Documentation Of African American Struggles During The Slavery Period

African Americans in revolutionary Massachusetts presented five petitions to the state’s government for the abolition of slavery. Each written with genius using the same terminology and buzzwords, to build on past explorations in order to better situate these petitions within their political, social, and legal context and to understand, contrary to prior efforts, how unlike most enslaved Africans, these are the few who pledged loyalty for all to the colonies and proved this when they fight for the Liberties for the citizens in the American Revolution and help them win their.

So, they helped to constitutive of it and had an equal claim to its ownership of liberty freedom equally. More importantly, the writes show within the scope of similar and Liberty, there is no difference between the whites and blacks when the principle of Liberty is adhered the same products and distribute achieving it the same way among themselves.

Consider documents 1:8, 1:10, and another document of your choice from the first document section (1750-1776). How do the authors of the documents use religion to convey their message?

Fugitive Slave Advertisements, 1750-1776 25

Those slaves were purchased and considered the property of their owner. Would flee trying to escape the brutality of their masters and occasionally be separated from their family they would be in search of them. Even though the punishments could be much harsher, they would do it anything to stick their freedom. However, if a runaway to gain his freedom, an ad would be placed in on a flyer or a local newspaper, known as Fugitive slaves! Offering rewards for the capture and return of those who defiantly escape enslavement. Ads contain names and descriptions of escapees, including physical and distinctive features, literacy level, specialized skills, and where an escape might be headed and why. Discover, rare details about the lives and experiences of those who resist slavery. (p.26)

Peter Bestes and Other Massachusetts Slaves, Letter to Local Representatives, April 20, 1773

With the writing of this letter from Peter Bestes and the other enslaved man appealing to the Local Representatives to give more self-respect and Hope to the black slaves, they are putting themselves forth to represent all black Patriots. Likewise, Bestes call on the white Representatives to be considerate of them, because they are as worthy and Noble to get granted exactly the privileges that they were given. They are asking no more than what the colonist had asked King George War, to release them from enslavement. Furthermore, there too were under not only the control of King George III but also their masters just because of the color of their skin, however, regardless they remind them that they equally showed braveness in the fight for Freedom, under the same circumstances of the War.

Bestes, further tell them that slavery violates Christian principles, and the 'Spirit,' (Holbrook, p. 46) of Freedom beats, deep in every human being’ heart in the world, primarily since they seemly fought to earn it. In a powerful statement Bestes, graciously takes the blame of the white colonists and state that it must be God's will to put them in slavery because he allows them to allow them to purchase them with their own money However, equally as powerful, Bestes states that they will behave in a way that God will help grant them their Freedom, or until then the blacks will follow all law requested of them, they can afford to go back to their homeland to Africa. (Holbrook

Phillis Wheatley, Letter to Samson Occom, February 11,1774

Ms. Wheatley, a 14-year young lady, writes a fantastic letter to Samson Occom, despite her age she made a long-lasting effect on Occom. (Holbrook, p.51) In this letter, it calls attention to the contradiction between the colonists' demands for Freedom, and how strange absurdity it is that the white protests, but still their determination to uphold slavery and ignores the same right for black slavery. Moreover, she questions why religious beliefs shared are not enough to make a person free. She uses the past civilizations who were enslaved but earned their Freedom or demanded their Freedom to demonstrate some natural-born right must be invoked thought War, as the African Americans' claims are valid because of secure Freedom with the revolution, for another, so why not for themselves.

She's smart enough to know to use wording the mean same to them, such as civil Freedom or liberty or the rights of citizenship, with adding compassionate, there will be none for slaves because they are oppressed by others who equally seek their Freedom.