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US History Essay
By Sonixpber on 21/08/2009
So I'm taking AP US History next year and as part of my summer work, I have to answer 7 short essays. One of them left me completely stumped, here it is:
| QUOTE |
"A good part of the credit for ending slavery belongs to the slaves and former slaves themselves." Assess this statement with specific reference to three of the following:
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I guess I could see how I could reference african american soldiers, but the other 4 don't make a whole lot of sense to me. In what way were slaves and former slaves directly involved with the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation? None as far as I know. The Confiscation Acts was an attempt to free slaves made by Congress. Why would slaves deserve credit for this? I just don't get it. If anyone could, please help me out with a couple of these.
By Chimpy on 21/08/2009
BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T HUMANS THEY ARE THE DEVIL@@@
but yeah idk, stupid question imo.
but yeah idk, stupid question imo.
By Eregion2 on 21/08/2009
| QUOTE |
| First thing you have to understand about history class is that the people who come up with these questions are legally retarded if they were to switch to any other possible career. When it comes to stuff like slavery in the U.S. you may as well just defenestrate your textbook for all the good it'll do you. Some possible bullshit lines of thought: 1) Slaves ran away, hurting the Southern economy during the war. 2) African American soldiers shot bullets at the Confederate army, which was helpful. 3) The slaves acted in such a helpless and pathetic manner that the great white men in took pity on their plight and kindly passed laws to help them (that's the short version of #1, 2, and 4). 4) Aliens. |
Actually, I take all that back. This didn't hit me until I was on lunch break a half hour ago but there was a very strong Abolitionist movement in the Northern states, of which freed slaves (and the writings and stories of several still in the South) played a very powerful role. You could argue that the Abolitionist movement - and the related involvement of African Americans along with concerned caucasians - played a key role in most of those points you've listed.
By David on 24/08/2009
I took the test, but would have to do a little more reading to really give you an informed answer.
Off the top of my head, I'd say this: In general when the slaves were given rights they took advantage of them (as in did as they were allowed to do by federal law).
The thirteenth amendment abolished slavery. So former slaves tried to live a free life. But what happened was that the whites manipulated the system so that the slaves wouldn't be able to live as free people. By law they would be free, but suppose they needed a place to live? Any white landowner would price the land at a mark they couldn't afford. So they'd offer to work (not sell themselves, but be "employed") so they could live on the land. In effect, they're working on the white person's land for no money, much like their previous condition. So their attempts became noted and people thought it was unfair and not what was intended and so more reform happened.
Stuff like that.
The Emancipation Proclamation gave the slaves that the Union had no power over, their freedom. What this did was basically make THEM loyal to the UNION (Lincoln). So the in turn became African American soldiers or helped soldiers in some way and helped win the war which is a key moment in terms of the undoing of slavery.
I don't know how well you could argue that with supporting evidence, but there is a very good cause-effect example there.
Off the top of my head, I'd say this: In general when the slaves were given rights they took advantage of them (as in did as they were allowed to do by federal law).
The thirteenth amendment abolished slavery. So former slaves tried to live a free life. But what happened was that the whites manipulated the system so that the slaves wouldn't be able to live as free people. By law they would be free, but suppose they needed a place to live? Any white landowner would price the land at a mark they couldn't afford. So they'd offer to work (not sell themselves, but be "employed") so they could live on the land. In effect, they're working on the white person's land for no money, much like their previous condition. So their attempts became noted and people thought it was unfair and not what was intended and so more reform happened.
Stuff like that.
The Emancipation Proclamation gave the slaves that the Union had no power over, their freedom. What this did was basically make THEM loyal to the UNION (Lincoln). So the in turn became African American soldiers or helped soldiers in some way and helped win the war which is a key moment in terms of the undoing of slavery.
I don't know how well you could argue that with supporting evidence, but there is a very good cause-effect example there.
By Mr Death 13 on 24/08/2009
| QUOTE (1colonel1 @ August 24, 2009 02:54 pm) |
| The Emancipation Proclamation gave the slaves that the Union had no power over, their freedom. What this did was basically make THEM loyal to the UNION (Lincoln). So the in turn became African American soldiers or helped soldiers in some way and helped win the war which is a key moment in terms of the undoing of slavery. |
Yeah it's important to remember that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in the border states, because Lincoln was trying to make sure they would stick with the Union.
