Topic #4 African-Americans in the American Revolution

What was the Enlightenment and how did it impact both the movement towards independence and the idea of slavery?

Enlightenment

Thomas Hobbes

John Locke

Thomas Jefferson

Sally Hemmings

As the Revolution broke out, what encouraged Enlightenment thought about slavery, and how did people rationalize its evils?

Thomas Paine

Crispus Attucks was reputed to be the first person killed in the American Revolution by being shot during the Boston Massacre in 1770

How did African-Americans come to be active participants in the Revolution, and what roles did they play?

The British colonial governor followed the king in issuing a proclamation freeing American slaves who joined the British cause

Washington announced in December, 1775 that he would enlist Free Blacks, and the Continental Congress followed

Many slaves escaped to the British lines

Some blacks fought with the British army

Black slaves in the American army

Over 5,000 African-Americans fought in the American Revolution

Blacks were with Washington when he crossed the Delaware River and surprised attacked the British Hessian soldiers on Christmas, 1776.

Free black serving in American navy

Immediately after the Revolution, in what ways were there efforts to end slavery?

Following the Revolution, the manumission of slaves increased

At the outbreak of the Revolution, the Quakers were the first to organize a society for the manumission of slaves

Famous American politician and diplomat John Jay was the first president of the New York Society for the Manumission of Slaves

Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery

In 1783 the Massachusetts Supreme Court declared slavery unconstitutional because the state constitution declared that all men were created equal.

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 divided the northwestern lands won in the Revolution but also prohibited slavery in these lands. As time passed, however, several of the new territorial governments did try to prevent the migration of Free Blacks.

How did the Constitution deal with slavery and why?

There was of course a reaction to all the manumission efforts and post-Revolutionary emphasis on freedom

There was a fear that too much liberty might lead to mob violence

The constitution recognized and codified slavery at the national level

Requirement to return fugitive slaves in Constitution