Ken Burns

Slave Resistance

Very harsh work for slaves, some purchased their freedom but they were kidnapped most of the time. They were separated from their family. 1831 Mat Turner’s revolt. Slaves weren’t literate, and they didn’t have weapons. They would go in farms and murderer people. Turner was executed. People warned people not to make slaves learn to read and write in case they had ideas. In average about 1000 slaves per year would reach a free state. Laws were that people had to capture slaves and return them to their owners. Though many people were willing to help the slaves. Each states at different times became to outlaw slavery. Harriet Tubman a fugitive slave traveled to the states 18 times to help other slaves. She used as a union army spy during the war. Many slaved started showing that they didn’t want to be slaves, they wouldn’t work or sabotage some of the farmers work. Though they did get beaten. In the state of California over 50 percent of the population was black (slaves).

The Compromise of 1850

The New Mexico and Utah territories wanted to be free states though southerners had no compromise to offer. Many senators wanted free states. Which made more friction between northern people and southern people. By 1850 the territory of California was applying for statehood. (gold rush.) In the senate their were 15 free states and 16 free states. This would offset the balance. Utah and New Mexico wanted to also. Utah and New Mexico didn’t come as states, though they had to abolish slavery trade but not slavery itself. Utah and New Mexico were created as territories. The slave trades was abolished in D.C. With the compromise of 1850 they made even tougher rules, know under the new law they don’t get a trial they do go in front of a judge. Though when he proved that the person was a slaves they would get payed 10 dollars, if not 5 dollars. Some states would make their own local laws that would give any black man his freedom. Tom’s Cabin’s book sold a lot because it talked about how slavery was awful. Some southern tried to write novels too about how slaves were living normally, that their family wasn’t separated and that they were satisfied. Their were two separate governments. Newspaper journalists would it Kansas Bleeding because people would die from the disagreement that people had because of the slave/free states.

The Civil war was fought in 10000 places, more then three million of the Americans participated, and 600000 people died. The war made some rich, ruined others but changed everything.