Some of the economic activities that were performed in the US included trading with slaves. Salves were regarded as commodities for trade. For example, in the Antebellum slave trade, slaves would be auctioned like any other commodity in the market (History 40B LEC C). Also, slaves could be sold when their owner died. In 1850, for example, the price of a male slave was worth $920 (History 40B LEC C). Slaves performed various tasks in the US. Such included, working in the farms, blacksmithing, nursing work, house helps and cooks. The slaves working in the homes were regarded more dignified than those working in the farms. Agricultural slavery had both small farms and plantations. Plantations had slaves even amounting to more than a hundred. Working in the cities was considered more dignified than working in the farms and the home. Fredrick Douglas is quoted of having likened a city slave with a freeman (History 40B LEC C). Slaves who defied their masters would receive mistreatment like physical punishment. They could also be threatened to be sold. Those who were very obedient could be rewarded with incentives like clothes.

The conflict between the southern slave holders and the northern states in the Americas had an advantage of emancipation of slave by the end of the American civil war. The conflict between the north and the southern states revolved, among other issues, the issue of slavery. By the year 1820, for example, the state of Louisiana was a free state, which did not allow slavery. Missouri State by this time was a free state (History 40B LEC A). Two main issues characterized the northern economy, immigration, and industrialization. In the year 1850, confusion was all over concerning whether slave labour was legal or illegal. For example, California was a free state, while Texas was a slave state.

The Kansas-Nebraska act that was passed in 1854 appears one major event that led to the civil war. It prevented settlers and entrepreneurs from moving to settle in the state of Nebraska. It facilitated a political division and heightened tensions between the north and the southern states. Southern states had a declaration that their guiding principle would be slavery, which they claimed was a divine right to them(History 40B LEC A). However, the 15^th president James Buchanan tried to pacify the warring sections. His agenda was a preservation of the union of the states. In the case of Dred versus Standford, in the year 1857, the judge Rodger B. Tany ruled that the black people didn’t have rights that needed to be respected by the white men (History 40B LEC A). This did not auger well with the blacks. He also ruled that the congress didn’t have powers to prevent any of the territories from practicing slavery. The painful ruling to the slaves was the clause illegalizing any act that was meant to restrict slavery.The elections of 1860 came with heightened tensions because the decision of Judge Rodger B. Tany would not be recognized in the states that were anti-slavery(History 40B LEC B). The decision of Dred Scot was considered invalid by these states. President Abraham Lincoln tried to pacify the situation arguing that fighting against themselves was like a house divided, which could not progress. The southern states threatened to secede.

The slave resistance for emancipation took several dimensions. Silent sabotage was a famous method used by the slaves (History 40B LEC B). Go-slows were also very common among the slaves. Some slaves would go to the farms, but they refuse to work. They only pretended to be working when their master went close to them, or when they were in the farms with their masters. Literature was also employed in the slave resistance; they communicated their grievances using songs that had hidden, or deeper meanings. They fought to the extent of feigning illness. They pretended to be ill so that they could not go to the farm.

The other method that the slaves used to fight for their liberation was escaping towards the northern states, where slavery was illegal. Most of the slaves who escaped were men (History 40B LEC B)Other slaves escaped to the cities. The slaves in the cities were considered as being free, because the conditions in the cities were not as tough as in the farms. In the cities also, the slaves got an opportunity to mix up with the other slaves and mobilize one another to fight for freedom. Through such interactions, the slaves were able to network with one another, and they extended networks from very far as the Southern States to the North. An example is slave Harriet Tubman, who is reported to have made more than fifty trips, and had helped more than three hundred people (History 40B LEC D).

Gynecological resistance was also common among the resisting women. An example is Harriet Jacobs, a slave who resisted through abstinence (History 40B LEC C). Margret Garner is known of the infanticide (History 40B LEC B). Margret Garner is known of having killed her own children as a resistance strategy to slavery. Before the incident, they had planned an escape through the underground rails but were captured by the slave catchers. This incident inspired the slaves to a great extent because the fight by Margret Garner was considered a brave one. She is regarded a heroine for the fight she directed against the slave catchers (History 40B LEC B). Other slave revolts that greatly inspired the slaves to fight for their emancipation include the Gabriel’s rebellion of 1800. This was characterized with creation of shops for the blacksmiths in Richmond. Prosser also influenced the Haitian revolution that was concerned with talks about religion and liberty.