By David on 24/08/2009
| QUOTE (Mr Death 13 @ August 24, 2009 11:04 pm) | ||
Yeah it's important to remember that the Emancipation Proclamation did not free slaves in the border states, because Lincoln was trying to make sure they would stick with the Union. |
I should make it a little more clear.
The slaves there were freed by the EP were those in the Confederate States of America.
Those in the Union or those in the border states were kept as slaves, as what was really needed at the time was a willingness to fight, and with a sudden influx of African Americans willing to fight for their freedom, the EP did just that.
The EP MADE slavery a key issue of the war. A common misunderstanding is that the civil war was fought over slavery, but it really wasn't. Yes it was an integral part but the main focus of the war was to keep the country together, not to abolish slavery. The EP made the abolition of slavery a key issue of the war.
By Sonixpber on 24/08/2009
Thanks David, this actually really helps a lot.
By David on 25/08/2009
Yup, no worries.
By Sonixpber on 18/09/2009
Turns out it was (kinda) a trick question. It said "assess the statement" not "prove the statement." The correct answer, as I suspected was that they really didn't have anything to do with ending slavery. But thats not what I wrote on my paper, unfortunately 
.
. By Colinwarrior on 18/09/2009
| QUOTE (Sonixpber @ September 18, 2009 10:44 pm) |
| Turns out it was (kinda) a trick question. It said "assess the statement" not "prove the statement." The correct answer, as I suspected was that they really didn't have anything to do with ending slavery. But thats not what I wrote on my paper, unfortunately . |
Aw man, I was just going to say that it was a trap. I used to see this kind of thing in high school all the time. They word the questions just a certain way, as to catch people not paying attention.
The slaves themselves had little to no impact on any of those things listed. It was all politics.
Sorry I didn't see this sooner.
By Quikdrawjoe on 19/09/2009
Mike NH is the answer 
By David on 19/09/2009
| QUOTE (Colinwarrior @ September 19, 2009 12:24 am) | ||
Aw man, I was just going to say that it was a trap. I used to see this kind of thing in high school all the time. They word the questions just a certain way, as to catch people not paying attention. The slaves themselves had little to no impact on any of those things listed. It was all politics. Sorry I didn't see this sooner. |
Technically, when the question says "assess" it's like an opinion.
There's no right or wrong answer when it's asking you to use certain things to asses a quote.
Take for instance this statement "RoT is an honor clan." Most of us would disagree and use facts like how they've crashed countless wars and such. But I could come back and say that they are because I've had personal experiences with RoT where they put up a clean fight. My assessment would be that the statement is valid.
True, it was mainly politics that made things legal and illegal, but say for instance slaves had done nothing at all? Had they not complained, would anything have happened? Sure some people would have said "Hey, that's not right!" but others would just say, "They're not complaining...".
On the AP all the essay questions are like this. Don't be fooled into thinking there is one and only one answer because that's completely not true. On each of the essays you could attack it several ways (especially the DBQ).
By rachellove9 on 19/09/2009
I've been to some of the battlefields and museums for the civil war. It is actually a very interesting time in American history.
The things you learn from visually being on the battlefield help when you hear the names of the battles.
I would of thought the slaves were a part of the freeing too. If you were free in the North and your family was still slaves then you had a motive to free them.
The things you learn from visually being on the battlefield help when you hear the names of the battles.
I would of thought the slaves were a part of the freeing too. If you were free in the North and your family was still slaves then you had a motive to free them.
By Renoldojr10 on 19/09/2009
Hey, I've been taking APUSH ( AP US History) I'll pm you some key points in those topics as soon as I can.
By Sonixpber on 19/09/2009
| QUOTE (Renoldojr10 @ September 19, 2009 05:31 pm) |
| Hey, I've been taking APUSH ( AP US History) I'll pm you some key points in those topics as soon as I can. |
Too late, this is like 3 weeks old.
By Planolocal on 21/09/2009
| QUOTE (Chimp Guy0 @ August 21, 2009 11:10 am) |
| BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T HUMANS THEY ARE THE DEVIL@@@ but yeah idk, stupid question imo. |
are you allowed to say that?
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