domingo, 14 de abril de 2013


The treaties Indians made with USA

Fort Sanwix, 1784 and Hopewell in 1785
The Indians would exchange land and properties for peace, what a big prize they had to pay for something that should have no cost. After the war, a lot of Americans decided to live in Tennesse and Kentucky (about 10,000). and that is the reason why Indians allied with British.

When it comes to women during the war, there were a very few political and legal rights towards them, not much to admit. For example, when it came to voting, only widows could do it, and women were not allowed to own properties of any type. They were very limited to all, mostly the freedom of making their choices by theirselves. They were called Republican Mothers, and a good example of a woman in this period would be Abigail Adams, John Adams wife.

Abigail wrote to her husband asking him to NOT forget about to women to protect him, but of course, he ignored her.
Women before were very limited to all, voting, owning properties, freedom, making decisions, and lots of more things. 
The Indians had to suffer a lot when it comes to the treaty between them and the Americans, it is quite similar to some cases around the world where bad people like thieves or villains ask you to give something in exchange of peace. You should feel relief or safety, but it is not for free, and in some cases, people decide NOT to play their game, and often get killed or in another tragic way. Anyway, Indians did have courage, and were very persuasive. It is their patience and strength what made them go really far. 

viernes, 12 de abril de 2013

Changes for African Americans

In 1776, 1 of every 5 Americans were African ancestrys. British and loyalists called the Americans hypocrites and mocked them because, they did not understand how they dare to speak about liberty and freedom and they had slaves. Slaves were not allowed to read and write because they would know about fights and strategies.

Slaves were treated really badly, they were treated as if they could cause problems. Slaves asked for freedom and some got it.
5000 slaves joined the militia and the continental army.We could say after the revolution, African Americans partly had a a lot to do with ending racism. They would make people respect them, and respect their strengths no matter what their skin color was and perhaps people appreciate what the African Americans did. If they were to watch the world how it is now, they would be proud, and believe everything was worthy.

A lot of people wonder how the revolution inspired other groups...
Well personally i believe the Revolution gave courage to all those who were lacking of it, for example the slaves, the women the way the defended their country.
Everything remains in history, and people who were included in the American Revolution are nowadays known as heroes, cowards, good and evil people.
And thanks to History, we know who fight till he or she could, and who suffered, who got away, who died but who died as a hero too.









The American Crisis

The American Crisis

Written by the same author who wrote Common Sense, Thomas Paine who took an important role in the American revolution by transmiting his ideas in paper.  He who was an Enlightment philosopher and writter argued about independence from England. It is said that his first essay was so inspiring to George Washington that it was read to the troops at the Valley Forge on December 23 of 1776. Washinton knew that after the humiliation they had passed after loosing many battles and having 11,000 retiring by returning to their families, he needed some words that would rise their spirit. In my believe his words were truly important since it gave motivation for all those who fought for their freedom.

The American Crisis was written two years later after Thomas Paine arrival from England, but months before he wrote Common Sense. Paine wrote all this because of George Washington´s request which main use was to remind all this soldiers what they were fighting for. It was originally worked from 1773 through 1783, seems like it took some years to capture all the important ideas and to be edited. The first volume starts with this known words "These are the times that try men's souls" meaning that men demostrated in this revolution what they were capable of doing. On December 19 of 1776 the American was finally published.

Paine says that only God may have unlimited power making this relation to the British. He also states that God is in favor of those who fought for America since he won't abandon or let them perish to such military forces. Also the Americans don' t lack of force but the proper use of that force in their favor. Though this war isn't a piece of cake, the things that are worth fighting the most are never easy to obtain. The pursuit of happiness is one of the famous sayings at that time. Even at the end he thanks God because he doesn't feel fear since he sees the way out of all this.

QUOTE: “I love the man that smiles at trouble: that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.” -Thomas Paine "The American Crisis"

Slavery in the American Revolution

Slavery in the American Revolution

As history has shown many years back in time, slaves have always existed as something ordinary usually dominated by wealthy people who had power. Found in many cultures such as egyptians, mayans, in this case british and americans that weren't the exception. The difference of slaves and normal men is that they are treated as a property meaning they lacked of freedom and could be sold so they had to do what the boss ordered. In some cases even men like George Washinton who were men of good had 317 slaves at their name, at the age of ten he inherit his first 11 slaves.

It was accepted as normal and applauded as a positive thing by many white Americans but never for black people. On June 19 of 1862 the congress prohibited the slavery in everywhere in the United States. This didn't made the ex-slaves citizens nor the planters were compensated. Planters took at first the iniciative to bring africans as slaves using them mainly at their tabacco plantations. Racism still persisted in a Massachusetts since their the law of 1786 that prohibited white people from legally marrying African Americans, Indians, or even people of mixed race. It was expensive to have slaves since you had to give them a roof, food and take care financially when they got sick. Oliver Ellsworth said it was cheaper to raise a slave than to bring it since the multiplied fastly.

There was a time when slaves had the option to fight and if they won, they would be set free. Around 5,000 slaves served in the Continental army during the Revolution. Some eight hundred slaves joined British forces, some wearing an emblem that said "Liberty to the Slaves." Thurgood Marshall was an important character since he was the first African American to sit on the Supreme Court. Benjamin Franklin who was a former slaveowner and Alexander Hamilton who was born in a slave colony became members of antislavery societies. Nowdays slavery still exists even though it isn't legal.