African Americans in the New Nation (1783-1820) Part I Pro and Antislavery Forces and the Emergence of Free Black Communities

Following the Revolutionary War, a strong trend favoring emancipation developed in the North and Chesapeake regions. Economic change, religious revival, and revolutionary ideals spawned this time of reformist ideals in America. African Americans found their freedom through escape, manumission, legal cases, and petitions. In the North, slavery was not economically essential due to smaller farms and a large immigrant work force. The Great Awakening and Enlightenment changed the moral views on slavery, and a market economy pushed for wage labor. Forces for Freedom

Northern Emancipation Northern emancipation began after the Haitian Revolt in 1804, and was hastened by the British gradual emancipation of 1838 and termination of slavery in the French empire in 1848. What made the northern emancipation different? It was not the result of force or outside intervention by a foreign power. It was self-initiated. VT, NH, and MA abolished slavery outright in the 1770’s and 1780’s. Gradual emancipation plans were put into effect in CT and RI. This would free the children of slaves after a set age or number of years. NY, NJ and PA had a larger investment in slaves and took much longer to follow this trend. Northern Emancipation

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Congress decided to limit slavery’s expansion through its adoption of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. What did this act establish, and what precedent did it set? This provided for the sale of land, support for education, territorial government, and set rules for state formation. The precedent set by the ordinance was the exclusion of slavery in U.S. territories. This only excluded slavery from the Ohio Valley Region and left a large portion of southern land open to slavery, particularly after the purchase of the Louisiana territory. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 The constitutionality of this act would be argued up into the Civil War era.

Antislavery Societies in the North & Upper South White abolitionist societies began in 1775, when Quaker Anthony Benezet organized the 1st one in the world; the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. Societies began appearing in many northern states, as well as in Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Working with black leaders, these societies focused on the gradual emancipation of slaves in the Chesapeake region. These societies never appeared in the Deep South. Gradual emancipation was pushed due to experience by northern states, the challenge of property rights with masters, and the opinion that slaves would need training to become free citizens. Antislavery Societies in the North & Upper South

Manumission & Self-Purchase Following the Revolutionary War, many southern states liberalized their manumission laws. Masters no longer had to petition a state legislature to prove their slave could be freed. Although some freed their slaves for moral reasons, many hoped to profit of the self-purchase of these slaves. The slaves would make money through marketing farm produce , outside employment, and paid installments to their masters. Masters would also manumit slaves when switching types of crops or when the slaves became too old to be of use to them. Younger slaves would offer their masters the option of manumitting them after a set number of years, or having them escape immediately. Manumission & Self-Purchase

The Emergence of a Free Black Class in the South Due to manumission, self-purchase, and freedom suits a large portion of free blacks emerged in the upper south. Percent of Free African Americans: North- 83.9% Upper South- 10.6% Deep South- Low % (1-3% aprx.) In the Deep South, manumission was generally reserved for the master’s illegitimate children, favorites, and those unable to work. Unfortunately, the forces working for slavery were much stronger than the forces that opposed it, and this would remain this way up into the Civil War. The Emergence of a Free Black Class in the South

This map illustrates the distribution of slaves This map illustrates the distribution of slaves. The dates indicate the beginning of emancipation. Map of Slavery in 1820

Forces for Slavery- The US Constitution The U.S. Constitution went into effect in 1789, and became a proponent for slavery. Why? The provision of the Constitution that prohibited Congress from abolishing the slave trade until 1808. This led to more slaves entering the U.S. between 1787 and 1808 than any other 20yr period in U.S. history. The Constitution also gave Congress the power to put down “insurrections” and “domestic violence” As well as providing the basis for the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 through the clause stating, “All persons held to service or labour in one State, escaping into another… shall be delivered up” Finally, the 3/5ths Compromise gave Southern states more power in Congress and drastically impacted the political history that followed. Forces for Slavery- The US Constitution

