Experiences of African Americans During the Civil War Period Essay

The 1860s and 1870s were particularly trying times for African Americans. The Civil War which lasted from 1861 to 1865 saw America undergo social and political change as Americans struggled to redefine their idea of race and face the question of slavery. More importantly still were the experiences of blacks during and after the war as they fought to be accorded the same rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the early days of the war, the issue of slavery was avoided vehemently by Lincoln and Davis (Norton et al. 2008) despite it being an essential issue in the war between the North and South. In fact, freeing the slaves was never an agenda of the North. The North was against slavery because they perceived the South, who was pro slavery, as a threat to the North’s social and political order (Norton et al. , 2008). Consequently, being against slavery did not necessarily mean Northerners were not racist. In fact, many still saw themselves as racially superior to the blacks. Despite the apparent racial prejudice, blacks in the South still saw in the Union army their route to freedom. After Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation allowing blacks to serve in the Union cause, thousands of slaves, amongst them, one John Boston (Linden & Pressly, n. d), fled their masters and joined the Union army in their fight against the South. Many blacks sought to assert their manhood despite discrimination in the army through the display of bravery and valor. Still more died, like the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts regiment, in their fight for equality. Therefore, although Lincoln had given them a motive to reak free, it was the blacks’ own courage to fight for their own freedom which ultimately led to their emancipation. The North’s victory over the South in 1865 meant that the slaves were finally free. As freedpeople, one of their foremost desires was to own land as land meant subsistence and sufficiency (Norton et al, 2008). Also, because it was all they had known to do, many fell back on plantation agriculture as their livelihood. Some, like Josua Culverson and Major X Whiteing, applied for leases through the U. S. Com of Plantations (Linden & Pressly, n. ). Because most freedpeople had no money to purchase land, they could only lend it on credit. However, because of preexisting prejudices, freedpeople found even that to be a task. Consequently, they returned to their old farms where they had worked as slaves. However, unlike previously, these freedpeople sought to better their situation by reaching an agreement with the owner through a system known as sharecropping. Often, such an agreement would entail the provision of food and seeds in exchange for a portion of the crop earnings (Norton et al. 2008). Such is the case between William R. Steen, a white citizen, and Caroline, a colored woman; along with 7 other Arkansas freedpeople whom by contract, had to give one third part of the crop raised upon the farm by their labor to the owner of the farm (Linden & Pressly, n. d). The years 1865 to 1877 saw efforts in reconstructing the war-torn South. A huge hurdle existed then to reconcile the freed blacks with southern whites, who were so used to operating in a slave society that their prejudices could not be eradicated so easily. Furthermore, they were threatened by the rise of black status and into the ranks of political power so much so that a group of whites came together and formed the first Ku Klux Klan; a society which sought to maintain white supremacy through intimidation, violence and terrorism (Norton et al. , 2008). Klansmen committed murder, arson, and rape whilst asserting their notion of white supremacy. As a result, despite having been emancipated, the freed blacks still suffered considerable pain and fear under the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. Amongst the most targeted were blacks who had rose to political power. Ann J. Edwards, the daughter of a black Congressman recounted that â€Å"We, his family, lived in constant fear†¦ A day or two before election a mob gathered†¦in front of the house, and we thought the end had come. † (Sterling, n. d). More gruesome was the story of Joe Johnson who was elected into the Republican office. He was burnt nearly to death, and shot because of his refusal to resign from office (Sterling, n. ). His execution was witnessed by his wife who could do nothing against the oppressive terror and violence of the Ku Klux Klan. Blacks were not the only victims of the Ku Klux Klan regime. Whites who openly supported blacks saw their lives being threatened as well. Hannah Flournoy, a black woman, gave account of an execution involving a white Georgian who had supported the black cause. â€Å"[Men] bolted right in and commenced shooting†¦They were disguised but I knew a great many of them. Hannah â€Å"thought it right to take [Ashburn] in† and was â€Å"willing to die for him† simply on the basis of him being a Republican (Sterling, n. d). The incident reflected the loyalty of many blacks to stand beside those, white or otherwise, who sought to uphold their natural rights. Teachers were another group being targeted. Colored schools came under the attack of the Klan and were burnt to the ground (Norton et al, 2008). Many blacks endured the hardship of abuse and violence despite its injustice and unlawfulness. Recounted Harriet Hernandez, â€Å"He struck me on the forehead with a pistol†¦kicked me over [the fence]†¦dragged and beat [me and my daughter] along. † Despite the blacks being freed in the South, the activities of the Ku Klux Klan ensured that blacks would not enjoy the same rights as whites. â€Å"[Colored people] have no satisfaction to live like humans†¦all summer I have been working and it is impossible for me to enjoy it†, said Harriet (Sterling, n. d). Despite all the violence inflicted on them, blacks exhibited extraordinary courage in the face of threats by Klansmen. Emeline Bremfield whose husband was a target of the Klan, stood unwavering in the face of death, as the Klan confronted her of her husband’s whereabouts (Sterling, n. d). Blacks even went out of their way to fit into a black aggrieved society. Many like, Caroline Smith and Lucy McMillan, dressed down in order not to stand out for fear of being whipped (Sterling, n. d). Although the Ku Klux Klan‘s primary motive was the assertion of white political power, Klansmen took every opportunity they got to assert white supremacy mindsets. McMillan’s house was burned simply because she had mentioned she wanted to own land. Smith was whipped only to remind her not to â€Å"sass any white ladies† (Sterling, n. d). Aside from the destruction of property and life, black women suffered in yet another form – sexual assault. Klansmen sought to assert their superiority over black women by sexually harassing them. Some black women were even mutilated, like Frances Gilmore who was â€Å"cut with a knife†, or gang raped (Sterling, n. d). Racial hostility and terror ultimately brought down the Republican regime in the South. Efforts by the Ku Klux Klan prevented strong presence of the Republican coalition in the South and a restoration of the Democratic majority. The Klan continued to terrorize black people and ran amok until the Enforcement Acts and subsequent persecutions brought an end to the first Klan. Overall, the blacks suffered greatly during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era. Despite having obtained emancipation, prejudices continued to affect their lives. Although we now know that it did not succeed in driving them out of the country, blacks today continue to face the same prejudices.

