The immediate cause of the first crusade
June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
In 1095, Alexius Comnenus, Emperor of Byzantium, appealed to Pope Urban II for armed forces to fight against the Muslims in the territories on the Holy Land, recapture Jerusalem and impede the expansion of Seljuk Turks into Anatolia. Upon the positive reaction of the Pope, the First Crusade (1095-1099) was preached.
However, a series of interrelated events had previously shaped the landscape that inevitably led to the launch of the Crusades and their unparalleled popular support that founded the religious vigor of the 12th century.
Since the 7th century the Muslim presence in the Holy Land was strong with the capture of Palestine under the rule of Umayyad Caliphate. Having powerful political authority, the Umayyads grew also geographically expanding from North Africa and Spain (then, Hispania) to Iran (then, Persia) and Pakistan. This geographic expansion made the Umayyads, not only one of the leading unitary states in history, but also one of the few states to gain simultaneous control over three continents, Europe, Africa and Asia. Moreover, the increasing power of the Umayyad Caliphate put increasing pressure on the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire with the continuous efforts to convert Middle East into Islam.
In 1099, the order of Caliph Al-Hakim to destroy the Church of Holy Sepulchre and all Christian buildings in Jerusalem initiated new frictions, which resulted in the massacre of Muslims in the al-Aqsa Mosque and the eradication of the Jewish community in Jerusalem.
By 1039, pilgrims were allowed to the Holy Land, but many of them were persecuted, captured and killed with extreme violence. This established Seljuk Turks as barbars in the minds of Christians, which inevitably spread fervor for the Crusades.
In 1071, the Byzantine Empire lost all Asia Minor after its defeat at the Battle of Manzikert. This defeat was a strategic catastrophe for Byzantium with lasting effects as it decreased the Empire’s control in Asian territory and led to the loss of Byzantine’s Anatolian heartland around Constantinople. Besides, since 1054, the Great Schism had occurred between Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches destabilizing the situation between East and West.
Meanwhile, in Western Europe the scenery was no less turbulent. Since the collapse of the Carolingian Empire in the 9th century, a new social class of armed warriors had been formed. Because they engaged in terrorizing the populace, the Church associated them to the Peace and Truce of God movements.
Moreover, an extensive religious propaganda advocating the doctrines of Just War served to the passionate awakening of Christian identity. Preaching that recapturing Jerusalem, the land where Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven occurred, was permissible on the grounds of religious, philosophical, or political justice, Just War might enhance the wider standing of Christianity.
Under these circumstances, for Pope Urban II, a crusade would act as a unifier for Christendom, strengthen the Papacy, and possibly bring the East under his control. At the same time, Alexius Comnenus had no other option than to appeal to his enemy, Urban II, for assistance, hoping for a positive response.
I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life. Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-immediate-cause-of-the-first-crusade-997041.html
The role of women during the Crusades
June 29, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
During the nine Crusades that lasted over a period of 200 years (1095-1291), women and children were left at home while the crusaders took the Cross to fight against the Muslims for recapturing the Holy Land.
Before the Crusades, women would be used to running the households for as long as their husbands would serve the King, but this would not take longer than two or three weeks. However, when the Crusades were launched, it would take months to get a message to their husbands to the Holy Land, if it would get at all. Therefore, the role of women during the Crusades was immensely enhanced.
During the long absence of the crusaders, wives had to deal with any sort of problem that would arise. Sometimes, they would find themselves defending their household against another knight who was keen on taking advantage of the master’s absence. Particularly, after the Second Crusade, experienced crusaders, mostly noblemen, were hunted down thus leaving their property and wealth to be administered and protected by their wives.
The social changes that came as a result of the Crusades provided women with greater power than they originally had. In times of constant warfare, women were required to maintain the stability of their household by engaging in legal transactions, learning to farming, bringing up their children and collecting monies to overcome potential ransom. Medieval women had to be capable of administering any type of problem or adversity would show up in their way.
Unlike the women that stayed at home and took care of their households, others participated in the Crusades. The most notable story is that of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of France, who escorted her husband, Louis VII, in 1147 to his journey to the Holy Land. However, Eleanor’s decision turned into something of a scandal, as rumors insisted that Eleanor was pursuing an inappropriate relationship with her uncle, the Prince of Antioch, Raymond of Poitiers. Other women that joined the Crusades accompanying their husbands were: Eleanor de Montfort (sister of Henry III of England); Marguerite of Provence (wife of Louis IX of France); and Eleanor of Castile (wife of Edward I of England).
