Slavery is Now Behind Us

A major event that will never be forgotten by most Americans is slavery. Slavery was dates all the way back to 1517 when slave trade first began. Shortly after in 1619, the first slaves arrived in America. All throughout the 16 and 1700’s, slavery began to being legalized in each state. This is when slavery began to become a major issue.

Some states such as Delaware, Georgia, and Tennessee were undecided about the issue. Slave trade was banned in some states and then eventually legalized again. People tried to deal with the issue, but knew that solving the problem would require cooperation of citizens. This must have been a very difficult time, especially for African Americans. They must have felt uncertain and helpless while being sold like property.

The mid 1800’s began a time to change. Antislavery societies began being formed. Several states such as Oregon prohibited slavery. Books began to be published containing the actual thoughts of slaves. Not until 1863 was the Emancipation Proclamation issued by Lincoln. This freed slaves in the United States. In 1865, the Civil War ended and all slaves in the United States were proclaimed free by the 13th Amendment.

People opposing slavery and the actual slaves may have felt as if the were powerless. In fact, they were. Without their dedication to fight for freedom, they may have never succeeded. With the time of slavery now far behind us, we can use this as a model even in our own lives. If we stand behind our thoughts and fight to have our voice heard, we too can achieve success.