Institution of Slavery, Research Paper Example

Before the civil war of 1861, over 4 million black people were enslaved in the United States. The slave trade had thrived in the United States, raking in over $4 billon annually. Slave traders enjoyed immense profits from this trade, industrial enterprises, cotton consumers, and insurance companies also gained from slavery as well. The history of this infringement of human rights dates back in 1607, when the first English colonization occurred in North America. It is a known fact that most slaves were Africans with a small number of white slaves[1].

The civil war arose because of slavery, the southern slave owners were angry with the northern political forces, who were working day and night to eliminate slavery from the United States of America[2]. By 1865, slavery had been abolished; there are many factors, which led to the death of slave trade in the United States. First off, the frequent fights between the Southern and the Northern regions which were separated by the Mason-Dixon Line. Many northerners believed that slavery was not only morally wrong, but nationally evil as well. On the other end, the southern land owners wanted to continue with their monopoly over the national government, since they had a say in terms of politics and economic empowerment. This bickering contributed immensely to the abolition of slavery[3]. Another compelling reason as to why slavery ended was the enlistment of blacks in the civil war itself. Black slaves were able to help their fellow slaves to escape through secretly built underground roads and railroads. It was at the slave’s hide-outs that stringent plans were devised on how to sabotage the slave owners. The election of Lincoln as the president, and the secession of several southern states from the union contributed immensely to the abolition of slave trade. The invasion of the Deep South by an army prepared by Lincoln sparked off the American Civil War which lasted for 4 years[4]. Union policies towards slavery changed drastically over the course of the war. Unlike previous years when slaves were not allowed to express their views, the civil war enabled them to rebel against their masters. They were also yearning for their freedom like never before since the war had destabilized their masters[5]. The war also opened the minds of the slaves towards their rights; those who succeeded to escape were able to regroup themselves with the motive of freeing their fellow slaves. The civil war changed the perception of southerners, northerners and the nation at large towards slavery

Works cited

Catton, Bruce. 1985. The Civil War. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Don, Fehrenbacher. 1995. Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln. New York Tribune, p. 118.

Manning, Chandra. 2008. Why This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War.  Illinois: Vintage.

Stokesbury, James. 1995. A Short History of the Civil War. New York: William Morrow & Co.

[1] Stokesbury, James. 1995. A Short History of the Civil War. New York: William Morrow & Co

[2] Catton, Bruce. 1985. The Civil War. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

[3] Manning, Chandra. 2008. Why This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War.  Illinois: Vintage.

[4] Don, Fehrenbacher. 1995. Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln. New York Tribune, p. 118.

[5] Stokesbury, James. 1995. A Short History of the Civil War. New York: William Morrow & Co