Being Free

Author note: The purpose of this piece to tell the reader if the slaves in the north in the 1800's where really free or not.

In 1800’s most of the North African Americans where free from slavery at that period of time. By free that means that they were no longer owned as property they still had restrictions and not everyone treating them equally. Also since they had freedom but restrictions their freedom where completely different from the white freedom. The whites has no restrictions, so the question is is the north African Americans really free? How free are they really?

Even though everyone has restrictions in life. thanks to the law in the 1800’s the blacks had restrictions . For example just like in the DBQ document A they said that the blacks couldn’t vote and they could practice religion but, without the whites.They couldn’t pray with the whites they had to find their own place to do it.

Another reason on why blacks weren’t free is because of the way they were treated by the whites. As kids blacks and whites went to different schools,and as the blacks grow up even if they had a great education no whites would employee them. No whites would like to work with them. In the website http://history1800s.about.com said even in some places whites wouldn’t let them check books out from the public library, because they thought they would steal the books. Also on the website it said that some whites wouldn’t let them eat in the same place as them which is ridiculous. In the North, attitudes were hardening against slavery, and as time passed the passions over slavery threatened repeatedly to shatter the Union.

Finally, Other than not being able to eat, sit or be in the same place as the whites, What about the black women? They weren’t very important at this period of time they were there to cook and clean just the white women. But no matter what color they where they were treated less important that the men. Especially the black women.

In conclusion with everything you now know about how the backs were treated, the restrictions they had and how the women were treated. Even though they were called “free blacks” I think that they weren’t free at all. I think it’s way worse than the blacks in the south because knowing, you are different from everyone because of your skin color. It’s not fair but, finally now you know the answer to the question is was the North African Americans really free? How free are they really?