Equally important in the Crusades were women inheritors of power in the Kingdom of Jerusalem and other crusader territories. When King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem died of leprosy, his sister Sybilla succeeded him and crowned her husband, Guy of Lusignan, king, despite the fierce resistance of her family and the barons of the Kingdom. After Sybilla’s death, the Kingdom of Jerusalem passed to her younger sister, Isabella. In the principality of Antioch, Alice of Antioch preferred to marry the Muslim leader Nur al-Din rather than be married off by the King of Jerusalem.
In the East, the role of women also changed due to the Crusades. In 1099, upon the siege of Jerusalem, women and children were killed. The daughter of the Byzantine Emperor, Alexius I Comnenus, and first female historian, Anna Comnena, documented the arrival of uneducated barbarians from the West, allegedly to liberate Constantinople from the threat of Seljuk Muslim invasion. Besides, in 1249, Shagrat al-Durr convinced the Egyptian Mamluk army to push Frankish Crusaders out of the coastal town of Damietta. This made her, shortly, the Sultan of Egypt.
I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life. Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-role-of-women-during-the-crusades-997046.html
The lasting effects of the Crusades
June 28, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
The Crusades kept all Europe in turmoil for two centuries (1095-1291). Aiming to regain control of Jerusalem from the Muslims and to impede the expansion of Seljuk Turks into Anatolia, Christian Western Europe engaged into a series of military campaigns that cost Christendom millions of lives. Interestingly enough, despite the war, suffering, disorder and crime, the Crusades contributed immensely in the history of the progress of civilization in Europe. At the same time, they greatly affected the Arab world. For many, the effects of Crusades on the Arab world are still visible today.
In particular, the effects of the Crusades are said to have an influence on:
> Increased trade and economy in Europe
One of the most important effects of the Crusades was the increased trade and economy. During the Crusades, many Crusaders were fascinated by the luxury goods they found in the Middle East and took them back home as soon as the Crusades ended. European merchants and traders decided to travel to Middle East and trade tea, coffee, sugar, spices, silk, cotton, tobacco, and porcelain, among other goods. This created the need for the establishment of many port cities throughout Europe. Over time, European economy got stronger and stabilized, shifting from a barter economy to a money economy as more and more people were improving their living standards and becoming wealthy. As the European middle class acquired immense power, the need for a structured banking system appeared. Thus, with the institution of the first banks, the economy flourished, the food production increased and the European population grew even further. This led to an increased demand for homes and shelters, which eventually led to the establishment of new towns and cities.
Moreover, in the process of trade, Africa was circumnavigated, Asia was more elaborately mapped, and the Pacific Ocean, the Americas, and Australia were discovered. In this context, the Crusades were influential to create new opportunities in the modern world.
> Decline of Feudalism in Europe
The establishment of money economy in Europe caused an indirect undermining of feudalism. Kings, barons and knights were forced to sell their properties in order to raise funds for the Crusades. Many of them engaged in private warfare, a common practice during the Middle Ages, but declined in influence and feudal lords. Feudalism began to plunge into debt, which along the growth of the royal authority, inevitably led to the release of the peasants who were wealthy and could support the system. Little by little, along with the increase of trade, people were free and did not need the support of kings to survive, neither the land of a lord to live in because they could buy their own land. All these social changes forced kings to build armies and to dismiss knights. Through the stabilization of societies, people became more independent and opened their eyes to new cultures. In the later years, this led to the thriving period in European history known as the Renaissance.
> Increased wealth of the Catholic Church
Without any doubt, the wealth of the Catholic Church and the power of the Papacy experienced a vast increase because of the Crusades. The role of the Popes became more prominent allowing their involvement in the enterprises, armies and resources of Christendom. The Papacy’s authority and influence was naturally fostered by their social and intellectual involvement to the public life, which accustomed the people to consider Popes as guides and leaders. Moreover, as the kings, barons and knights who were ready to go on the expeditions were selling their land to the church, the wealth of the churches and monasteries increased tremendously. People viewed at the Catholic Church as an asylum to boost their broken spirit and regain their health. Besides, the religious fervor that characterized the period even before the Crusades amplified even further the power of the Catholic Church.
