The Role Of Slavery In The 19th Century

Great Essays
The treatment of slaves in areas that spoke English was more ruthless than that of Spanish speaking areas because the fundamental objective of the laws devised by the English was to control the slaves and not to promote their well-being. There is no doubt that slavery was cruel and unfair in both English and Spanish speaking areas. However, by 1759 the Spanish had already recognized that slavery went against one’s natural right. The Pope, a very influential figure during the 15th century, Openly discouraged the act of slavery [Pope Paul III, 426]. The Spanish respected the Pope so much that when he said this, it changed the Spanish peoples’ view on slavery; Spanish started to acknowledge slaves as humans. Whereas the English held on to …show more content…
This meant that if a slave was not separated from his offspring he would have to watch his child suffer the same oppressive treatments. In South Carolina, it was expressed that “Slave have no legal rights of property in things, real or personal; but whatever they may acquire belong, in point of law, to their masters.”[George Stroud, 4] In the Manumission of slaves, it is stated that “A pregnant Negress may emancipate her unborn infant for fifty dollars: and at any other time during childhood”[Manumission of slaves, 5]. Even though the Spanish imposed a price for freeing a slave child, there was still a legal path. Whereas the English did not provide any legal way for a slave child to become …show more content…
“A Testimony against That Anti-Christian Practice of Making Slaves of Men: Wherein It Is Shewed to Be Contrary to the Dispensation of the Law and Time of the Gospel, and Very opposite Both to Grace and Nature.” New-Bedford: Reprinted for Abraham Shearman, Jun., 1825. Print.

Taney, Roger. “The Dred Scott Decision." Digital History. Web.
Consulted 15 Nov. 2016. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/documents/documents_p2.cfm?doc=168

Cugoano, Ottobouh. “Thoughts and Sentiments on the Evil of Slavery.” London: n.p., 1791. Print.

Hamilton, Richard. W. “Richard Oastler’s Letter to the The Leeds Mercury (October 16, 1830)” reprinted in British Working Class Movements: Select Documents 1789-1875, ed. G.D.H. Cole and A.W.Filson (London: Macmillan, 1967), 315-317

Wesley, John. "Thoughts Upon Slavery." Thoughts Upon Slavery by John Wesley (1774). Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

Stroud, George M. A Sketch of the Laws Relating to Slavery in the Several States of the United States of America. With Some Alterations and Considerable Additions. Philadelphia: H. Longstreth, 1856.

William, Hotchkiss “A Codification of the Statute Law of Georgia: Including the English Statutes of Force, in Four Parts.” Augusta: C.E. Grenville,

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