America’s history of slavery was a dark era that every American should learn about and learn from. Poring through huge volumes of history textbooks, however, can be boring and tedious. Teaching history through music and song, as we have discovered, is easier and more fun for kids.
About Slavery in the United States
Indentured servants and slaves were common in the 1700s. The first record of slaves from Africa being rounded up by African slave traders and being sold in the middle east was in the 1400s. The main purchasers of slaves were Europeans and slave markets spread to as far as Venice.
America was no exception. As many as 4 million slaves and indentured servants were recorded at one point. This included British laborers but primarily the main group was Africans.
Popular Facts about Slavery
- Slavery existed much earlier but it was only until 1640 that there was even a slave law in America. We can only guess at the horrors that existed before this. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize slavery in 1641.
- In 1654 a black man, John Casor, was declared as a slave in court, property of his master. John claimed that he was free as he has served past his term of indenture of 7 years but was still held in slavery. In a landmark decision, the court freed John and ruled against his master.
- The first anti-slavery clause was actually in 1735, when the Georgia Trustees wanted to give “worthy poor” a new start. All other 12 colonies prospered on slavery back then. This was really more of being afraid of an uprising because the Spanish was offering freedom to all escaped slaves who made it to them.
- Slavery continued for hundreds of years until the Civil War. The Jeffersonian Republican or Democratic-Republican Party had transformed into Southern Democrats. This was very different from what we consider liberals today. They believed in little government interference, farming interests, states rights, and the Constitution.
- Before the Civil War, the number of freed slaves already outnumbered those still in slavery. The Confederate States declared slaves to be inferior to the white man, and subordination to his superior being the natural condition.
- Lincoln, contrary to popular belief, declared that there will be no invasion. He was not going to end slavery, but believe in all secession being illegal, and he was not afraid to use force and enforce this. To him, this was a property dispute, including the collection of Federal taxes. No compromise could be reached between both parties, and this started the most ferocious war in American History.
Slavery History Lessons | What Mind Muzic Offers
At Mind Muzic, we have created a slavery rap video for educational purposes. In one of the most shocking and important periods of American history, indentured servants or slaves were common during the 1700s. In fact, “slave codes” made it legal for people to own slaves for the rest of their lives. As the need for manual labor grew, so did the use of these men, women, and children to work the fields and serve the slave masters. In 1865, after President Lincoln passed the 13th amendment, slavery was finally abolished across the nation.
Why Learn More about Slavery through Mind Muzic?
Mind Muzic offers history lessons in songs and rap videos. We believe learning about history should be fun and entertaining. We have talented graphic designers, musicians, songwriters, artists, audio engineers, producers, speakers, film producers, researchers, models, and more. Awards include a Gold Award Recipient of the Mom’s Choice Awards, a Music Video Award at the Cine Gear Expo, and a Parent & Teacher Choice Award.
If you have any questions about our Black History Lessons, including slavery lessons, do not hesitate to contact us today.