There have been many limits to people’s freedom since America was discovered. One that stands out to me the most is the limiting of a person’s freedom because they are a slave or an indentured servant.
Both men and women held the positions of slaves or indentured servants, and they were not treated as one should be treated. There is a letter in Voices of Freedom in the text that is from Elizabeth Sprigs and it is addressed to her father bring forward many complaints she has gotten from the indentured servants. She points out to her father that; they don’t have much food, even corn is scarce. She also brings up the point that the indentured servants are provided with a means to have proper clothing. To quote Elizabeth Springs “almost naked no shoes nor stocking to wear. (Foner, 118)” You can tell from the way that she is writing this letter that she is upset by what she sees and hears, “Let it suffice that I am one of the unhappy number.” The last issue she brings up to her father in this letter is that, after a long day of work, when they want to rest, all they have to rest with is a blanket and the ground. Her final addressing to her father is that, “if you have any bowels of compassion left show it by sending me some relief.” She wanted him to send the things that these people needed to survive a day-to-day life, just the bare necessities.
I feel that one of the biggest limits of a person’s freedom in this class would be the limited freedom of the slaves. Slaves worked hard day-by-day doing everything they were asked to do. They weren’t provided with decent living arrangements or proper clothing to keep them warm. They were considered almost the bottom of the totem pole so to speak, even though they did all the work for their owner. African American slaves had even fewer rights than white women. These slaves weren’t even considered to be a part of the society; they were lower than everyone else. They weren’t allowed to go to the same schools or even use the same bathrooms. These did not have the nicest accommodations and weren’t kept up to par. Table 4.1 in the textbook shows a table with the percentages of population for various states. Virginia was the state with the highest population, 187,600 total slaves, but South Carolina has the highest percentage based on population. A percentage of 61%, that’s more than half of their general population.
The Essay on Spanish Crown Slaves Freedom Slave
To his majesty, Charles IV, King of Spain, On behalf of my fellow brothers and myself, I address to the crown a serious conflict that needs immediate attention and closure. The continuous enslavement of blacks must end. With all due respect this is not a threat of forthcoming forced slave independence but a promise. I know that I am not the first to bring to your attention this idea. The maroons, ...
This supports my thesis of their limits of freedom because with that many of slaves, how can one expect to have even half way decent living conditions which, I feel is a basic freedom for anyone. On page 170 of the text, there is a excerpt from Voices of Freedom that is a part of Olaudah Equano’s autobiography. This autobiography gave an account of the experience of this slave, specifically his auction. For a person to be sold as nothing more than a ‘piece of meat’ goes against any freedom we have as a person. No one deserves to be degraded and the sold to the highest bidder. In this excerpt he discusses how they are confined in such small spaces and how they are separated from their friends and their family. On his recalling the auction, he mentions how you could hear the cries from people being separated and feel the emotion they all shared.
The text has another bit from Voices of Freedom that fits to this topic. It is from the “Petitions of slaves to the Massachusetts Legislature.” It is about how many slaves were aware of their struggle and saw a possible opportunity to take their own freedom. “Your petitioners apprehend that they have in common with all other men a natural and unalienable right to that freedom which the great parent of the universe hath bestowed equally on all mankind and which they have never forfeited…( Foner, 239)” This shows that those writing this felt that they deserved all the right of anyone else and that it was their right as God had said. And it continues to go on and discuss how they were “dragged by the hand of cruel power from their dearest friends.” This references how they were torn away from family and friends, and unable to have that freedom to love and have a happy family. Their final thought was how they had “patently waited the event of petition after petition by them presented to the legislative body, (Foner, 239)” here it is shown that they never gave up trying to get their rights, that they were going to keep trying even if they were shot down. They felt that they should have those freedoms that other people had, and they showed that they were going to fight for those rights as human beings, no matter what it took.
The Essay on Selfishness And Self Interest People Work Feel
What would the world come to if people did not strive to help themselves? Would more be accomplished or nothing at all? When is helping oneself self-interest, and when is it rude and selfish? How far does one have to go to not be selfish? In order to be not selfish, must a person spent all their time giving to others? Is in a way giving to others even show selfishness? If that is true is it ...
In conclusion, the freedoms of human beings were limited at various times during our history, whether it was demeaning or degrading, or just plain wrong. From women, to indentured servants, to slaves, all people are equal and should be treated as such. No person’s freedoms should be limited because of their race or gender. I feel as though these examples prove that while we believe “all men are created equal,” we as American’s didn’t execute those words properly.