Forces for Slavery- Cotton Britain’s industrialization in the textile industry led to a high demand of cotton. Coupled with the invention of the cotton gin, this led to an increase in slave labor. The slave labor system was reignited with this new development and spread rapidly throughout the southern states, as well as expanding in the west. This also led to internal slave trading. Masters in the Chesapeake region sold their slaves to the south in the new cotton growing regions. Forces for Slavery- Cotton

Forces for Slavery- The Louisiana Purchase Jefferson’s purchase of the Louisiana territory in 1803 sped up westward expansion along with the domestic slave trade. Two groups of African Americans were in New Orleans: free Creoles and African slaves. Creoles freedom was under question upon the purchase of this territory. Conditions for slaves in this region were extremely harsh. The population of slaves rapidly increased due to internal trading. Slave Population in Louisiana: 1770: 5,600 1810: 34,660 1820: 149,654 Forces for Slavery- The Louisiana Purchase

Forces for Slavery- Conservatism & Racism The Revolutionary ideals began fading by the 1790’s and many in the North and Chesapeake became complacent with the idea of slavery. The radicalism of the French Revolution in 1789 was one cause of the backlash of conservatism as well as the profiteering off slavery due to cotton. Quakers and African Americans became the minority that continued the push for abolition and manumission declined sharply in the 1800’s. Race was also used as a means to justify slavery and deny the rights granted in the Declaration of Independence to an “undeserving” African race. Science was used to show differences between whites and blacks, and religion was used with the great chain of being that placed blacks in an inferior position. Forces for Slavery- Conservatism & Racism

The Emergence of Free Black Communities The growth of free black populations in the north and upper south led to the establishment of communities. Boston, New York, Norfolk, Newport, Richmond, Baltimore, and Philadelphia all had thriving free black communities. Small communities in the deep south also emerged, such as in Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans. These communities pooled their wealth and wisdom to establish institutions that would shape the lives of African Americans after. The realization that they would be treated as inferiors in white institutions and organizations, as well as the want to perpetuate their own heritage led to the need for their own communities. The Emergence of Free Black Communities

Free Black Communities The first black community institutions were mutual aid societies. These would provide for their members medical and burial expenses, and helped support widows and children. These societies maintained a Christian moral character and members had to pledge to refrain from fornication, adultery, drunkenness and other sinful acts. The black Freemasons were vital as well since they united the northern cities black men. The Prince Hall Masons in Boston were the 1st group established and was ironically helped by the British since the Boston Masonic Organization rejected Prince Hall’s application due to his African descent. Free Black Communities

The Origins of Independent Black Churches Independent black churches became the core of the African American communities, and the leaders of this church were also leaders of the communities. The 1st black churches appeared in the 1770’s in SC and GA, were blacks were treated as inferiors in the biracial churches. The churches in the South remained subordinate to white churches, but in the north a truly independent black church emerged. Richard Allen and Absalom Jones (who established the Free African Society) began preaching in the evening at a white church, but soon split from this church to establish their own institutions. In Philadelphia, two black churches emerge: St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church and Mother Bethel Congregation which later became the African Methodist Episcopal Church with Allen as Bishop. The Origins of Independent Black Churches

The First Black Schools Black mutual aid societies and churches created the first schools for black children following the Revolutionary War. Many early schools were taught and organized by whites, but this trend shifted as blacks saw the inadequacy in the education that was received. It was the Augustine School in 1818 that became the 1st to be entirely administrated and taught by African Americans. These schools struggled early on due to a lack of resources, parents inability to pay fees, a belief that an education was pointless when whites refused to give skilled labor positions, and threats from whites to suppress the schools were all taken into account. The First Black Schools

The North and Upper South began a trend of emancipation during the mid to late 18th century. The Constitution, Cotton, Conservatism, Racism , and expansion westward all pushed back against the forces against slavery. The emergence of free black communities led to the rise of black institutions and self- improvement. Free blacks still faced many hardships and had to fight an uphill battle to utilize their freedom. HW: 1pg active notes on pgs. 109-119 Conclusions