End of Slavery? Not Abraham's 1st agenda

I don’t think that America thought that slavery was a necessity to end. This is clearly evident when one takes into account the countless African Americans who were involved in sharecropping and were never able to escape it. The struggle to be considered free was a lot harder than remaining in the lifestyle that was considered slavery. The Jim Crow laws, black codes, and segregation in the schools are all examples that America was not ready for slavery to end. The media used stereotypical images such as the Mamme and Sambo along with songs and movies were used to either scare or entice the mind that the slaves living in the south were happy. Socially slavery was something that was the difference between classes. The rich, upper classes had the most slaves. Enough to have a division between the slaves, house slaves and field workers. The middle class had slaves for the fields but were also workers. Unlike the upper class they did not have enough money or slaves to not do their “share”. The lower class had the least amount of slaves, if any, in some cases were they working with the slaves such as an overseer, or in another area that was considered to be higher than that of a slave. The social class was the most important thing to American society without the hierarchy they had no way to control and dominate the slaves. Someone had to always remain on the bottom so that they could remain on top. Using race was the easiest way for American to create a division among people of America because the difference was visible. Economically slavery was the biggest profit in America. Between the production of the crop and slave trade, slavery was an investment that had a double benefit to the slave owner. The little to no pay, no unions, no laws or rights being issued to the slave made it very easy for the slave-owner to devalue the slave as a human but create profit from his physical. Slaves were sold on their work ethic and physique; the better the build the higher the price. Letting go of a market that was a replenishing product was difficult for America and in some instances traces of this trade/ domination is seen in the ghettos, gangs and prostitution. Politically America was at a standpoint when slavery was ended for Abraham ending slavery was more so of a financial tactic because the slavery and the profit made from the production of the crops in slavery was funding the south. By cutting of their main source of income the south was sure to fall, slavery was the foundation of the south.

Looking at the work place today, depending the area of work one chooses this philosophy of work ethics is seen today in the work force. The food service and agriculture is were the “slavery” mentally of workers is most prevalent. In fast food restaurants and in the field workers are paid the least amount, work long hours under the least benefits with little chance of promotion. In America it’s acceptable for a teen to start working there but the adults who work alongside them are seen as being of a lower class.

Blog # 1 Native Americans and Racailizaiton

The racialization of the Native Americans is something that seems to be a permanent symbol of representation in the US. By presenting them as savages the British were able to create a schism between them and created a hierarchy among themselves. They based their racialization on the fact that they were in a new country and did not understand how to survive. The tactics that were used to survive by the Native Americans were new to the British settlers. Their main objective was to obtain the land and create a new country. To their dismay someone was already living there, and so to remove them they first had to learn to survive and then find ways to eliminate the others. For the British they never gave off a sense of wanting to share the land. The greed of having ownership over land and starting their own country seemed to overpower their ideals for equality and a new life. In essence they were no better than the government they left in England. The racialization of skin tone, customs and religion seemed to be the main difference that the British used to show that they were better than the Native Americans. At first the British were willing to work with the Indians in order to survive nothing seemed to be wrong. It was only until the Native Americans were seen as being “in the way of progress” that they became a problem. Their basis was that they needed to establish a difference between themselves and the Native Americans, to give themselves a reason as to why they needed to eliminate them. It’s as if they needed to satisfy their conscious by using racialization as a motive. By claiming them to be savages and that their darker skin, thick hair, native head dress and apparel, and customs were something that was devilish they made them out to be “the bad guy” and eventually the “wrong” race to be. By assimilating them with bad imagery they were able to place fear and hatred into others and this is seen even in present times. In cartoons the Native Americans are always seen as being uncontrollable and animal like in their play. Even in movies Native Americans always made out to be mystical and mysterious and not of society, like aliens. Stereotypes have evolved from the racialization that was created by the British. People immediately think of casinos, poor rundown reservations and many major leagues team names. With that being said I think that the British has forever scared the image of Native Americans and because the truth isn’t taught to children early the image will not go away. I think that the true story of the Native Americans should be told in elementary schools to eliminate the racialization and for people to gain a better understanding of them.