> Intellectual development in Europe
The intellectual development of Europe cannot but be attributed to the influence of the Crusades. The cultural horizons of many Europeans were liberalized widely as a result of their encounter with other cultures, more enlightened than the Western civilization at that time. By traveling in strange lands and meeting new people, the Crusaders stumbled upon great cities, picturesque villages, imposing castles, marble palaces, splendid dresses, and elegant manners; they brought home broader ideas and they learned to be more tolerant with other cultures. Moreover, the Crusaders led to a great stimulus of the Latin intellect. The influence of Arab texts and translations of classical Greek and Roman literature led to the great intellectual explosion that became known as the Revival of Learning and the period of Italian Renaissance. Also, a broader knowledge of the science ranging from art, astronomy, math, medicine and geography to papermaking technique and the refining of alcohol and sugar, helped in the mental awakening of Western Europe.
> Need for preservation of Muslim culture
Although the Crusades resulted in a great failure for the European armies, the Muslims also paid a heavy price. More than the human and material losses, the Arab world suffered also psychologically. Before the Crusaders it had been the Turks and after it had been the Mongols who had occupied Middle East. All these successive invasions made the Arabs harder against other cultures and infused in them the belief that they should preserve their culture by all means. In the following centuries, while Western Europe was creating its high civilization, the Arab world was resisting adaptation, thus putting Muslims in a disadvantageous position in the modern world. This dilemma of whether or not to modernize and conciliate with Western culture is an issue that still divides the Arab world today.
I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life. Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-lasting-effects-of-the-crusades-997052.html
The Battle of Hattin as a turning point in the history of the Crusades
June 27, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
The Battle of Hattin (July 4, 1187) was the utmost disaster that the crusader states had ever seen. The campaign that, ultimately, led to the Battle, was not the worst invasion that the crusaders had ever faced, but it came at a time they were particularly divided and demoralized.
Since 1183, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was under Saladin’s rule, surrounded by Muslim territories. After Saladin’s defeat at the Battle of Montgisard in 1177, a nervous armistice existed between the two sides. However, with Raynald’s attacks on Muslim caravans in Oultrejordain, the truce was broken.
In 1186, after King Baldwin V’s death, Guy of Lusignan became King of Jerusalem. However, Guy received the throne due to the support of his wife, Sibylla. Otherwise, the new King of Jerusalem was highly unpopular because, in 1184, he had attacked a tribe of Bedouin shepherds massacring them for grazing their flock on Christian territory.
Under these conditions, the Kingdom of Jerusalem was divided between the supporters of Guy of Lusignan and his enemies, who were the Knights Templar and other noblemen, all led by Raymond III of Tripoli.
When Guy of Lusignan became King of Jerusalem, Raymond agreed on a new ceasefire with Saladin. In 1187, he allowed Saladin to send mercenaries into the northern side of the Kingdom. Meanwhile, the tension between Raymond and Guy had grown to a great extent, particularly after Guy’s wish to besiege the fortress Tiberias in the Jordan River Valley that was owned by Raymond. Hence, while Saladin was sending his army to Jerusalem, an embassy was sent to settle the situation between Guy and Raymond. Yet, the embassy was defeated at the Battle of Cresson and Raymond, filled with guilt, decided to make amends with Guy, assembled his armed forces and headed north to meet Saladin.
On July 4, 1187, Saladin attacked Tiberias. The crusaders made an attempt to aid the captured city, but the roads were blocked, so they had to wait on a highland near Hattin. Because of its geographic feature that resembled a double hill, the Battle of Hattin is also known as the ‘The Horns of Hattin’. Saladin’s forces, acting quickly, surrounded the Christian forces, cut off the water supplies of the crusaders and attacked.
In the Battle of Hattin, the crusader army was shattered. Most of the crusaders were killed, while it is estimated that nearly 3,000 Christians escaped death. Raymond III was the only leader that escaped, while King Guy of Lusignan was captured. Saladin’s forces captured Guy’s royal tent and the True Cross.
On July 5, Saladin journeyed to Tiberias and took over the fortress from Raymond III’s wife, Countess Eschiva, who was allowed to leave for Tripoli with all her possessions and family. Raymond III died later in 1187 of pleurisy.
On July 6, Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller were granted the opportunity to be converted to Islam. Those who accepted honored Islam and became religious Muslims.
Guy of Lusignan was transferred to Damascus as a prisoner.
