Slavery
The good and the bad.
Was slavery necessary? Was it a good thing?
Slavery wasn't necessary but it was helpful to plantation owners make more money and sell products faster. It was a good thing but it was also a bad thing.
Was Slavery a good thing or a bad thing?
It is a good thing because it got work done faster with slaves than without any. Plantations earned more money and sold more products faster with slaves helping them. With slaves the American people didn't have to worry about slaves stealing their jobs for lower wages. It was a bad thing to because it was inhuman and it took away their rights of freedom. People didn't like that they were being treated differently even though they were people to.
Harriet Tubman
She escaped slavery and she risked her life to go back and help slaves become free. She worked with the underground rail road sneaking slaves to safety. She freed more than 300 slaves and didn't get caught.
Olaudah Equiano
He was the first African American that was a slave to write about his experiences. He wrote about the abuse and care done to them and he was able to turn many people against slavery.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton
She spoke about slavery and how it was unfair and inhuman and she was able to change a few minds about it. She helped slaves escape by helping with the underground railroad.
Did people get caught helping slaves escape? What happened when they did? Did some state free slaves?
Yes people did get caught helping slaves escape. Their punishments were usually a branding with SS meaning slave stealer and they sometimes got a lot of time in jail. A lot of states freed slaves. They put newspapers out and they spoke to all sorts of people everywhere changing their minds about slavery. The things they said moved a lot of people into becoming anti-slavery and speaking up themselves.