and his team asked the Massachusetts legislatures to take action to protect the three kidnapped black men from being sold and protect their rights and freedom, which being violated(Belknap 5). The document was from Memoirs in its original language; the document was written in English and does not require translation. Therefore, the content remains the same.
The theme of the document is “Slavery, Freedom, and Suffering of people.” In the entire document, the author highlighted the feeling of the people being subjected to torture and injustice. He pointed out that
the continued holding of three black and sale to slavery goes which against their will, violates human principle and also goes against the biblical teachings of freedom. Hall further said that freedom is fundamental and one of aspect that Almighty God gave his people and nobody should take it away, continue holding of the three black men goes against their will and violates the law of nature. The author informs the legislatures to take action to protect the citizens of Massachusetts. Hall noted in the petition that the life of slavery takes away freedom and fundamental social privilege of the detainees, the kind of privilege given to everyone, and what is being enjoyed by the people slaves serves(Hall 2). The author wanted slaves to be freedom so that they can have access to freedom and rights as the rest of the citizens. He challenges the State of Massachusetts to live to the ideals of freedom and liberty and set the people free from slavery (Mandell 10).
I think the document is exact and original. It is because the document is originated from memoir and most documents from the memoirs were written more than hundred years ago and kept for historical purposes. It was written away back in 1777 and kept for references in journals.
In conclusion, the article petitions the Massachusetts legislature assembly to take action and abolish slavery in the States. The issue arises too highlighted when three black men were arrested and was about to be sold at the Boston Harbor. However, the petitioners achieved their goals after a period because, in 1788, the state passed legislation and started to free some slaves. Later in
1960’s the slavery was entirely abolished in the United States.
Works Cited
- Belknap, Jeremy. "Petition of Prince Hall to the Massachusetts General Court, 27 February 1788 ." Collection of online petition (1788): 2-5.
- Hall, Prince. "Slave Petition for Freedom to the Massachusetts Legislature." The Heritage Foundation (1777): 1-5.
- Mandell, Daniel. "The 1777 Prince Hall Petition and African American Emancipation in New England." ssociate Professor of History, Truman State University (2009): 2-25.
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