Denmark Vesey was another fighter of emancipation among the slaves in the United States. Vassey was also a church leader. He used his position in church to influence reforms that would later lead to consequences to the slaves (History 40B LEC C). One advantage that helped him in the fight is that he was literate. He preached Christian visions to the slaves to encourage them to keep on with the fight. His influences led to the Turner rebellion of 1831 (History 40B LEC C). These brought about tough rules to ensure slaves remained in the farms. The lives of the blacks that were free were also closely monitored. Even though the slave masters were tough on the slaves, the Turner rebellion led to enlightenment of the slaves, and the talks of emancipation could be felt more in the cities.The fight for anti-slavery was also facilitated greatly by the formation of the Liberty Party (History 40B LEC D). The party assisted greatly in promoting anti-slave reforms. Even though James Birney lost the battle for the presidency, many anti-slave congressmen were elected (History 40B LEC D). Women movements with feminism ideas also facilitated the liberation for the slaves. Examples of women fighters include Angelina Grimke, Elizabeth Stanton and Susan Anthony (History 40B LEC D).

Lincoln was a major player in bringing reconstruction after the war. He encouraged black emigration, reconstruction and Amnesty. This did not auger well with the Republicans. They had their own plan, especially the radical ones (History 40B LEC E). (Larson 338). A big rift emerged between the president and the congress concerning the issue. However, the fourteenth amendment that followed in 1865 was an advantage to the slaves. It legalized their citizenship. Further, the fifteenth amendment gave the former slaves voting rights (History 40B LEC E). In addition, the reconstruction act of 1867 enabled full re-entry of the southerners to the union, shedding light of a possible co-existence between the north and the south. In the election of 1868, which was greatly characterized with intimidation of the black voters, Grant emerged the winner because of massive support from the blacks (History 40B LEC D).

The emancipation of the reed slaves could not happen without economic empowerment. After they were freed, the slaves re-joined with their families. They also started attending schools, and they built more schools. They later petitioned the government for compensation with land, which they were granted by the Army general Sherman (History 40B LEC D). THE Freedman Bureau passed by the congress in 1865 had far-reaching benefits for the slaves. Its main aim was to held; the freed slaves settle economically. It enabled them obtain land, education, negotiate labour contracts, and it also enabled them settle legal disputes. Basic needs like food and medical care were also provided for by the bureau.Even though the constitutional amendments had freed the slaves, challenges were still many for them. For example, the funds that were meant for their liberation went to their former southerner masters. Segregation laws like the Jim Crow Laws meant that blacks were not free in the real sense. By the 20^th century, segregation was a thorny issue, leading to the emergence of African American activists like Booker. T. Washington (History 40B LEC E). There was also terrorism in the Southern States, which mostly targeted the blacks. This led to the enactment of the Enforcement Act of 1870, and the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, all meant to contain the southerners, and end terrorism against the blacks.

In conclusion, the black slaves fought for their emancipation in America and later got it in phases, following amendments in the constitution. Several factors led to the liberation, but they were all related to fighters, like the women, and the male leaders who taught the slaves on the importance of their being free. Even though the process was slow, it led to the emancipation of the slaves in the end.

Works Cited

History 40B LEC A. Lecture. US: CRISIS & EXPAN. Political Crisis of 1850s: Political division. History 40B LEC A, HIB 100, Feb 2014.

History 40B LEC B. Lecture. US: CRISIS & EXPAN. Slavery and African American resistance. History 40B LEC A, HIB 100, Feb 2014.

History 40B LEC C. Lecture. US: CRISIS & EXPAN. Economies of slavery. History 40B LEC A, HIB 100, Feb 2014.

History 40B LEC D. Lecture. US: CRISIS & EXPAN. Moral reform and abolition. History 40B LEC A, HIB 100, Feb 2014.

History 40B LEC E. Lecture. US: CRISIS & EXPAN.Reconstruction, emancipation and Southern redemption. History 40B LEC A, HIB 100, Feb 2014.

Larson, Erick. The devil in the white city. New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2004. Print.

Twain, Mark and Warmer, Dudley, C. The gilded age. Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press. 1996. Print.

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