The African American Fight for Freedom In the early 1700s, many Africans had been abducted from their homeland, enslaved in the United States, and had no legal rights. Even once the idea of ending oppression led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, these rights only applied to white citizens and not people of color. African-Americans during this time desired freedom and human rights above all else, and they fought valiantly during the American War for Independence for these rights.
The spiral of events that led towards the eventual abolition of slavery in the Americas began after the time of the French and Indian War. After the war, French and Spanish withdrew from the Americas, and without these threats being present, bonds between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies crumbled. British Parliament wanted to control American merchants, whom they claimed to have traded with their enemy, the French, but Americans considered these taxes oppressive and began to resent British rule. It’s ironic that white citizens saw these …show more content…
Black Patriots fought for the North, as they stood behind what their ideals around freedom and equality, while black Loyalists fought for the South to earn freedom in exchange for their services. During this time, Washington forbade the enlistment of new black troops and even the reenlistment of black men that served in earlier battles on the Patriot’s side. His actions allowed the British to successfully recruit African Americans from the North by promising them freedom in exchange for serving in their army. The results were apparent when over 30,000 slaves from Virginia alone escaped to the South. Washington later appealed his original claim, believing that whichever side had black support would be the victor. Once again, enslaved African Americans escaped to the North to fight for the
The spiral of events that led towards the eventual abolition of slavery in the Americas began after the time of the French and Indian War. After the war, French and Spanish withdrew from the Americas, and without these threats being present, bonds between Britain and the Thirteen Colonies crumbled. British Parliament wanted to control American merchants, whom they claimed to have traded with their enemy, the French, but Americans considered these taxes oppressive and began to resent British rule. It’s ironic that white citizens saw these …show more content…
Black Patriots fought for the North, as they stood behind what their ideals around freedom and equality, while black Loyalists fought for the South to earn freedom in exchange for their services. During this time, Washington forbade the enlistment of new black troops and even the reenlistment of black men that served in earlier battles on the Patriot’s side. His actions allowed the British to successfully recruit African Americans from the North by promising them freedom in exchange for serving in their army. The results were apparent when over 30,000 slaves from Virginia alone escaped to the South. Washington later appealed his original claim, believing that whichever side had black support would be the victor. Once again, enslaved African Americans escaped to the North to fight for the