"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." -- Declaration of Independence, 1776
Main question that was not answered in the Declaration of Independence Where do Slaves stand in the North and in the South?
The North
The South
Abolitionist Movement:
"It was his lot to struggle, for years almost alone, a solitary voice crying in the wilderness, and, amidst all, faithful to his one great purpose, the emancipation of the slaves." -Plaque Dedicated to the life of Benjamin Lundy The Declaration and the Civil War: The Confederate States: Ironically, the United States Constitution heavily influenced the Declaration of the Confederate States of America when the Southern states decided they wanted to succeed. The Confederate Declaration, much like the original United States declaration, announced the independence of a new state while still denying the philosophy of the original being. In the case of the Confederate States, this philosophy was the issue of slavery and how that right should be handled. I guess you can say the rest is history. . . Web Sources: http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/work?id=olbp58078 http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/declare-causes-declaration-independence http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/4890 http://www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/the-constitution-and-slavery |