After such a disastrous battle, the crusader states could not survive. As a direct result of their defeat at Hattin, Muslim forces had become the dominant military power in the Holy Land. The Christian forces had lost so many soldiers and Saladin had captured more territories, including Acre, Jaffa, Beirut, and Jerusalem (October 2, 1187). The news of the devastating defeat was brought to Pope Gregory VIII by Archbishop of Tyre, Joscius.
Upon learning the news, Pope Gregory VIII preached the Third Crusade (1189–1192), which however was another failure. Apparently, the defeat at the Battle of Hattin had lastingly turned the momentum against the crusaders.
I work as a financial and investment advisor but my passion is writing, music and photography. Writing mostly about finance, business and music, being an amateur photographer and a professional dj, I am inspired from life. Being a strong advocate of simplicity in life, I love my family, my partner and all the people that have stood by me with or without knowing. And I hope that someday, human nature will cease to be greedy and demanding realizing that the more we have the more we want and the more we satisfy our needs the more needs we create. And this is so needless after all. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/the-battle-of-hattin-as-a-turning-point-in-the-history-of-the-crusades-997070.html
Filing For Bankruptcy
June 27, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
If you owe so much credit card debt that you are never going to be able to pay it back, it may be time to consider filing for bankruptcy. This is a decision that should never be taken lightly because the damage it will do to your credit rating will be substantial.
You may not realize the far reaching effects that declaring bankruptcy will have on your life. Your credit report will be affected for at least 10 years. Your car insurance will go up, they will now see you as a high risk for non-payment. You may no longer be able to buy homeowners insurance; many companies just will not write a policy to you. Many employers whether fair or not, will not hire new employees with bad credit histories; they feel it shows them that you are unreliable.
The laws have also change about being able to declare bankruptcy. The standards you must meet before being eligible are set much higher. The federal government made and passed the stricter standards for filing.
Once you have determined that this is the best option for you, you will need to hire an attorney to help you through the quagmire of laws and options. Get an attorney that specializes in bankruptcy law, they will know all the ins and outs of the law. Shop around and get the best attorney for the money you have to spend. Make sure that you take every record of every debt that you owe with you to the meeting; you do not want to leave out any creditor when you file.
They will also help you to determine which type of bankruptcy is the best option for you. There are two types: liquidation, and rehabilitation:
With liquidation, also referred to as Chapter 7 your assets will be seized and auctioned off to pay your creditors. The proceeds from the sale will be split among your creditor to pay off the amount your debts.
The rehabilitation type is known as Chapter 11, 12 or 13. They take all your debts and make offers to your creditors for you to pay back a portion of the debt on a monthly schedule. For instance if you owe $10,000 on a credit card you might offer to pay twenty-five cents on each dollar of debt, making the bill you now owe them $2500. You will then make monthly payment through your attorney’s office. Once you have completed the process you will get a bankruptcy release.
Make sure you have weighed out all the pros and cons before you decided that bankruptcy is your best and only course of action to take. It will take a long time to fix your credit score but hopefully the stress from being in that type of financial situation will be substantially relieved.
To learn more about filing for bankruptcy, please visit Debt Relief.us
John is a DJ and radio producer by trade who has performed in the U.S., Russia, Germany, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo and India. Through a strange twist of fate he found himself working in the debt consolidation and debt settlement field in Chicago. John has a great interest in charity work as well. His other interests include fitness, science & technology, modern medicine, politics, world events and pop culture. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/filing-for-bankruptcy-996296.html
White Perceptions of Slave Religious Ceremonies
June 26, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
There were different perceptions of the slave religious ceremonies by the white. The incantation rituals by the West Indian slaves were portrayed as African based. The slaves were opposed to the whites Christianity religion and this upset the white because it caused a threat to the whites man’s safety. The slaves continued to worship their African God Whidah and this brought an atmosphere of uncontrollable hatred and merciless retribution between the slaves and the white. This revealed the unease and the suspicion with which the white watched the religious and the cultural ceremonies of their African slaves
The whites perceived the religious beliefs of the black as powerful, exotic and untimely. They viewed the religious and the cultural ceremonies as unintelligible and threatening to order. They thought that the practices were not intelligent and did not follow the order that Christianity followed. This was just part of the white construction of European domination and African powerlessness in the colonial times. During the colonial times the survival of the slaves depended on their refusal to be absorbed by the white
As long as they maintained their religion and their culture then they felt part of themselves rather than feeling apart of the white. Their resistance to the whites’ ideology is evident in the slaves’ obedience to the African based religion. Their religious practices were used because of the new environment and they were used as a form of protest against the underlying European colonization.
