Essay about Enormity of Slavery - 1618 Words

In the 1800s, many slave owners thought it fair for Africans to work without pay, because they believed that this particular group of people were made by God for this sort of work, and that slave owners were ever caring and conscientious of their slaves anyway, making slavery an easy life; truthfully, however, as both Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs experienced in being slaves most of their lives, and then showed in their narratives, this cruel and unusual practice was the epitome of iniquity- notwithstanding the fact that they were created equal to their malefactors.†¦show more content†¦So, he assumes that because this group of people are built anatomically this way, they are thus inferior, and must fulfill their destiny as slaves, thus ‘proving’ that slavery is just(Hoffman 364). George Fitzhugh too had popular ideas supporting slavery, and states that due to slavery, the South is plump with â€Å"peace, quiet, plenty, and contentment.† He depicts that Southern people have a, â€Å"refinement of head and heart†, meaning that slave owners had perfected their thoughts and concerns for others, making it an environment in which it was reasonable for anyone to live, even a slave. This would have indubitably given one reason to believe that slavery was not so bad at all, because the people of the South were a hospitable group of people who cared for all of God’s children(Hoffman 366). In their writings, supporters of slavery make this practice seem almost justifiable. Nevertheless, as Frederick Douglass- who experienced slavery first hand- writes in his narrative, the truth seems quite the contrary. As he writes, he makes it obvious how horrible the conditions of a slave are. â€Å"The louder she (another slave) screamed, the harder he (the master) whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped longest(Lauter 877).† Experiencing this sort of cruelty as a child was surely scarring, not only physically, but psychologically. A slave in Douglass’s time and place was forced to fear for their livesShow MoreRelatedThe Enormity Of Slavery By Fredrick Douglas859 Words   |  4 PagesThe Enormity of Slavery â€Å"Slavery is the great test question of our age and nation. It, above all others, enables us to draw the line between the precious and the vile, whether in individuals, creeds, sects, or parties†, as stated by Fredrick Douglas in the mid 1850s. Slavery can be stated as a civil relationship in which one person has absolute power over the life, fortune, and liberty of another. The term slavery emerged during the early 1620s when the first known Africans were dropped off by aRead MoreThe Trafficking Of Human Trafficking930 Words   |  4 PagesRegardless of the reasons, there are nearly 30 million victims of human trafficking globally. There are more slaves now than ever before. Trafficking of persons is not a subject that should be ignored or taken lightly. In order to fully understand the enormity of this crisis, we will examine the root causes, facts, and the impact of human trafficking throughout the world. There are several factors to why human trafficking exists: poverty, governmental instability, natural disasters, addiction, and organizedRead MoreSlavery : An Unnatural Doctrine1603 Words   |  7 PagesAbstractly, an unnatural doctrine utilized to reinstate supremacy and power has become one of mankind’s biggest anomalies. 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