American Revolution & Declaration of Independence

• The American War of Independence occurred between 1775 and 1783.
• Thirteen European colonies fought for independence from British rule.
• Thomas Jefferson and other colonists wrote the Declaration of Independence during the revolution.
• The Declaration of Independence declared and justified the colonies' independence from Britain.
• The preamble of the Declaration states "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal..."
• It also states they are "...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."
• These rights include "...life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness..."
• The document asserts that governments derive their powers from "...the consent of the governed.”
• The Declaration of Independence proclaimed the rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and self-government.
• The Declaration of Independence is a landmark in the history of democracy.
• It influenced France during the French Revolution.
• The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are essential founding documents of the U.S. government.

Resistance to Slavery

• Resistance was a constant aspect of slavery.
• Africans sought to escape from bondage from the moment of capture.
• Resistance happened during treks to the coast, in trading forts, on slave ships, and in the Americas.
• Enslaved African Americans formed strong bonds and fought back against enslavers.
• Resistance ranged from feigned ignorance to escape and armed rebellion.

Everyday Acts of Resistance

• Working slowly was a common way to resist.
• Breaking tools was also a common occurrence.
• Pretending to be ill was a method of resistance.
• Sabotaging tools was another way to resist.
• Feigning ignorance to avoid work was used.
• Songs and coded language facilitated communication.
• Running away for short periods allowed visits to family.
• Social gatherings helped maintain relationships broken by slavery.
• Songs or "spirituals" were folksongs sung by enslaved people.
• Religion provided self-esteem, dignity, and a sense of humanity for the enslaved.
• Building and maintaining kinship networks was a form of resistance.
• Learning to read and write European languages was another form of resistance.
• White settlers forced slaves to convert to Christianity.
• Enslaved people used the Christian message of love and spiritual paradise to express their desire for freedom.
• Songs were used to provide rhythm, inspiration, and motivation.
• Singing expressed values and solidarity, and aided communication.
• Harriet Tubman used coded songs to guide escaping slaves.
• Signal songs gave directions, while map songs indicated meeting places.

Active Resistance

• Active resistance was less common than everyday resistance.
• In 1831, Nat Turner led a rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia.
• Enslaved people killed at least 50 white people.
• Religious assemblies were restricted without white supervision after the rebellion.
• Southern states tightened laws against teaching enslaved people to read and write.
• Restrictions on the movements of free African Americans increased.
• The Underground Railroad was a network of people aiding escaped slaves.
• "Conductors" guided fugitive enslaved people.
• Harriet Tubman was a famous conductor.
• Hiding places were called "stations," "safe houses," and "depots."
• People operating safe houses were called "stationmasters."
• The song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" signaled that escape was imminent.
• "Fugitive slaves" were those who successfully escaped.
• Patrols were established to catch escaping slaves.
• Newspapers advertised "fugitive slaves".
• Some white men made a living catching fugitives.
• Free states and Native nations were bound by fugitive slave laws and treaty provisions to return escapees.

Abolitionists

• Opposition to slavery existed despite its widespread acceptance.
• Abolitionist movements used moral, legal, social, and political means.
• White women and free black Northerners were heavily represented in abolitionist societies.
• Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth were influential advocates.
• Abolitionists never accounted for more than one percent of the population.

Famous Abolitionists

• Frederick Douglass was a former slave, abolitionist, orator, and author.
• He wrote "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave".
• Douglass advocated for Black soldiers in the Union army.
• Dred Scott sued for his freedom after being sold into a free state.
• Dred Scott didn't win his freedom from the Supreme Court.
• His new owner granted him freedom about 3 months later.
• The Dred Scott Decision angered abolitionists and stopped debate about slavery.

Southern Reaction

• Southern lawmakers defended slavery as a positive good and prevented the spread of abolitionist messages.

US Civil War

• Slavery was a major factor in causing the Civil War.
• The Civil War was between the Northern and Southern States.
• The main issue was whether slavery should be abolished.
• The South relied on slave labor for agriculture.
• The North was industrialized and had advanced infrastructure.
• Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
• He opposed slavery and used this stance to advance his career.
• South Carolina seceded from the U.S. on December 20, 1860.
• Six other Southern states followed South Carolina.
• These states formed the Confederate States of America.
• The Northern states were called the Union.
• Lincoln refused to recognize the Confederacy.
• South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina seceded.
• The Confederate States of America was established in February 1861.
• Its constitution legalized and protected slavery.
• The war ended in May 1865 with the Confederate surrender.
• Seceded states were re-incorporated into the U.S.
• Slavery was abolished.

The Emancipation Proclamation

• The Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
• It freed slaves in Confederate states not under Union control.
• Lincoln's opposition to slavery grew over time.
• Sentiment in the North changed to support ending slavery.
• African American soldiers fought for freedom.
• Enslaved Southerners fled to Union lines.