African based religious belief offered the Africans a strategy for survival and identity. It was a good way to oppose the Europeans. The whites on the other hand wanted to assimilate the slaves to be part of the European culture in what they saw as civilizing them and this brought conflict between the whites and the slaves. A syncretized religion called Obeah played a dominant role in the British Caribbean isles. It was considered to be inspiration and dangerous.
The article was produced by the writer of Essay-Paper.net. Rachel Hewlett is a 7-years experienced freelance writer. Contact her to get more information about different types of essays and Hamlet essay writing. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/white-perceptions-of-slave-religious-ceremonies-987276.html
2012 - Basic Tools You Need To Survive 2012
June 25, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
We are talking here about killing devices to hunt and to protect yourself. When the electricity and all current technologies are gone, people will need to use some primitive techniques to survive.
KILLING DEVICES
There are several killing devices that you can construct to help you obtain small game to help you survive.
The rabbit stick, the spear, the bow and arrow, and the sling are such devices.
RABBIT STICK
One of the simplest and most effective killing devices is a stout stick as long as your arm, from fingertip to shoulder, called a “rabbit stick.” You can throw it either overhand or sidearm and with considerable force. It is best thrown so that it flies sideways, increasing the chance of hitting the target. It is very effective against small game that stops and freezes as a defense.
SPEAR
You can make a spear to kill small game and to fish. Jab with the spear; do not throw it.
BOW AND ARROW
You can construct a suitable short-term bow fairly easily. When it loses its spring or breaks, you can replace it.
1. Select a hardwood stick about 1 meter (3 feet) long that is free of knots or limbs. Carefully scrape the large end down until it has the same pull as the small end. Careful examination will show the natural curve of the stick. Always scrape from the side that faces you, or the bow will break the first time you pull it. Dead, dry wood is preferable to green wood.
2. To increase the pull, lash a second bow to the first, front to front, forming an “X” when viewed from the side. Attach the tips of the bows with cordage and only use a bowstring on one bow.
3. Select arrows from the straightest dry sticks available. The arrows should be about half as long as the bow. Scrape each shaft smooth all around. You will probably have to straighten the shaft.
You can bend an arrow straight by heating the shaft over hot coals. Do not allow the shaft to scorch or burn. Hold the shaft straight until it cools. You can make arrowheads from bone, glass, metal, or pieces of rock. You can also sharpen and fire-harden the end of the shaft. Fire hardening is actually a misnomer. To fire-harden wood, hold it over hot coals or plunge it deep under the coals in the ashes, being careful not to burn or scorch the wood. The purpose of fire hardening is to harden the wood by drying the moisture out of it.
4. You must notch the ends of the arrows for the bowstring.
Cut or file the notch; do not split it. Fletching (adding feathers to the notched end of an arrow) improves the arrow’s flight characteristics. Fletching is recommended but not necessary on a field-expedient arrow.
SLING
You can make a sling by tying two pieces of cordage, each about 60 centimeters (24 inches) long, at opposite ends of a palmsized piece of leather or cloth. Place a rock in the cloth and wrap one cord around your middle finger and hold in your palm. Hold the other cord between your forefinger and thumb. To throw the rock, spin the sling several times in a circle and release the cord between your thumb and forefinger. Practice to gain proficiency.
The sling is very effective weapon to survive against small game.
In order to survive the real world after the 2012 events, it is clear that we need to make sure we have those tools to protect ourselves and to hunt for food. Surely this is quite an adaptation for the majority of us, yet not a luxury nor an option if we want to stand a chance. Pick your equipment well and learn the skills to use them and make new ones when necessary!
TAGS : 2012, how to survive 2012, survival tools, survival equipment
Learn much more about the significance and severity of the events in 2012 and how you can be prepared to save yourself and your loved ones. In addition, we’ll give you a free report on the “Labyrinth of Egypt” when you visit http://2012pro.com/ today!
Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/history-articles/2012-basic-tools-you-need-to-survive-2012-994137.html
Slave Religion in North America
June 24, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
By the year 1810 the slave trade to the United States came to an end and the population of the slaves begun to increase naturally. This made way to the transmission and the preservation of the religious practices that were African American. The slaves in the slave quarters organized their own invisible institution through signal, passwords and messages that were not understood by the white.
