Essay Sample on The Declaration of Independence 1776

JANICE H. HAMMOND, A. KAMAU MASSEY, and MAYRA A. GARZA are authors of the declaration of independence press, 1776. The book violated human rights of life, liberty, and the fulfillment denied to individuals before independence dawn. In ancient times there were a lot of factors that led to racial divisiveness. Therefore, the racial division, especially in the united states, led to individuals' inequality based on the racial divide that they arise from. The slave trade between the 1500s-1800s led to the massive deportation of individuals from Africa to America through the Atlantic Ocean. The individuals were traded for valuables "buy Africans in exchange for textiles, arms, and other goods." Nevertheless, the journey across the Atlantic Ocean in transporting the slaves is known for its brutality.

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The Africans that were deported to America as slaves were made to work in the large plantations of the Americans for many hours and even had the inadequate time of rest "in plantations, the enslaved men and women were made to work in the fields 14-18 hours a day six and a half hours a week in sweltering heat". The conditions of living of the enslaved individuals were pathetic such that the individuals did not experience acceptable living conditions "at night both field and house slaves slept in small cabins with dirty floors and handmade furniture."

In between 1775 and 1783, there was a revolutionary war in which a fifth of the involved population were slaves. The war led to a constitutional implementation that "slaves would be considered three-fifths of a person." Nonetheless, in the 18th century, there was a rift between two economies: the southern and the northern. The southern economy thrived since it focused on agricultural slavery and cultivated cotton, among other crops with great demand in the global market. In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected as president; however, he did not gather as many popularity votes in the south as the north. The southern region then withdrew from the union and formed its confederation. Nonetheless, Abraham Lincoln convinced the population and brought an amicable solution of freeing the slaves in the south; thus, the slaves began to join the army "the emancipation further destabilized the economic engine of the war-torn confederacy and provided the Union army with a constant flow of black recruits."

Nevertheless, after slavery ceased, there were still the segregation issues where the Africans could not inherit the properties of their master but would rather continue working in the lands of their masters. However, a 13th amendment was made such that punishment of the laborer's and harassment was prohibited at all; any master of the slaves could be reported if they harassed the slaves. Therefore, from slavery, the black community began to form, and they would assemble in social places like churches and schools. The subsequent amendments that are 14th and 15th rendered African Americans the right to vote, and their citizenship in the country were legalized. Some movements, such as the Ku Klux Klan frontier in the fighting for the African American rights to vote, were obstructed. Moreover, the Jim Crow laws were affected to guide the racial division in all public spaces such as schools, churches, and restrooms, among other spaces.

African Americans had an immense contribution to World War II. However, they were segregated in the army, but they still made efforts in the army. However, it was unfortunate that the African Americans still went back to a segregated society after the war, and the efforts were not applauded. Therefore, in the subsequent years after World War II, there were multiple protests on the discrimination and segregation that were racially based. Some of the instances of discrimination in public places were "Black riders were required to sit at the back of the bus and gave up their seat if a white passenger requested." "A fourteen-year boy from Chicago that was murdered after being accused of making verbal and physical advances towards a white woman."

In the early 1970s, the realignment of most laws that were based on segregation was done, and thus the African Americans have begun to have a majority of the civic rights aligned to their favor. One of the sectors that the laws mainly impacted was capitalism, where the residents were free to make financial investments. Therefore, the people of color in the states were free to make investments, which led to the decline of the poverty levels since the population was financially dependent. Nevertheless, there was a war crackdown on drugs in the same period where illegal trafficking on drugs was halted. In the education sector, black colleges and universities were created to establish tertiary education opportunities for the black community. The benefits that the black community accrued from the establishment of the institutions was that they were provided for tuition fees. The black community's segregation from the white was countered at some point; however, it was strongly opposed.

One of my reactions is based on the brutality of the white men against African Americans during the slavery period and the post-slavery period. The ill-treatment of the slaves brought from Africa in exchange for goods such as arms and textiles was inhumane "buy Africans in exchange for textiles, arms, and other goods."Moreover, the physical torture of the slaves and overworking them under a scorching sun for long hours and giving them less time to rest and their resting cabins in bad conditions was unacceptable "at night, both field, and house slaves slept in small cabins with dirty floors and handmade furniture."

I think that Hammond's article relates to today's world in terms of the minor segregations found in today's society. The segregation in today's society may not be necessary due to the racial culture but involves the bridge of economic development of different countries and the status given to some facilities due to the ownership of an individual of a given culture. The article is important since it paints a picture of socio-economic development back in the days and the gradual advancement of economically up to the date. As seen in the article, the amendment of the various laws reveals the struggles that existed back in the days to bring equality in the community. For instance, the 13th amendment, where it prohibited the harassment of the slaves and the defense "of treating the slaves as three-fifths of a human," was a great tussle of defining humanity to the masters of the slaves that was opposed at some point. I believe that it is important for all human beings to be treated equally, and no one should be treated like a lesser human due to their social status, like the slave merchants did.

I believe this piece of work has inspired and changed my perspective of viewing things such that the work is clearly organized and gave me as the reader clear insights into the inequality events that transpired in those days. Therefore, I am in a position to applaud the individuals like Abraham Lincoln, who stood for justice, equality for the entire human race, and the revolution of the mistreatment of other individuals. This piece changed my perspective of viewing aspects and has inspired me to appreciate all individuals despite racial origin.

From my perspective, the article's points were well summarized and categorized in the strategic order of the event's happenings; thus, I, as the reader, did not have a tussle of inconsistency while reading. The events' follow-up is sequential; thus, there is blurred content or a mis of information. It also mentions the individuals involved in various acts that the clarity of events involved.

In conclusion, would recommend the declaration of independence in 1776 to other readers who appreciate the history of events that took place back in the days. The statistical organization of the events is clear, and the content is easy and fast to comprehend.