History of Slavery and Ways in which it Impacts Contemporary Society

History of Slavery and Ways in which it Impacts Contemporary Society
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History of Slavery and Ways in which it Impacts Contemporary Society
The study of history plays a big role in fostering knowledge about people and societies. In particular, learning about the history of slavery is pivotal towards appreciating the significant steps the world has made towards freedom. When people learn about the slavery history of their forefathers, they are able to test their moral sense against the happenings of the past. With slavery still being present in the contemporary world, understanding how the vice happened in the past could unlock ways to tackle what the current trend. In addition, it is important to find out how the current society is impacted by the slavery in the past. It is close to a century and a half now since the formal abolishment of slavery. However, the impacts of the vice are still prevalent in the current society. Some scholars have even pointed out to slavery being present in the modern world. Therefore, it is important to understand the aspects that characterized slavery in the past and the efforts of abolitionists in combating it. This essay begins by documenting the significant aspects that characterize the history of slavery in the US. The essay also examines how the history of slavery impacts the political, economical, and educational institutions in the current society. It’s relation to the inequality present in the contemporary society is also examined.
A significant part of the US history is characterized by slavery. Before dwelling further on the issue, it is important to note that slavery did not first appear in the US. It has been part of human history as seen in the Bible and Greek history. During this time which is thousands of years before the slave trade in America, the practice existed in the form of conquered people, indentured servants, and serfs. It is thus important to recognize that that slavery had existed prior to the one experienced in the US. The slavery in the US is different, however, in the sense that race determined who was considered a slave. As informed by History (n.d.), slavery history in America dates back to 1619 when the first slaves were introduced by the Dutch. These were the first African slaves who were brought to Virginia to work in farms producing lucrative crops like tobacco. As such, the early 17th century was characterized by Europeans turning to slaves from Africa for cheap and available labor (History, n.d.). It is imperative to note that before African slaves were brought, indentured servants were the labor source. These indentured servants, according to History (n.d), were made up Europeans who were poorer than others. However, when Africans were brought, a cheap alternative labor source emerged. After the twenty were Africans were brought to Virginia, there was a spread of slavery across the colonies in America. According to History (n.d), it is estimated that between 6 and 7 million slaves were shipped to the New World in the 18th century alone. As seen, Africa was deprived of its ablest and healthiest people. The 17th and 18th centuries saw African slaves working on rice, and tobacco plantations that were mainly located on ...