Citizenship Rights And Similar Protection Of The Law Essay Example
Citizenship Rights And Similar Protection Of The Law Essay Example

Citizenship Rights And Similar Protection Of The Law Essay Example

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  • Pages: 6 (1413 words)
  • Published: May 8, 2022
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On July 9, 1968, the US constitution adopted this amendment as a reconstruction amendment (Kirby 166) to address citizenship rights and the protection of laws. This amendment was introduced as a response to issues faced by former slaves after the American civil war. The amendment includes sections on citizenship, privileges or immunities, due process, and equal protection.

John Brown, an American abolitionist, was born in 1800 and lived until 1859. According to Reynolds (213), he believed that armed insurrection was the only way to end slavery in America. Brown gained prominence during the Kansas crisis in 1856 when he led a small group of volunteers and became dissatisfied with the peaceful tactics of the organized abolitionist movement.

The great railroad strike, also known as the great upheaval, happened on July 14, 1877 in Martinsburg, West

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Virginia. The strike occurred because the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad had reduced workers' wages for the third time that year.

After 45 days, the strike ended with help from state and local militia as well as federal troops. This strike also took place in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Missouri, causing about 100 deaths due to nationwide unrest. The Black Codes were laws enacted by Southern states following the Civil War of 1865 and 1866. These laws aimed to restrict the freedoms of African Americans and push them into a labor system marked by debt and low pay.

The southern states employed a strategy to hinder the emancipation and newfound freedom of African American slaves. The construction of the Erie Canal, located in New York, played a crucial role in the state canal system as it served as an east-west and interstat

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passage. The first section of this 584km (363 miles) long canal connected Albany to Buffalo on Lake Erie, going through the Hudson River. Its main objective was to establish a navigable pathway linking New York City with both the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory from France for $15 million, contributing to America's expansion into the western frontier.

The United States effectively doubled its size through the acquisition of a vast amount of land, which extended from the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River and from New Orleans to Canada. This expansion was considered crucial for the nation's well-being, as it was believed that a republic thrives when its citizens are independent and virtuous landowners. The presence of abundant land encouraged migration towards both western and northeastern regions, enabling self-employment while imposing strict limitations on capitalist wage labor markets. Technological advancements in these regions were propelled by both free and coerced labor systems, including slavery. It was this combination that led to the emergence of the cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized agricultural practices.

Capitalism originated from government-supported manufacturing, with emphasis on the textile industry that thrived on free labor and cotton sourced from the gin. Additionally, firearms manufacturing experienced significant growth due to government backing through subsidies acquired from high tariffs imposed on foreign companies. The Mexican-American civil war, occurring from 1846 to 1848, arose from the two states' conflict involving arms. This conflict stemmed from the annexation of Texas by the United States, which the Mexicans claimed as their territory.

The US aimed to safeguard tax deployment against Indian invasion. To accomplish this, the US state

government funded certain individuals to settle in and safeguard Texas. This served as a protective barrier due to the low population density in the area, discouraging Indian encroachment and creating the perception of unclaimed land. Observing these actions, Mexico became determined to safeguard Texas as their own territory, ultimately leading to the outbreak of war.

The US emerged victorious in the war and ventured westward, resulting in increased conflicts. As the US government executed its westward expansion efforts in the 19th century, Native American tribes were forcefully relocated to new regions known as Indian reservations. Unfortunately, these areas were characterized by poor land quality. In return for this forced displacement, tribes received meager annuity payments that were occasionally delayed. Within these reservation zones, the tribes were obliged to utilize their limited funds to purchase essential supplies, mainly from white American traders. As the significance of slavery in supplying labor for cotton plantations became apparent, the US shifted its primary focus towards westward expansion.

