毕业论文：on the changes of american black peoples social status.doc

毕业论文：On the Changes of American Black Peoples Social Status毕业论文：On the Changes of American Black Peoples Social Status毕业论文：On the Changes of American Black Peoples Social Status:2013-5-17 16:06:42On the Changes of American Black Peoples Social Status院 系：外国语学院专 业： 英 语班 级： 08级英语A班Abstract: As one of the most important powers in the American history, the black people played a paramount role. Therefore the black peoples social status is always being concerned. With the development of the society, it has changed gradually. This thesis tries to study the black peoples social status in the American history during different historical periods, and what events occurred in each period that causing the changes. Besides, the thesis will find out the reasons behind these changes. At last, the thesis will show us that any social progress should be protected by laws, and there should be related system for people to carry out the laws and guarantee its implement. At the same time, people should use suitable ways to get equality and fairness.Key words: changes, American black people, social status, laws摘要：作为美国历史上一股重要的力量，美国黑人扮演着至关重要的角色。因此，黑人的社会地位总是备受关注着。随着社会的发展，其也发生了相应的变化。本文试着研究美国不同历史阶段黑人地位的变化，在各个阶段所发生的导致这些变化的事件及其发生这些变化的原因。最后本文将会说明任何的社会进步都必须有法律的保护以及相应的制度来确保法律能够得以实施，同时人们应该采用适当的方式来获得平等和公平。关键词：变化，美国黑人，社会地位，法律ContentsAbstract. 2Chapter 1 Colonial era.41.1Colonialism and Colonial Development.5Chapter 2 After Independence.6 2.1 The independence of the USA.6Chapter 3 After Civil War83.1 Civil War and the Emancipatideveloped very soon.1.1 Colonialism and Colonial Development After Jamestown was founded in 1607, colonialism was formed in the continent step by step. There was a problem after the colonialists invaded here. In colonial society, work was always plentiful while labor was usually scarce, and prosperity depended almost on human labor (the Machine Age had not yet begun). (Carol Berkin & Leonard Wood, 1983) However, Indians, the native people of the colonies, didnt want to work for them but resisted them, and with the development of agriculture, the requirement of labor source increased rapidly. At last, the colonialists had no choice but to transport the blacks from the Africa to the America, which was one of the reasons for forming and developing triangular trade, and in the end the blacks became slaves and began their harsh life.At first, the black slaves identity was not very clear in law. But in 1661, the Virginia assembly passed a law, in which the law stipulated that the black slaves were lifelong slaves. The slavery was established by law in the following century in both South and North colonies.The slaves were treated so badly that they had resistance against the colonists. Uprising was the best way to against slaveholders, for example, there were above 60 uprisings from 1526 to 1774 in the British North American colonies. The uprisings were suppressed at last, but they delivered a heavy blow to the colonists and the colonialism.Chapter 2 After Independence2.1 The independence of the USAThe most rampant period of slave trade was the 18th century, and the British North American colonies tried their best to fight for liberty. The American independent war began in 1775, and 1783 witnessed the foundation of the United States of America. The USA was born for liberty but the black people didnt free from being enslaved. On the contrary, the independence of the country made the slavery developed sooner and put the black people in a more terrible situation, in which the development of economy stimulated the requirement of slaves who could make huge economic benefits.The slaveholders in the South tried to expand new territory to enlarge the production of cotton so that they could pursue maximum profit. At the beginning of the founding of the new country, Northern and middle states wanted a national protective tariff (tax on imports) for American manufacturing. Then, to balance this sacrifice by southern planters, the constitutional convention offered to extend the slave trade for 20 years and to forbid any government tax on farm exports like wheat or tobacco. (Carol Berkin & Leonard Wood, 1983)Therefore, more black became slaves other than getting freedom. For instance, according to the statistics made in 1830, Alabama had 117, 484 slaves. In 1840, the number was 253,532 while in 1850, it reached 342,844. The slaves launched many kinds of uprisings to against the slave owners. Nevertheless, the uprisings were put down, and the states in the South strengthened to suppress uprisings. First of all, they strengthened patrol, and they even revised a patrolling law. Secondly, it was limited to release slaves, which made it harder for the black slaves to apply for being released. Thirdly, the person who taught slaves to read would be punished. There were laws which regulated that the black slaves were not allowed to read.In 1787 the country made its constitution. The Federal government was divided into three branches under the principle of the division of power. These three separated branches balance against each other. Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to make the laws of the nation. Article 2 gives the President or chief executive the power to carry out the laws. While Article 3 gives the Judicial Branch or court system the power interpret the laws of the nation. (Carol Berkin & Leonard Wood, 1983) The American constitution made America has a complete law system to make laws and carry out laws, which was good for the black to strive for their rights later. There was an interesting phenomenon that the leaders of the Congress were mainly slaveholders or capitalists, which represented the existence of class privilege. George Washington, the first President of the USA, was a slaveholder.Generally speaking, the social status of the black didnt change much after the founding of the country that slavery still existed. The black were not allowed to be educated and they were not capable to fight with the slaveholders. As a result, they were still being enslaved.Chapter 3 After Civil WarIn 1860, America held the presidential election and Abraham Lincoln won it. As a candidate of the Republic Party, he thought slavery was evil and required the Congress to forbid slavery in the West, but he didnt appeal to abolish the current slavery in the South. Although he didnt advocate abolishing slavery in the presidential election, he made it impossible to store slaves in the West. Undoubtedly, the event that Lincoln was elected as president was beneficial to the Negro slaves. With the development of the economy, the South needed more slaves, while the North required more free labor force. The conflict kept intensified and the Civil War burst out at last.3.1 Civil War and the Emancipation ProclamationThe American Civil War burst out in 1861. The planters in the South tried to possess more slaves and expanded territory while the capitalists