It proved very hard for the slave to preserve their religion in North America. Most of the slaves lived under harsh conditions and they were high death rates, which reduced their numbers. The salves were separated from their families and the tribal groups and this made it hard for them to practice. For those who tried to practice the concrete efforts of the white owners to eradicate the non-Christian customs that saw as heathens made the preservation of the religious tradition difficult. Traditional beliefs, rhythms, isolated songs and beliefs in the in the curative power of roots and the efficacy of the world spirit and the ancestors did not survive well in the nineteenth century.
They called the believers to hush harbor were they mixed freely and practiced their traditional religion. However, they did this in secret because the whites could not agree because they thought that giving the slaves the freedom to perform their religious ceremonies would give them a chance to plot a rebellion against their owners and they feared that. This made the white in America dictate the religion that then slaves were going to follow. They were determined to eradicate the non-Christian customs that the Africans professed.
Maintaining the slaves was important to the whites and if giving the slaves the freedom to practice their religious ceremonies was a threat then they were going to be denied that freedom. The civil war is the central event in the American history consciousness. The historical and the literary elements that were related to the civil war and to reconstruction were many but the main issue was slavery and the slave trade. The co existence of the slave owning south with the increasingly anti slavery north made a conflict likely.
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The Civil War and Slaves in America
June 24, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
Federal laws against slavery were not proposed, as they already existed. The further spread of slavery needed to be controlled. The south part feared that it would lose the control of the federal government to antislavery forces and the northern feared that the slave powers already controlled the government. There was sectional disagreement over the morality of slavery, the scope of democracy and the economic merit of free labor versus the slave plantation caused conflict. Almost all inter -regional crises involved slavery.
The religion threatened to undermine the European authority because it involved secret night rituals and individual consultations with an Obeah man or woman, which could not always be controlled by the white slave masters. The white perceived this night rituals as a threat and they felt the religion gave the slaves power something which they did not want the slaves to have.
The population of the southern whites living in families that owned slaves was thirty six percent in the lower south and twenty five percent in the upper south. Ninety five percent of the black lived in the south comprising one third of the population there as compared to one percent of the population of the north. As a result of this the fears of eventual emancipation were much greater in the south than in the north.
The question of slavery at the time was more important than any other at that time. It was so important that there was no other question that could get a hearing at that time. As James McPherson wrote in his book Ordeal by fire, the slavery issue was related to sectional competition for control of territories and the southern demand for a slave code for the territories was the issue that the southern politician used to split the Democratic Party into two. Even though President Lincoln had no plans to out law slavery where it existed, the southerners through out the south expressed fears fore the future of slavery. The southerners not only feared the economic loss they would undergo from the free labor they got from the slaves but also the racial equity which would have to be practiced once slave trade was ended.
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Civil War in the United States
June 23, 2009 | Filed Under Civil War | No Comments
The white wanted to kill the slave’s hope of ever going home or ever being free and that is why they wanted to discourage them from the practices that made them hope to be free. The whites wanted the slave to belong to them forever and that is white the slave states were so much against the abolishment of slave trade during the civil war. The slave feared that the collective effort of preserving the African culture and religious ceremonies would sow the seeds of disobedience, unrest and perhaps even rebellion and the only way of killing the African religious ceremonies was to introduce convert them to Christianity.
The population of the African American population both free and slaves was large and the whites felt that the best way to limit their freedom would be to limit their religious ceremonies as they brought them together. Because of the racial prejudice and the ignorance about the sophisticated cultures and religion that the Africans had for which many of them were slaves, southern whites were convinced that the free blacks would be a threat to the white survival and especially if they were allowed to continue practicing their religious ceremonies. So, the southerner believed that the slavery was necessary as part of the race control.
The economic role that the slaves played was important. The white southerners did not believe that they could do the backbreaking labor that was required in the farms. The southerners were determined to maintain the slaves after the revolution and this began the fatal division between the free states and the slave states that led to the sectionalism and untimely to the civil war.
While the revolution of 1776-1783 created the American nations the civil war of 1861-1865 preserved the American nation from destruction and determined in a large measure the sort of a nation America would be. As James McPherson wrote in his book ordeal by fire: The civil war and the reconstruction, the war in one way or another reconstructed the America nation.
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