I don't need a history lesson on slavery ;)
Although interesting, not really what I had in mind...
The point on the African slave trade is a given; however, most historians will point out the differences between historical slavery and slavery as carried out in the U.S. colonies. (etc..., again that is given...the history of slavery discussion wasn't the point)
The whole point of Fletch's post was Christianity in America (U.S. I'm assuming), was the influence on race relations.
Mine was specifically confined to U.S. race relations and the historical roots.
If you look at religious history and the Civil War, I'm sure you will find the importance in the cultural differences between the Northern and Southern colonies (Aristocratic/Plantations v. Republic/Industrial).
In the south you had leaders in all phases that made up the "planter class." They were both religious, business and judicial leaders. In essence, the planters made up the elite in ALL phases of southern society. Slavery made tons of money, and a great deal of economic sense in the south, for various obvious reasons.
The Northern colonies were never able to adapt slaves to be of any use. They needed factory workers who also had a decent stream of income to support their economies. They had great industries going and they needed consumers not slaves with no income.
The differences in culture that lead the Northern/republicans to support the abolition of slavery. The primary motives where economic, to contain the Southern econmic base...slavery. Contain that, and you contain their growth, and you don't risk losing trade with the rest of the world. The wealth of the south, quite literally was measured in slaves. End slavery, destroy the south's wealth.
Clearly for the south, as you can see by MS declaration of cessestion slavery was their life blood. Again end slavery, destroy the south.
Up to this point, the primary reasons behind slavery (though justified by religion/culture etc.) are economic...whether in Africa/America/Europe. Came down to money. Race made it easier to justify, but it was nothing new.
The whole "Southern Culture," bit was a farce to get the masses of white southerns to fight. The war changed from a war about slavery/economic systems to a war about culture, specifically to justify the masses of poor whites to fight for the elite planter class.
The horror was they were fighting for a system that didn't have much in it for them.
To keep it brief, the South loses the war but creates a "Religion of the South," or alternatively "The Lost Cause." In which they glorify the Confederacy etc., and to a large extent racism.
All to justify the horrible war, and the total economic devestation of the south, where no one had anything, and former slaves were now enfranchised citizens, and the planter elite class was gone...enter reconstruction and deprivation of the new black citizens right to equal protection under the law etc...
and shit didn't change until the 1960s, nearly 80s years later.
It's very sad, twisted, and makes me laugh a great deal about how the rich/elite classes lose everything at their disposal to fool the poor.
The moral of the story: it is good to be rich.
Anyways...a lot left out due to bombay and ice.
Let's chat about religion again, I'm considering an MA in philo or religious studies.
I love religion within the context of history.
Quote:
Originally posted by Greg B
Look, the African slave trade was in full force millenia before there was a U.S. Notice however abolishment began to occur soon as the Revolutionary War was under way and 80 years later done.
Europeans, Asians, Africans were all into the slave trade on BOTH sides of the fence.
Religion was used as a justifier for it by greedy men and women and institutions.
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