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FEMINISM

In narrating her own story of self-acceptance, West takes us back to one of the ugly truth

and beliefs in the American culture, gender. They are set continuously aside and discriminated in

social forums and have their rights repressed. Men are chauvinistic, and according to them,

women are recreational objects to be used by men thus rape cases in the society. They are also

perceived as people who are only entitled to stay in the house doing house chores and bringing

up children. To men, women have their place which is the kitchen. They are not supposed to go

seeking employment, and if they do, for the few who oppose the fate of the society, they are

often declined in favour of their male counterparts. Their voices are hardly listened to, and they

are excluded from leadership issues, citing they are unfit for any leadership roles. We will

explore the issue on women and their roles in the society, particularly the abolishment of slavery

which they contributed significantly.

1776 marked the period when American colonialist distanced themselves from the British

control. This major achievement in America’s history can be attributed to the assistance

forwarded to the Continental army by the Spanish and French allies. Britain declared America as

a new nation by signing the Treaty of Paris in 1783. As the nation grew and expanded

westwards, various people, including women, abolitionist, and anti-abolitionists lived in

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America. These three groups had different opinions on how the nation would operate. However,

all American citizens contributed in the struggle that would help fulfil their American dream.

During the revolutionary era, women in America were considered inferior as compared to

their male counterparts. That said, they could not enter into contracts, own properties, or initiate

lawsuits. After the revolution, not all women attained equality with men, but the upper-class

females raised issues that advocated for independence and educational opportunities (Campbell,

450). As the economy of the country started to go escalate, social and religious beliefs also

changed and allowed the woman to seek and attain independence and equal rights.

During the industrial revolution, many manufacturing companies including the prominent

Boston Manufacturing Company recruited young women and provided them with boarding

houses, evening classes, and other cultural activities. In return, the women worked in their

factories. The labour system known as the Waltham-Lowell System provided women with a

greater sense of independence than their colleagues in Britain. Many women who were

privileged or lucky enough to work in the factory describe their experiences as “only a new

amusement.” The experience at the factory was much better than in schools as they enjoyed a

great deal of wartime mixed with play. These activities instilled confidence and a sense of

independence as opposed to other females who were scattered all over America.

By the 1800’s almost all social and religious platforms allowed greater sense of

independence to women. Women were allowed to address controversial matters such as slavery

and equal civic rights. In fact, abolitionist women understood the concept of slavery very well

and related it to the act of “being owned by another party, either as property or legal

dependents.” On the other hand, Sarah Grimke, a Carolina female abolitionist, observed that
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laws were enacted to govern her government, yet she never played a part in its establishment. In

essence, she was robbed of her essential rights. However, all these changed after a renowned

female activist, Susan B. Anthony collaborated with Elizabeth Cady Stanton to lobby state

legislations that pushed for equality. Their demands were heard and in 1860, New York laws

were passed and allowed women to have full control of their property, wages, and if widowed to

assume total control and guardianship of the children.

Staunch Christian believers often warned the slave masters that they would face the wrath

of God for eternity for their continued oppression and looking down upon the slaves. This debate

sparked many antagonisms which prompted the formation of the American-Anti-Slavery

Society. This group targeted mass enlightenment of other oppressed slaves, giving them a voice.

Using mass communication strategies was the best shot they had at reaching the vast numbers of

slaves in the country. In the year 1835, the American-Anti-Slavery Society spearheaded a major

revolution in publishing of numerous volumes of pamphlets that greatly demeaned and

discouraged the act of enslaving fellow humans. Despite the significant effects of the group, the

tension continued to build up to an extent that violence could not be ruled out.

Efforts to bring the menace to an end were made even more difficult by the Fugitive

Slave Law. This law stipulated that slave masters were fully entitled to their workers in bondage.

This meant that they had the authority to reclaim those slaves who had fled from their places of

work. Such laws made it cumbersome for the abolition of the slave trade and bondage. However,

the abolitionists could not bear the segregation brought about by the rule. They even formed

groups of strong men who could intern attack the slave catchers as well as their caravans in an

attempt to reduce the vice. As if this was not enough, the abolitionists took the matter to
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congress, where they petitioned for the abolishment of slave trade, the release of those already in

bondage and the ban on entry of new slaves into the continent.

Essentially, the American-Anti-Slavery Society was just but one and the pioneer of the

slave abolitionist groups. Soon other groups and societies emerged to spearhead the abolition of

putting African-Americans in bondage. The seriousness of the activists soon reached the

government. Calvin Colton, a minister was particularly touched by the relevance of the

abolitionist groups and which prompted him to admit that the American Antislavery Society was

a political association which had its major support and following from the entire north (Grant,

34). Despite, the continued pressure on the slave masters and the government at large, they were

in no hurry to grant the slaves their much needed freedom. This did not deter the abolitionist

groups from conducting their awareness and rebellion against forced labour and bondages. The

fruits of their perseverance were not born until the 1860s.

However, just as the anti-slavery activists were aggressive, so were the pro-slavery

advocates. These feared on the fall of the large farms and factories that relied on products

achieved as a result of slave trade. Plantation owners in the south feared that abolition of the

slave trade would render their properties useless as there would be no production without labour

to work on their farms. This has been just but one of the groups who felt their livelihoods was in

jeopardy. Merchants who majored in cotton and other textiles knew that they would soon run out

of business if they plan to bring bondage to an end succeeded. Charleston was a major trading

line and whose relevance was dubbed to the being of the slave trade and textile trading. Hence

the city did not tolerate any discussions on the subject of slavery and bondage. However, these

principles would soon be averted to give room for modest civilization.

