Slavery_and_the_Constitution

Slavery is a part of our past United States history that was originated in the fifteenth century. Slaves had no rights at all in the south. Many worked as servants and farm laborers. Some practiced skill trade as shoemaking others worked as field hands on cotton plantations. Men and women did harsh backbreaking labor in the fields. They cleared new land, planted seeds, and harvested crops in all weather. Teenagers worked alongside the adults pulling weeds, picking insects off the crops and carrying water to the other workers.     Some slaves became skilled workers such as blacksmiths and carpenters. Some slaves worked in cities but their earnings belonged to their owners. Planters often hired these skilled workers to work on their plantations. Older slaves like women worked as servants in the planter’s house. They cooked, cleaned and did other chores under the supervision of the planter’s wife.     The slave’s life depended on their individual owners. Some owners treated their slaves well by making sure they had decent food, clean houses, and warm clothes to wear. Other planters spent little time caring about these things. They were determining to get the most work possible from their slaves. Slaves worked from sunup to sundown, as much as sixteen hours a day. They sometimes suffered whippings and other cruel punishments. Owners thought of them as valuable property, that way the owners wanted to keep their human property healthy and as productive as they can.     Keeping slaves families together was very difficult to do because slaves were considered as property so owners could buy and sell them at their will. The law did not recognize slave marriages or their families that’s why a husband and wife could be sold to different plantations; the children could be taken away from their parents and sold also.     African customs had its roots in slavery the extended family formed a close knit family group. They handed down stories, song to the children as a way to pass on their history and ideas. Faith in God helped slaves cope with the harshness of daily life.     The issue of slavery and the constitution brought on more issues. There was some peoples who thought slavery should be abolished  one was John Jay he was a supporter of the constitution after it was originated and the author of The Federalist it was written in 1786. He stated “It is much to be wished that slavery may be abolished. The honor of the states, as well as justice and humanity, in my opinion, loudly call upon them to emancipate these unhappy peoples. To contend for our own liberty, and to deny that blessing to others, involve an inconsistency not to be excused.”     Another person who thought slavery should abolished was Oliver Ellsworth he is one of the signers of the constitution which he wrote this a few months after it was adjourned stating “All good men wish the entire abolition of slavery, as soon as it can take place with safety to the public and for the lasting good of the present wretched race of slaves.”     Patrick Henry another great Virginian patriot refused to attend the convention because he “smelt a rat that believed a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil.     In the constitution amendment 13 states “Abolition of Slavery”. It did away with slavery all together stating that it shall not exist in the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Passed by Congress on January 31, 1865.     The person who argued for slavery to continue until his death was Thomas Jefferson he persisted on owning slaves until he died in 1826.  There was proof that he left in his Notes on the State of Virginia.     The issue resolved in Article 1, section 9 of the U.S. constitution allowed slave trade to continue, but placed a date on it survival. Congress finally passed a law outlawing the slave trade that became effective on January 1, 1808. The Fugitive Slave Clause is the last mention. Exploring Constitutional Conflict American Anti-Slavery Society afgen.com/slavery2.html