Slavery: Yesterday And Today

Slavery is a big part of our history, and what we stand for today with equality, freedom and justice for all. To many historians’ and the people, slavery was a period in history when racism, segregation and cruelty was established and performed. There was no conception of the depth degradation would form as many suffered. Many amendments, laws and political decisions eventually came to be agreed upon that altered the way the country ran, from deciding freedmen’s place to the creation of new legal systems that would overthrow. However, during this period “slavery was antithetical to English identity in the early modern period” (Herman). In the film “12 years a slave”, director Steve McQueen helps you envision and live the life of a slave …show more content…
Planters valued the social standing, political view, and wealth over the human cost of slavery. With farm labor the need for more slaves over the years to maintain huge plantations was at its rise, as the idea became “an insatiable appetite for slaves to work to help cultivate their labor-intensive crop” (Henretta 65). Many scenes like the ones shared in the film outlines the living conditions, and punishments many encounter during the abolition of slavery. The raggedy clothes, singing, “master” calling, and the brutal punishments scope the slavery life, and evident the similarities during the 18th century. As the story continues, Northup’s ongoing life is displayed in the plantations with sleepless nights, until the day he meets Bass whom promises to send his letter to his family and does as requested with no lies. Bass comprehends the injustice as he does not agree with them like many in the south who did not as “what is true and right, is right for all” (qtd. Bass). Many were against the injustices that were being encounter during this time protested African slave trade, and the practice of separating enslave family members by sale to different masters (African American …show more content…
The level of accuracy in the film directed by Steve McQueen made it captivating, heart-broking, and heart-warming towards the end as all hope was not lost with a representation of a new uprising. It is a respected work of art, with the richness in history. The film illustrated accurately this period in U.S history because it incorporated a lot of facts that did occur during this time such as African-Americans seen as property, the submission and fear many had as they did not dare strike back against the whites in fear of being punished and or even