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Surprisingly, the white Americans insinuated that African- Americans were short of

intellectual capacity that would enable them survive on their own upon their emancipation. They

even continued to assert that they would soon turn to recklessness which would soon bring about

the birth of a disorderly community. Slave masters often described slaves as persons who were

incapable of being trusted with anything as they lacked the intelligence to do anything on their

own. This prompted their “care and control” put upon slave masters.

African Americans had been enslaved in the United States since the early 17th century.

The conditions for the slaves during the time was unfavourable for all those that were

unfortunate to be slaves. They lived in shanty town and were frequently transported using mobile

jails from one place to another to work in the cotton fields. In the Southern states, slavery had

taken another turn during the early years of the 17th century (Campbell, 23). African American

slavery had once again become a thriving trend institution in the area. The primary reason behind

this trend came about as a result of the introduction of the cotton gin in which the slaves were

supposed to work.

Following the abolition of slave trade in America, the enslaved parties could not forget

the fact that they were referred to as properties by their masters. It would be untrue to say that all

slave masters were harsh and cruel to their slaves because some of them were humane and would

treat them with dignity and respect (Soike, 234). This care was, however tampered with by the

imbalance that existed between the two races, and that was gradually rising.

The whites that never owned their slaves were primarily yeoman farmers. The never

objected to slavery even though in practical terms they had never gained from the practice. Their

only wish was that they also become slaveholders themselves to gain immense wealth and power
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that was associated with the norm. The slaves in countering the white supremacy formed

rebellious civic groups that called for equality. Their pleas were forwarded through various

means such as go-slows, strikes, and demonstrations.

The Congress was forced to revisit the issue relating to slavery in 1849 after California

requested to be petitioned for statehood. Since California had anti-slavery inclinations, it was

hard for the Southern Democrats to let them into the union as they thought that the state would

disrupt the sectional balance that had already been created by the participating Southern States

(Soike, 134). The resulting agreement in 1850 which let California into the union was supposed

to act as an indicator of peace between North and South. It would bring an end to slavery in the

District of Columbia. To the south, the compromise promised that the act of popular sovereignty

would address the question of slavery in both Utah and the New Mexico territories. Also, the

pact reshaped the existing Fugitive Slave Act that required Northerners to assi9st in recapturing

runaway slaves (Wrenhaven, 415).

The Civil War describes a point in time where there was great social and political unrest.

This consequently led to a lot of bloodsheds. After President Lincoln was elected as the president

of the United States, the leaders from the Southern region immediately convened a meeting to

discuss or adopt articles of secession. Within six weeks, the number had gone up by six, and they

readily formed the Confederate States of America. The corporate president demanded the

surrender of all troops that were based in the South but instead, only the Major, Robert Anderson

garrisoned himself inside Sumter as he waited for reinforcements. Meanwhile, the Confederacy

decided to act upon their authority on April 12, 1861, by attacking the port which led to the

surrender by Anderson (Littlejohn, 56). The Southern hopes were high that their sovereignty was

respected, but what later followed was a bloodshed that cannot be forgotten in the American
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history. Although President Lincoln quickly reacted by calling 75,000 volunteers to crush the

rebellion, what followed was a series of battles fostered by technological innovations in

weaponry such as the rifle and the submarine that saw the death of more than 750,000 soldiers.

Slave masters and property owners from the south sternly indicated that they were in no

hurry to be subject to release their slaves as well as turn in their properties. Being so adamant

meant that violence could erupt at one time as the slaves had come to know of their rights and

knew they could hold a higher position in the society. Significantly, several groups of slave

proponents outburst and sought to fight against the abolishment of slaves (Lowther, 259).

Ideally, they even attacked societal setting filled with African-Americans with the aim of

frightening them to disregard their zeal for freedom. Regardless of their continued efforts to

maintain the practice, anti-slavery activists took the order of the day as they were able to

withstand pressures from the proponents.

The American dream was soon to be realized. The end of bondage was attributed to the

rights of slaves to own land, have families and move freely without restrictions. This would soon

be followed by the development of a modern and enlightened society where all its members were

aware of their rights and were ready to put up a fight to restore their dignity. Women sought to

be treated equally and that their segregation be put to an end.

In conclusion, the due attempts of the abolitionists to bring the vice and immorality of

slave trade to an end, their deemed efforts were shot down by the slave proponents. The

proponents felt that they could not bear the loss of their grabbed lands to the slaves as their

economic progression would be halted immediately. On the contrary, anti-slavery activists

pushed for the abolition of bondage and fought for their rights to own land, cultivate and take
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part in democratic functions and rights just like their counterparts. Eventually, these

counterattacks of the two antagonistic groups led to a massive division within the continent

which led to the outbreak of a major civil war. However, the proceedings of these action groups

crafted America into the country that it is today.

Works Cited

Campbell, Randolph B. An Empire For Slavery. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press,

1989 Print.

Grant, R. G. The African-American Slave Trade. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's, 2003. Print.
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Littlejohn, Randy. A Timeline Of The Slave Trade In America. Print.

Lowther, Kevin. The African American Odyssey Of John Kizell. Columbia, S.C.: University of

South Carolina Press, 2012. Print.

Soike, Lowell J. Busy In The Cause. Print.

Voelz, Peter Michael. Slave And Soldier. New York: Garland, 1993. Print.

Worth, Richard. The Slave Trade In America. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2004.

Print.

Wrenhaven, Kelly L. Reconstructing The Slave. London: Bristol Classical Press, 2012. Print.