The Civil War, although not initially intended to impact slavery in the way it did, became a turning point for embedding the roots of equality. Within this essay the portrayal of African American character will be discussed in terms of how white Americans identified African Americans and the change associated with the new freedoms given to African Americans between 1800 and 1900. Although freedom rang through America; African Americans faced horrific stereotypes, unjust living conditions, and harsh discriminatory laws that made life difficult, albeit started a newfound hope for true freedom behind the color of one’s skin. When slavery was first introduced, blacks needed to be portrayed as harmless to eliminate the threat and increase acceptance
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Lincoln needed the support of the black community to strengthen his position to succumb the Confederates (South) to remain in the Union. Initially the Union supported slavery where it already existed, but prohibited the use of slavery in states that were currently free. However, the land utilized for crops would eventually die out and the use of slavery would need to be sanctioned to new, farmable land. This would greatly affect the economy that powers the Confederacy. The actions of the slaves greatly contributed to the war’s purpose of abolishing slavery. Benjamin Butler declared that the Fugitive Slave Act, which declared that runaway slaves be returned to their master, was no longer valid in states that left the Union; declaring the runaway slaves as contraband that was confiscated by the Confederacy. These slaves would be put to work in labor intensive positions with a significantly less salary than white soldiers. Slaves fighting among Union troops along with their white abolitionist allies put a great amount of pressure on the Lincoln administration to abolish slavery. With this great pressure, Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation which would result in a lack of labor forces for the Confederacy
Lincoln needed the support of the black community to strengthen his position to succumb the Confederates (South) to remain in the Union. Initially the Union supported slavery where it already existed, but prohibited the use of slavery in states that were currently free. However, the land utilized for crops would eventually die out and the use of slavery would need to be sanctioned to new, farmable land. This would greatly affect the economy that powers the Confederacy. The actions of the slaves greatly contributed to the war’s purpose of abolishing slavery. Benjamin Butler declared that the Fugitive Slave Act, which declared that runaway slaves be returned to their master, was no longer valid in states that left the Union; declaring the runaway slaves as contraband that was confiscated by the Confederacy. These slaves would be put to work in labor intensive positions with a significantly less salary than white soldiers. Slaves fighting among Union troops along with their white abolitionist allies put a great amount of pressure on the Lincoln administration to abolish slavery. With this great pressure, Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation which would result in a lack of labor forces for the Confederacy