Civil Rights

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorCollege, Undergraduate January 2002

download word file, 1 pages 3.0

I believe that the dream of a truly open, democratic and prejudice free society is only a dream it can never exist in a world were free thought reigns. Every person has his or her own idea and will act on that idea if possible, creating different opinions and ways of life that will result in the discrimination or feelings of prejudice toward someone. The ideal of the American people and their government was to create a land of freedom and equal rights. This idea of equality started when the first European settlers came to the America in search of religious freedom. Since that time what is now the United States of America has been constantly evolving. The introduction of slavery in the 1600s changed the way Americans thought. They now had found a group of people, the African Americans and decided that they would be inferior to the whites in every way.

The slaves were not treated as people, they had no rights and were considered property that could be bought and sold at will.

The Southern States relied on slavery to keep their plantations running. Most of the Southern people believed that slavery was not morally wrong and even allowable by God. With the onset of the industrial revolution the need for large numbers of workers decreased. Abolitionist movements began to flare up in the North demanding freedom for all slaves.

The Northern States had little use for slaver once the industrial revolution began.

Most of the Northern states were free states. The slaves could be free and do relatively anything they wanted. Many people believed that every person should be equal.

Abolitionist movements began and the fight for freedom began.