The Mad Revisionist essays

The Mad Revisionist essays The Mad Revisionists The Parthenon: A Post-Hellenistic Fabrication is an interesting piece, of which there are many different arguments are made in order to prove that there is no apparent evidence that (the Parthenon) was the majestic temple which the authorities claim. The Mad Revisionist is an individual who puts an extraordinary amount of effort into poking fun at Holocaust revisionists, but, at the same time, he also indirectly poses another intriguing question: What if this is true? You cannot completely ignore revisionism, even though much of what they argue may appear to be inaccurate. The Mad Revisionist uses a variety of techniques and a heavy dose of sarcasm in order to accomplish this feat. There are also dangers that accompany this branch of history, the foremost being the possibility that there is truth to these theories. The Mad Revisionist uses a number of different techniques to prove his Parthenon fabrication theory. They range from simple sarcasm to finding a weakness in the story and blowing it wide open, not unlike a crack in the sidewalk. For example, the Mad Revisionist, when delving for an answer to the conspicuous non-existence of two, rather large statues in the Parthenon, states, apparently it was "lost" in the first years of the Byzantine period, after the Roman Empire conveniently converted to Christianity. What a flippant excuse to explain away such glaring lack of evidence. Revisionists are not so easily fooled. Is the excuse flippant, or is it credible? I am sure, with a little more research, that one could see that the sources used to establish this point are credible. This, however, leads to another technique used by the Mad Revisionist: the fact that the evidence is controlled by the so-called establishment , where experts are shepherds to our sheep, we blindly trust that they...

Imperialist vs Anti- Imperialist essays

Imperialist vs Anti- Imperialist essays The United States has had a long tradition of territorial expansion across the continent so it is easy to understand why the notion of imperialism was so easily accepted by such a large number of people. And to back this imperialist sentiment we had things like the Monroe Doctrine, the Manifest Destiny, Social Darwinism, overabundance of industrial goods, and the military advantages of acquiring new territory. There were others who felt much differently about the concept of imperialism. The other group of people felt it was wrong so they formed the Anti-Imperialist League. The Anti-Imperialist League fought and campaigned against imperialism. And aiding the anti-imperialist sentiment were the struggles for Cuban and Filipino independence, the true meaning of independence, Whenever we felt the need to expand our boundaries and acquire new territories we would purchase, negotiate, or conquer the desired land. These were the methods we used to acquire territories like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Oregon, from England, France, and Spain. Our imperialist ways are precisely the reason why we own as much of the country as we do. I mean if we would have left it up to England, France, or Spain they would still own the other half of our country. But, our imperialist motives did not stop there first we had the Monroe Doctrine, which expressed U.S. hostility towards Europeans intervening in affairs occurring in our half of the hemisphere. Later an idea called Manifest Destiny emerged this was the idea that since we were of Anglo-Saxon decent we were superior and our industrial, political, and military strength were proof of that superiority thus we carried the responsibility to extend our rule and prosperity to the less-able people. The ...

