Human Dignity

In the 18th and 19th centuries Slavery was a huge part of american Society. Both sides that were against and for slavery had strong arguments supporting their position on the topic. Much controversy and many arguments were caused because of slavery because while some didn't see it, it took away a slave's freedom, but also their dignity, and individuality. While slavery clearly wasn't moral it was a huge part of the American economy, and was responsible for 2.28 billion pounds of cotton, 57% of the nations export revenue by 1860. Because of this slavery quickly became entrenched in America. While covering this topic in class we looked at articles of the constitution, and maps of the growth of slavery in america, as well as researching important figures of this time period and watching a movie about the life of a slave, to help us answer our essential questions for this lesson.

Slavery was constantly increasing and become more and more necessary to the Country's economy during the 19th century. By looking at maps of this increase of both slave population and cotton production on a website called Mapping history, it is clear that the number of slaves in america directly correlated with the amount of cotton being produced. While cotton was insignificant in 1790 and only 1.5 million pounds were produced, and the slave population was only around 690,000, the amount of cotton produced increased greatly to an astonishing 2.28 billion with a slave population of 3.95 million. A main reason for this increase was because of Eli Whitney's invention of the Cotton Gin, a machine that separated the seeds from the raw cotton, and made the cotton production process significantly quicker. This invention caused the price and number of slaves to increase. While it is clear that slavery was a huge part of the country's economy it was also part of the American Government. Many parts of the constitution regarded slaves and their rights. In Article 4, Section 2, Clause 3  of the Constitution it states,  "No person held to service in on estate, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labour, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party whom such service or labour may be due." this article is saying that if a slave escapes from a slave state to a state that prohibits slavery, they are not free of their owner, but they must return to them.

Not only did this slavery based system effect both the Economy and the government, but also human dignity, and it ignores human characteristics such as individualism, pride, and freedom. The system of slavery destroyed human dignity and many other  human characteristics by treated the slaves as though they were property and not people. While some noticed that this was wrong and did what they could to stop slavery, some people, like George Fitzhugh believed that slavery was necessary for society. Fitzhugh states in his book Canniblas All, "The negro slaves of the south are the happiest, and, in some sense, the freest people in the world. The children and the aged infirm work not at all, and yet have all the comforts and necessities of life provided for them." What Fitzhugh is saying proves how slavery ruins human dignity because the slaves aren't allowed to live on their own and they have everything handed to them as though they wouldn't be capable of doing it themselves. As well as loosing their dignity slaves also lost their humans characteristics, because by entry this system of slavery one completely lost their individuality, and were no longer treated like humans. one specific example of this is in the movie, prince among Slaves, which we watched in class, when prince Abdul Rhaman was captured into slavery and had it long hair cut short, so that he would be like all the other slaves, destroying his symbol of his high rank in his country, and therefor ruining his pride, and individual identity. Slavery completely took away a person dignity because they were forced into a system  that they had no individual identity.  


 

Equality for All

Recently in class we finished a unit on the Woman’s reform and how in the mid-19th century this movement was started in an attempt to gain equality for women.  our essential questions for this lesson were, How did mid­-19th century  American society react to women's demands for  equality? Does 21st century society still react  differently to men and women?we started our lesson by looking at an image called the sphere or women, and analyzed it highlighting all the jobs of a women were represented in the picture.  We  read, The intimately oppressed to get a better understanding of the rights that women had during the time period. We also read, Laws and practices to get a better understanding of the rights that women had during the time period. Lastly we looked at articles for the Seneca Falls Convention to learn about what action that women took during the movement.  During the woman's reform women were treated differently than men and there were many different views upon equality for women, and their roles in society.

illustration from Godey's  Lady's Book, March  1850 Found at: http:// www.assumption.edu/ whw/workshop/ untitled1.html http://www.edline.net/files/_AIGmX_/90f5674f15c6c9f63745a49013852ec4/Activity_8_-_Lesson_Notes.pdf  acsessed, Febuary 2,

2015

In the mid-19th century women were treated very differently than men. It was believed that it was a woman's job to stay home and take care of the house and family. A women had the responsibilities of taking are of children as well as teaching them, especially daughters for they didn't go to school like young boys did. Along with taking care of any kids a woman also had to take of any pets. She was in charge of making clothes for the family, as well as fixing them. However, if a woman wanted to get a job outside of the house the only one that was available was a teacher, and often times she would get paid significantly less than a man doing the same job. There were many different views and opinions about women's equality, and while some supported woman's equality others believed that women should stick to their specific gender roles. the Oneida Whig states, “If our ladies will insist on voting and legislating, where gentlemen, will be our dinners and elbows?” This quote proves that many were against the woman's reform because they strongly believed that all women should stay home so that they can cook and clean and take care of the family. While some feared what would happen if women didn't stay with their gender specific role, and strongly didn't support the reform, others who did support the expansion of woman's rights. in The National Reformer it states, “They may ridicule, but not reason away the facts and arguments there set forth.” This quote shows that the people who supported woman's rights believed that all women deserve to be treated equally, and that men can ridicule them, and they can believe that don't deserve to be treated equally, but they don't have any good reasons against why women should be equal.

While women role in society today has changed greatly from what it was in the mid-19th century, 21st century society still views women and men very differently. in the Pantene commercial, "Labels Against Women" the different views of men and women are portrayed. while i don't agree with all of the circumstance in the video, i do believe that some of them are common in society today. I agree that a woman working a full time job with a young child and a man doing the same is viewed differently. the women is thought of as selfish because she has a child to take care of and she is staying up late to finish her work, leaving her with less energy to take care of the child, whereas the man is viewed as dedicated because he has a child to take care of and he is still spending time that he could be resting trying to do his job to earn money for the family. one of the circumstances that i don't agree is prevalent in society today is the man and women politician who are viewed as persuasive versus pushy. this commercial does a good job of showing how differently men and women are perceived and how people label them. Although we have come along way on the road to equality for men and women from the mid-19th century men and women are still treated differently in today's society.