FREEDOM?
WHAT IS
The
UNITED STATES
of AMERICA
Page created/written by Jacqueline F. Murphy
December 13, 2017
1700's
Before the Constitution
From 1607 to 1776, the king of Great Britain, King George III, ruled over the British colonies. It wasn't until 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was written, when the United States declared themselves as an independent. It was then when the United States started writing their own laws and amendments.
Freedom (n): A right of access and equality to others, especially that of another city with the same government/monarchy.
The Abolition of Slavery
Slavery was first introduced in the United States when the first wave of African Slaves was brought into Jamestown, Virgina in 1619 with the purpose of assisting in the high production of crops, like tobacco. As time went on, more Africans were brought overseas and sold to work on plantations. While slavery is now looked down upon in the United States - mainly because of the poor treatment of those slaves - the country would not have economically succeeded if it were not for those people who helped build it.
With thanks to President Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation was approved in 1865, freeing enslaved African Americans throughout the country.
1800's
Many slaves were forced to work in fields under strict rules and directions. It was not uncommon for slaves to be tied up while they worked.
The Tea Act was, as some would say, the final straw in a series of unpopular policies and taxes imposed by Britain on the American colonies.
In the constitution, John Adams and several other men addressed the king's "repeated injuries and usurpations" against American's rights and liberties. This included wrong-doings like imposing taxes with consent, cutting off trade with other parts of the world, and forcing families to house military officials without permission or compensation.
A well-known tax that was put in place by Parliament on May 10, 1773, was "The Tea Act." Because trading with other countries was not allowed, it created a monopoly and forced the colonists to pay substantial fees for tea. This ultimately compelled a group of men, called the Sons of Liberty, to disguise themselves as a group of Mohawk Indians (Native Americans), board three ships moored in the Boston Harbor, and throw over 92,000 pounds of tea into the Harbor.
From the 1830's to the 1860's, the movement to eliminate slavery grew. Many abolitionists believed that owning slaves and ordering them to do work against their will would be considered a sin. However, non-religious citizens used justifications like 'the economic wealth brought in from their free-labor' and 'the high efficiency it brings to their plantations.'
It was soon after the Union (the North) win in Antietam during the Civil War when President Abraham Lincoln proposed and got the Emancipation Proclamation was officially approved, declaring that all slaves in rebellious states (specifically the South) "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." While
this did not technically "free" enslaved African Americans around the country, it did make a major turning point in the war.
In the Early 1780's some selfless, anti-slavery northerners and freed slaves housed and helped runaways escape to the north, where they would legally become free. This became known as the Underground Railroad. It's estimated that up to 100,000 slaves were able to escape thanks to the network of people who risked their lives to help others.
Slaves were often beaten and whipped for not following the rules or doing a job incorrectly, leaving permanent scars. [4.1]
Freedom (n): The ability to travel, do, and say as one pleases without reproduction.
Early 1900's
In the early 1930's, often the common man was looking for a job in hopes of getting enough money to support his families basic needs.
The Roaring 20's
In the start of the year, America's economy was booming and society was changing. Women were now able to vote, thanks to the 19th Amendment, and because Henry Ford made automobiles so affordable, 1 in 5 Americans owned a car. People from all over the world started immigrating to the United States to chance after the "American Dream."
This was the first time in history when more americans lived in cities, rather than on a farm. In order to mass-produce, businesses started using "the assembly line" process, requiring many blue collar workers. The newly-imposed Fordney-McCumber Act, placed a toll on imported goods, persuaded Americans to buy american-made goods. ALL of
these changes allowed the stocks to rise, American business to grow. In August of 1929, the stock market had hit it's peak. However, everything was on the rise until October 29,1929 when the stock markets had a dramatic crash. Wall Street panicked and a record 15.5 million shares of stocks were sold by their investors. This became known as "Black Thursday." In the following days, millions of more shares were sold. Over the next several years, investing and consumer spending went down. It was then when the United States officially entered the great depression.
Great Depression
Throughout 1929 and 1939, many Americans lost their jobs. By 1933, about 15 million people (20% of the US population) had lost their jobs, hundreds of businesses underwent bankruptcy, over half of all industrial production had ceased, and nearly half of America's banks
Knowing that most of the children in a school would gain their only meal during the school day, schools often provided meals for all children. Above, Belmore North Public School children line up for soup and bread.
had failed. This was an all time low. Many families ended up losing their homes and living out on the streets. While many of these families were starving, the country's now limited amount of farmers did not have the funds to harvest their crops, forcing them to leave it rotting in it's field. America's economy was in ruins.
In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt had entered office and begun reshaping the country. Within his first 100 days in office, he created more jobs, shut down and reopened the banks, and helped reform the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to make sure the stock market was sound.