Is America a Christian country Should it be Term Paper

Is America a Christian country Should it be - Term Paper Example Christianity has various forms and branches with accompanying different practice sand beliefs. The three major branches of Christianity are Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. There are numerous subcategories of these branches still. Most followers of Christianity were mainly found in the West until late 20th century but now it has spread rapidly to all the continents. The one God believed by Christians exist as The Father, The son and The Holy Spirit giving emphasis on the faith of Christ. The sacred book of Christians is the bible including Hebrew scripture (Old Testament) and the New Testament. The common practices to Christians are gathering at churches for worship, study fellowship and even interacting with rest of the world and other Christians through evangelism and social work. In the case America, Christianity was introduced to United States by the colonizing Europeans around 16th and 17th century. Immigrants from other places further increased the numbers. Christianity is the most popular religion and the denominations here can be divided into Mainline Protestantism, Evangelical Protestantism and Roman Catholic. A research conducted in 2004 on religions in United States, it showed 26.3% Evangelical, 22% Roman Catholics and 16% Mainline Protestantism. Most surveys done in America have constantly shown that over 73% of Americans identified themselves as Christians (Boyd, 2007). Many people especially some politicians and religious activists have argued that America was meant to be Christian nation by those who founded it. Having a large portion of the population being Christians does not simply qualify the country to be a Christian nation. To be a Christian nation it has to be official, Christian beliefs at least, have to be enshrined in the constitution and institutions like judiciary, education departments, and commissions should be shaped by Christian

International Relations Theorist With Their Theories And Provided Essay

International Relations Theorist With Their Theories And Provided Reading - Essay Example The theory adds that poor countries cannot achieve riches due to inadequate natural resources. A nation’s economic growth is limited in the case it runs out of financial resources such as fertile land. All the resources are termed as incapable of increasing productive capacities of an economy. Developing nations have excessive populations. The serious shortage of capital and land is common, and it leads to damaging implications. With lesser lands, cultivation encounters a significant fall in activities that are the major sources of income for poor countries. Farmers are not able to reap benefits of their inputs as lands are fragmented through government enforcement or inheritance to ensure social fairness in society. The other issue is acute levels of food shortage. These elements, as highlighted in Lewis Theory of Development model, hinder economic growth while leading to economic problems such as starvation. The second theory is Chenery’s Patterns of Development. The ideology illustrates those empirical analysts in structural change identify patterns of historical under-development against non-Western nations. The approach contrasts with Rostow’s application as they do not take the assumption that savings and investments increases are sufficient in producing economic growth. Even as savings and investment are perceived as necessary conditions for enhancing growth, alternative changes within the structures of any country are necessary for transitioning from traditional economies to modern ones.2 From this, lack of skilled human capital is a hindrance. Poor nations have minimal budgetary allocations to sectors of education and health.

Discussion a solution to the problem of dealing with economic crisis Essay

Discussion a solution to the problem of dealing with economic crisis - Essay Example Most of the foreign assets are denominated in dollars and the value of the currency has further appreciated due to the investors winding off their position. This has led the foreign creditors to pull out their money from the country as the value of their debt is falling with the rising dollar. The values of the homes have dropped drastically due to auctioning and early foreclosures. The government can buy back the foreclosure and sell them at a discount to the construction companies with the condition of not building any new houses. This will put a check to the housing surplus. The US trade deficit is very large. This is the result of US corporations outsourcing their production of goods and services. To settle these deficits the countries acquire US based companies, invest in real estate, purchase treasury bonds and invest in derivative instruments like mortgage based securities which are the main reasons for the spread of the financial crisis. These mortgage based securities precipitated the financial crisis. Since many institutions had invested in these instruments which were backed by customers with a bad credit record the default of the customers was inevitable. This calls for the regulation of financial markets. But here also caution should be exercised with regard to over-regulation or wrong regulation. To put a check to the trade deficits steps should be taken for indigenous production of outsourced services. The credit cards should be issued after a thorough scrutiny of the credit history of the applicant. Also, sufficient reserves should be maint ained against the rising outstanding. This will prove to be a cushion in case the cardholder defaults in payment. This will also strengthen the banking system. The government can also lower the tax rates and freezes it for a certain period so that the corporate agencies are encouraged to invest in new avenues. This will solve the unemployment problem, increase the confidence of the people