The need for more land to support agriculture and self-employment arose due to the expansion of farming. This demand was particularly driven by the production of cotton, which relied on unpaid labor. The difficulty in abolishing slave trade resulted in civil wars between states with pro-slavery and anti-slavery stances. During the 16th century, tobacco cultivation required a significant amount of labor, but colonies preferred acquiring land from native groups in Virginia and working as independent farmers rather than relying on others. Initially, attempts were made to use Native Americans as slaves, but they were vulnerable to diseases. As a result, British colonies turned to indentured servants who worked without pay for an agreed-upon period

under a contract. These servants included impoverished Irish and British individuals as well as prisoners seeking passage to North America.

Following the agreed contact time, when the recently liberated slaves made attempts to overthrow the colonial regime, new regulations were put in place that imposed limitations on any form of freedom for these slaves. A belief emerged which asserted that individuals of color, including black Africans, were inferior to white individuals. Consequently, slavery in the form of enslaved Africans became predominant while indentured servitude diminished. African individuals were exploited for unpaid labor in the cotton plantations located within southern states. Those who advocated for slavery, referred to as abolitionists, contended that abolishing this institution would severely harm the economy, especially in southern states where free slave labor was essential – such as in cotton plantations. They argued that if all slaves were emancipated, the nation would encounter significant levels of unemployment, disorder, revolts, chaos and violence.

The argument put forth by the individuals was that slavery was a natural aspect of human history and even had approval in the bible where figures like Abraham had servants. Comparisons were made between European workers and American slaves to emphasize that these servants were well-taken care of. However, resistance against slavery began to grow, particularly among the states in North America, who started fighting against this unjust practice. As civilization advanced in the United States, some states recognized the importance of democracy and began advocating for the rights of all individuals. Political leaders emerged to champion liberty and equality for the people. Despite states opposing slavery, it was later revealed that their motives were not based on moral or ethical

reasons that deemed slavery as wrong.

According to Hawken (503), it was confirmed that the individuals involved in these arguments had hidden interests, many of which were driven by economic gain. Some sought political popularity, as the requirement for becoming president was based on demand and sovereignty. The anti-slavery faction consisted of two distinct groups: the hunkers and the Barnburners. The Barnburners were a radical faction that opposed the expansion of slavery and other issues like public debt. On the contrary, the hunkers formed a conservative faction that opposed the barnburners and argued for minimizing the slavery problem.

Among the groups in the north that were against the expansion of slavery were the Liberty party, the Whigs, and the free soil party.

Works cited

  1. Billington, Ray Allen, and Martin Ridge. Westward expansion: a history of the American frontier. UNM Press, 2001.
  2. Davis, David Brion. The problem of slavery in the age of revolution, 1770-1823. Oxford University Press, 1999.
  3. Drescher, Seymour. The mighty experiment: Free labor versus slavery in British emancipation. Oxford University Press, 2004.
  4. Foust, James D. "The Yeoman Farmer and Westward Expansion of US Cotton Production." The Journal of Economic History 27.04 (1967): 611-614.
  5. Hawken, Paul, Amory B. Lovins, and L.

Hunter Lovins. Natural capitalism: The next industrial revolution. Routledge, 2013.

  • Kirby, Tom. "Demoting 14th Amendment Claims to State Torts." ABAJ 68 (1982): 166.
  • McCaffrey, James M. Army of manifest destiny: The American soldier in the Mexican War, 1846-1848.
  • NYU Press, 1994.

  • Rabban, David M., and Leonard W. Levy. "The Ahistorical Historian: Leonard Levy on Freedom of Expression in Early American History." (1985): 795-856.
  • Reynolds, David S. John Brown, abolitionist: the man who killed slavery, sparked the Civil War,

  • and seeded civil rights.

    Vintage, 2009.

  • Shaw, Ronald E. Erie Water West: A History of the Erie Canal, 1792-1854. University Press of Kentucky, 2013.
  • Stowell, David O. Streets, railroads, and the great strike of 1877.
  • University of Chicago Press, 1999.

  • Wilson, Theodore Brantner. The black codes of the South. No. 6. University of Alabama Press, 1965.
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