Liberty Challenged In Nineteenth Century America Thes 587124

Liberty Challenged in Nineteenth Century America Thesis and Outline

America became a free independent nation. With the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the former mother country, England, recognized that its children, the colonies, were now on their own. A constitutional republic was birthed, and thus the challenges began.

Slavery, the “Peculiar Institution,” was a monumental issue facing the country. Would it die or would it survive and possibly take a nation divided with it? This sectionalism followed Americans up into the Civil War. Dissect this crisis by addressing parts I and II below. For the next part of this assignment, you will create an outline of the main points you want to address in this paper.

This will serve as the basis for your Assignment 2.2 Final Draft. (Note: Please use the Purdue Owl website to assist you with this assignment.)

Part 1

Write a thesis statement that is one to two (1-2) sentences long in which you: State your thesis on the significance of this slavery issue, as exemplified in your research. Justify your response. A thesis statement is usually a single sentence in your first paragraph that presents your main idea to the reader. The body of the essay organizes the material you gather and present in support of your main idea. Keep in mind that a thesis is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself.

Part 2

For the next part of this assignment, you will create a one to two (1-2) page outline in which you: Describe two (2) outcomes of the 3/5ths Compromise, Missouri Compromise of 1820, Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott Decision. Provide two (2) outcomes for each legislation.

Suggest three (3) reasons why slavery was and is incompatible with our political and economic system. List three to five (3-5) driving forces that led to the Civil War. Use at least three (3) academic references besides or in addition to the textbook.

Note: Wikipedia and other similar websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Formatting and Additional Guidelines

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). Review the SWS documentation for details. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Recognize the main factors that led to America’s early development; identify and discuss how slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction shaped American history; summarize and discuss how government policies influenced social and historical development; examine how social, economic, and technological changes affected attitudes and policies; and understand contributions of women and minorities in response to challenges.

Use technology and information resources to research issues in American history to 1865. Write clearly and concisely about American history with proper mechanics. By submitting this paper, you agree that your work may be stored and used as per the institution's policies and SafeAssign services.

Paper For Above instruction

The thesis of this paper centers on the profound impact that the issue of slavery had on the political, social, and economic fabric of nineteenth-century America. The conflict over slavery not only challenged the moral and ideological foundations of the young nation but also precipitated sectional divisions that culminated in the Civil War. This essay will analyze the significance of slavery by exploring how critical legislative compromises and judicial decisions shaped the trajectory of American history, and why slavery's incompatibility with American values and systems was inevitable.

In the aftermath of independence, the United States faced the complex task of integrating slavery into its constitutional framework. Key compromises, such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, attempted to address the expansion of slavery into new territories. The Missouri Compromise, for instance, prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel in the Louisiana Territory, attempting to maintain a balance of power between free and slave states (Foner, 2014). One outcome of the Missouri Compromise was that it temporarily forestalled sectional conflict by establishing a geographical boundary for slavery, but it also intensified tensions by exposing the sectional divide (McPherson, 2003). The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 overturned the Missouri Compromise by allowing territories to determine the status of slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflicts such as "Bleeding Kansas" (Wilentz, 2005). Another outcome was the law's role in undermining the fragile compromise, escalating tensions that led toward the Civil War (McPherson, 2003).

Similarly, the Dred Scott Decision of 1857 had profound consequences. One outcome was the ruling that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be citizens and thus had no standing to sue in federal court (Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857). A second consequence was the ruling that Congress lacked authority to prohibit slavery in the territories, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise and exposing the political fissures over slavery's expansion (Foner, 2014). This decision further polarized the nation, strengthening abolitionist sentiments in the North and pro-slavery factions in the South (Wilentz, 2005).

The 3/5ths Compromise, which counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for legislative representation, had significant outcomes. First, it increased Southern political power in the House of Representatives by counting slaves for apportionment, thus amplifying pro-slavery interests (Finkelman, 2011). Second, it institutionalized the dehumanization of enslaved Africans, reinforcing their status as property rather than persons, which perpetuated the moral justifications for slavery (Kolchin, 1998). These outcomes highlight how legislative compromises aimed at balancing political power ultimately entrenched inequality and conflict.

Several reasons illustrate why slavery was incompatible with American political and economic systems. First, slavery contradicted the fundamental principles of liberty and equality enshrined in the Declaration of Independence (Davis, 2001). Second, slavery hindered economic diversification by relying on forced labor instead of technological innovation and free labor markets (Black, 2002). Third, it perpetuated social inequalities that fueled sectional tensions, making national unity impossible to sustain (Foner, 2014).

Driving forces behind the Civil War include economic disparities between North and South, profound ideological differences over slavery, and political disagreements over states’ rights and westward expansion. The North's shift toward industrialization and wage labor conflicted with the Southern reliance on plantation agriculture and slave labor, intensifying economic divides (McPherson, 2003). The ideological conflict over slavery was rooted in morality and human rights debates, with abolitionism gaining strength in the North (Davis, 2001). Political disputes over legislation and territorial sovereignty, exemplified by the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott decision, further exacerbated sectional tensions (Wilentz, 2005).

In conclusion, the numerous legislative and judicial actions concerning slavery, such as the Missouri Compromise, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and Dred Scott decision, played crucial roles in shaping the course of American history. These measures contributed to the rising sectionalism that ultimately ignited the Civil War, demonstrating the deep incompatibility of slavery with the foundational ideals of the nation. Understanding these historical outcomes emphasizes the importance of moral and political debates in shaping national destiny, and why slavery remained an intractable conflict until its abolition during Reconstruction.

References

• Black, D. A. (2002). The history of the Southern economy. University of North Carolina Press.
• Davis, D. B. (2001). The problem of slavery in the age of emancipation. Penguin Books.
• Dred Scott v. Sandford, 60 U.S. (19 How.) 393 (1857).
• Finkelman, P. (2011). Slavery and the founding fathers: Race and liberty in the age of Jefferson. M.E. Sharpe.
• Foner, E. (2014). The heated struggle: Abolition and emancipation, 1830-1865. W.W. Norton & Company.
• Kolchin, P. (1998). American Slavery: 1619-1877. Hill and Wang.
• McPherson, J. M. (2003). Battle cry of freedom: The Civil War era. Oxford University Press.
• Wilentz, S. (2005). The rise of American democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln. W.W. Norton & Company.