In a book written by Goldscheider Essay Example for Free

In a book written by Goldscheider Essay Studying the Jewish Future, the author revealed the reasons for the unexpected results, that instead of a vanishing race, the reality is that of a thriving community. And the explanation can be broken down into the following: 1. Conversion – It is surprising to find out that a considerable number of non-Jewish spouse opted to be converted to Judaism. It must be noted though that the said conversion may be formal or informal but true conversion is rather marked by a following community norms and values. 2. Acceptance – the Jewish community is now more open to the idea of intermarriage and this has resulted in a more openness which predictably made it easier for non-Jewish spouse to get exposed to Jewish ways. 3. Deliberate Outreach – the Jewish community and its institutions are forced to reach out to intermarried couples and by doing so encouraged non-Jews to be respect their beliefs and for some a desire to be counted as Jews. Ambivalence There is a dramatic change in perception and outlook that resulted in an improvement in how the Jewish community in general is treating intermarried couples. Still, the Jewish faith would never have reached its current position, a survivor of the Holocaust and many other forms of persecution without creating a defense mechanism that ensured the survival not only of its lineage but also of its beliefs and customs. It is this defense mechanism that made it hard for other to jump on the â€Å"accept the intermarried couples bandwagon† and prevented some to see the possibilities not only in finding a novel way of thriving in a modern society like America but also a novel way of finding new converts. In one extreme, intermarriage is one valid form of proselytizing whose impact is not yet fully measured. But as mentioned earlier, not everyone is convinced that the time has come for the Jews to fully open its house to the Gentiles. Bayme and Rosen provided an example of this ambivalence when they cited the popular Mordecai Kaplan who at one point encouraged intermarriages: Jews must meet all situations that might lead to mixed marriages, not fearfully or grudgingly, but in the spirit of encountering an expected development †¦ With a belief in the integrity and values of his own civilization, the Jewish partner to the marriage cold †¦ make Judaism the civilization of the home†¦ And yet two years later the same person said: Since Jews are a minority and Judaism is exposed to tremendous disintegrative forces from non-Jewish environment †¦ it cannot approve of uncontrolled intermarriage with non-Jews. If however, a non-Jew who desire to marry a Jew, after studying what is involved in being a Jew and what are the principles and practices of Judaism, he should be given every encouragement and should be welcomed into the Jewish community (Kaplan, as qtd. in Bayme Rosen, 1994, p. 268). Conclusion After thousands of years since God has declared them the â€Å"chosen people† the Jews continue to struggle and to find their place in the world. Every generation is pressured to find ways to pass on what they have received from their ancestors to the next generation of Jews. Each time the baton is passed the more it becomes more difficult to continually display integrity, commitment, and consistency. Just like other ancient religions, Judaism is finding it extremely difficult to solve the dilemma of identity and relevance. The present generation can enforce and strengthen their spiritual identity and dig deep into their past to find that old familiar path that will lead them to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. But every time they struggle to keep their ancient traditions and beliefs together they risk losing their relevance to a fast evolving world. This is especially true in America; the world’s most advanced and most powerful nation. As a result the new generation of Jews are abandoning ancient traditions and exchanging it with new ideas. But this is just a part of a bigger problem. What they are most concern about is the marriage of Jews to non-Jews or interfaith marriages. As mentioned in the introduction part of this paper, the Jews can directly trace their lineage to an ancient people, the Israelites, children of Jacob. A long time ago, they co-existed with ancient people groups but they are the only fortunate ones to have survived the passage of time. It can even be argued that they are the only surviving, direct descendants of ancient tribes. This made them a special group. A fact that is not lost in the collective psyche of the Jewish people. This ability to survive against all odds does not come without a price. They have developed a sort of defense mechanisms against the â€Å"melting pot† effect of the world. The world is like one giant sponge of conformity, sucking them in to make them conform to popular trends and standards. The Jewish people, for thousands of years were able to resist that pull. They have their strict diet, their festivals, their rituals, and their traditions that must be strictly followed wherever they are. Whether they are in the