Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.
Introduction
The public discourse of the 21st century in the United States is centered around modern values, such as social equality and acknowledgement of human rights. In this regard, the issues of racism and discrimination have become particularly topical today. Previously, people of color had to endure serious disparities without due recognition of their rights. American slavery became the pinnacle of racism in the history of the United States.
For several centuries, people of African ancestry were imprisoned, sold, and forced to work for their masters in North America. Despite the initial democratic tendencies in the post-colonial era, slavery persisted through the 18th and a considerable part of the 19th centuries. In fact, the institute of slavery became one of the main reasons of discord between the North and the South. Consequently, the American Civil War erupted, marking one of the turning points in the history of the nation. While historical resources rarely emphasized the input of African Americans in this conflict, they played a role of paramount importance. This paper examines the influence of African Americans on the course and outcomes of the Civil War in the United States of America.
Backround Information
The history of the United States comprises several centuries full of dramatic events. However, some of its pages become especially important because of the immense impact they had on the development of the country. The Civil War that took place between April 1861 and May 1865 is one of such events. In fact, many historians consider it to be one of the few periods of paramount importance for the United States (Gordon-Reed, 2018).
The Civil War represented the imminent consequences of the growing discord between the states of the American North and South. The disagreement was nurtured for centuries, and racism, namely the African-American slavery, became the primary cause of the War. According to Gordon-Reed (2018), slavery is the “original sin” of the United States. More specifically, there existed a certain dissonance between the democratic values embedded in the Constitution and the contemporary view of people of African origins. This dissonance resulted in the Civil War that put an end to the institute of slavery and became a major step toward the comprehensive recognition of human rights in the country.
The Role of African Americans
The history of the Civil War in the United States comprises many prominent battles, agreements, victories, and losses. As mentioned above, slavery became the main cause of disagreements between the opposing groups. The progressive North called for the due recognition of African Americans through the abolition of slavery. At the same time, the Confederates of the South, where most plantations were located, did not want to lose free workforce (Gordon-Reed, 2018).
As a result, the parties clashed in battlefields across the country in an attempt to defend their point of view. While the North and democratic values prevailed, historical sources focused on the white contribution to the Civil War outcomes. In other words, the role of African Americans in this milestone conflict did not receive due recognition even though slavery was finally abolished (Wilson, 2019). This situation reflects the disparities that were deeply engraved in the mindset of the nation. However, modern historians make meaningful attempts to amend the injustice and highlight the contribution of African Americans to the development of the United States.
African-American Soldiers
Under the circumstances of a full-scale conflict, both sides had to utilize all resources they had. In the discussed context, this idea implied the participation of African-American soldiers in the war. However, the exact capacity, in which they were used was different for each side. According to Wilson (2019), African American contingent was more common in the Northern troops. These regiments were comprised of nearly 200,000 mobilized slaves, freed African Americans, and fugitives from the South. They were armed and incorporated in the Union army.
On the other hand, the Confederacy relied on a different approach to African Americans. In the South, the question of whether they should be armed and used in combat caused heated debates among policy-makers. More specifically, the Confederates doubted that African Americans could be trusted with weapons after decades of oppression, fearing sabotage and betrayal (Nelson, 2020). Therefore, the involvement of black soldiers of the South was minimal, as these people’s role was limited to manual labor and maintenance work for the benefit of the Confederate Army. Ultimately, the differences of opinions between the North and South that started the War in the first place were reflected in the way these armies were organized.
Fort Pillow
One of the less known events of the American Civil War deserves additional exploration in the discussed context. The Massacre at Fort Pillow became an important part of the conflict for the entire African American community of the time. In 1864, a Union regiment that comprised white and black soldiers in equal proportions, defended Fort Pillow against the Confederacy (Valentine, 2019). Following a difficult siege, the Southern troops managed to capture the Fort and started a massacre. Following the bloodshed, only few African Americans managed to survive, whereas most of others were slaughtered.
Unsurprisingly, the Confederacy did not show a similar level of violence in regard to their white prisoners of war. According to Valentine (2019), this issue did not receive due coverage in the past, as the role of African Americans in the war diminished. Nevertheless, the current studies emphasize the controversy surrounding Fort Pillow. This case highlights the difference of perspectives on African Americans in the Civil War. For the South, the massacre became the epitome of violence. At the same time, the black people of North felt urge to avenge the victims, and “for Fort Pillow” became their battle cry for the remainder of the War.
Ongoing Prejudices
The history of the Civil War revolves around racism, slavery, and recognition of human rights in the United States. However, during the course of the conflict, the prejudices persisted, to some extent, on both sides. For example, Wilson (2019) writes that the disparities were present in the amount of pay received by soldiers. More specifically, white members of the Union Army still had better financial support than their counterparts of African origin. In fact, the views of equality were not unanimous in the North. In other words, the positive rhetoric of the policy-makers was often impeded by the poor execution on-site.
However, by 1864, many soldiers of the Union rose in support of African American soldiers. As a result, their strikes prompted Federal Government to issue a decree that guaranteed equal payment to all soldiers irrespective of their ancestry. This decision became yet another factor that motivated people of color in the Union Army and contributed to its ultimate victory.
Discussion
The facts presented above appear highly interesting for the current discussion. African Americans and their rights were at the center of events that sparked the Civil War in the 19th century. Moreover, they remained important throughout the course of the War and had a direct impact on its outcome. Across the five years of the conflict, the North and South continued to move in opposite directions. While the Union struggled to stand against racism as a united front, the anti-slavery policy eventually found the support the majority. It is likely that this result became possible after the heroism and dedication showed by African Americans in the battlefield.
At the same time, the Confederacy was unable to complete a similar process. Their actions fueled the racial conflict, motivating the African American population to fight further. As a result, the contribution of these people may have become the decisive factor that shifted the balance and secured the victory of the North.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Civil War ranks among the most significant events of the American history. By 1861, the disagreements between the North and the South reached their peak and entailed a violent conflict across the United States. The future of slavery became of the primary causes of discord, influencing all stages of the conflict. The Union gradually came to respect the lives and rights of the African American population. These people received recognition and respect by fighting for it.
Their unquestionable heroism in the face of adversity prompted white commanders and soldiers to accept them as equal. At the same time, the Confederacy remained loyal to their prior beliefs, showing violence and disrespect to the people of African origins. In the end, the contribution of the black soldiers became an important factor that determined the outcome of the Civil War.
References
Gordon-Reed, A. (2018). America’s original sin: Slavery and the legacy of white supremacy. Foreign Affairs, 97, 2–7.
Nelson, M. K. (2020). The three-cornered war: The Union, the Confederacy, and native peoples in the fight for the West. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Valentine, R. (2019). A modern-day review of the Fort Pillow massacre – Act of war or genocide. Student Scholarship & Creative Works., 10, 1–21.
Wilson, J. T. (2019). The black phalanx: African American soldiers in the War of Independence, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Glasgow, UK: Good Press.
Order from us for quality, customized work in due time of your choice.