Black America

Topic: Black America My topic: How did the relationship between the blacks and whites improve?

Why did I choose this topic?

I chose this topic because I think it is the best out of the 4 topics. I was the one that came up with this topic in the first place. Ever since we choose this topic in the class I where determent that I where going to do my exams on black America. I enjoy lo I the minorities problems. Because it can affect many people, even though they are still the minority there is many blacks witch are affected I H did the relationship between the blacks and the I and the future. That is what I am going to talk about today, enjoy

The past

The first thing you think of when you talk about black history is slavery, the black people where whipped and forced to work for the wealthy whites. African slaves did not have rights as citizens; they were considered chattel and could be bought and sold by slave owners. The majority of slaves lived on plantations or large farms, which meant long working hours under harsh conditions. Slaves were not allowed to learn to read or write. The northern states had abolished slavery, and in 1808 import of slaves from Africa was illegal. However, slavery still existed in the southern states. Because of the declaration of independence it was possible for the south to own slaves while it was illegal in the north. Slavery was a central issue in the American Civil War between the North and the South. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which meant that approximately three out of the four million slaves in the USA, were emancipated. It was not until 1865 that slavery was made illegal all over the USA.