midst of prison, or in a land filled with racism they have to remember who they are and by doing all these things they have fought back extinction and remained a distinct people group. The Jewish race also has one major secret weapon and it is the implied rule that they should not marry non-Jews. At first glance it is easy to believe that they perpetuate this rule for the sake of practicality. It would be impossible for an outsider to keep up with their way of life unless one has learned of these things since early childhood. But a close look into this code of conduct reveals a religion that is so exacting that it sees intermarriage as a threat to the continuity of this particular group. For thousands of years they had succeeded in maintaining the status quo. Wherever they went they formed a close knit community of fellow believers that find support and strength from one another. The long history of persecution and anti-Semitism forced them to band close together as one family. It is understandable why for a long time outsiders are reluctant to penetrate their strong defenses so that they can get an idea as to what Judaism is all about. Moreover, anti-Semitism is a serious problem that strongly discourages a potential suitor from risking his life for someone that is as enigmatic as a Jewish girl. Everything went fine until after World War II. It seems that the Holocaust has placed the Jews in the limelight and not to discount also the successes of the Holocaust survivors in the field of finance and business that may well have contributed to their fame in the international stage. Another factor is the settling of Jews in America, first coming in droves as refugees and then finally establishing a place they can call home. In the New World the Jewish community was able to thrive in an environment where anti-Semitism is denounced as something belonging to a bygone era. Then an unexpected thing happened. The lessening of anti-Semitism no doubt changed the way Americans see the Jews. In short Jewish men and women became desirable in the eyes of modern day Gentiles. And since they are in the land of the free, the new generation of Jews can find nothing wrong in interfaith marriages. But for the elders, especially communal leaders have a different perspective. They are perhaps remnants of that era where Jews are considered as the persecuted one in Europe and in many parts of the world. It may have been a difficult notion to entertain for these old folks – that a Jew can finally live with a non-Jew and yet retain its identity and continue practicing their faith. They cannot see the gray area, only the black and white shades that says either one is fully committed Jew, focused on his religious duties or none at all. Moreover, the increasing rate of intermarriages was seen as a black-eye for the Jewish community. They interpret it as a growing weakness in the institution that teaches Jewish beliefs and traditions. It was also interpreted as rebellion towards parents and to their way of life. In modern times, there are researchers like Goldscheider who contends that the elders made a fundamental error in judgment. He argues that the reason for the negative assessment of intermarriage is a wrong perspective. He hastens to say that if the elders and the whole Jewish community can see what intermarriage is doing to the community in general then they will be more open to the idea of intermarriage. Firs of all, intermarriages are means for increasing the number of Jews in America. This is because studies have found a significant percentage of non-Jews willing to learn more about the Judaism, willing to let their children grow up as followers of Judaism and in many instances non-Jews are getting converted formally or informally. Goldscheider warns though that in order for this new trend to be a source of joy for communal leaders and elders they need to have a paradigm shift. They no longer have to limit their idea â€Å"Jewishness† on the basis of birth but they must be willing to accept that a true Jew is not someone with a direct lineage to the ancient people found in the Jewish Bible, but they are people who are in love with Jewish customs and tradition and that they are eager to lead their children in following their lifestyle. For Goldscheider this is what 21st century needs and for him this is what intermarriage brings to the Jewish experience. Works Cited Bayme, Steven. Jewish Arguments and Counterarguments. New Jersey: KTAV Publishing House, 2002. Bayme, Steven Gladys Rosen. The Jewish Family and Jewish Contiunity. New Jersey: KTAV Publishing, 1994. Goldscheider, Calvin. Are American Jews Vanishing Again? Ed. Put Name of Editor of the book article was taken from. Place of Publication: Publisher, year of publication. _____________________. Studying the Jewish Future. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 2004. Jewish Bible. Retrieved 13 November 2007 from http://www. breslov. com/bible/Joshua3. htm#3 Shapiro, Edward. A Time for Healing: American Jewry Since World War II. MA: The John Hopkins Press, 1992. Sklare, Marshall. Understanding American Jewry. New Jersey: Transaction Books, 1982.