African American History

African American History

Cultural Diversity

The experiences of African Americans throughout U.S. history have been trying times for groups as well as individuals. The deaths and the mourning’s of certain key people who have inspired many and lead great march’s for their own safety and well being. In this chapter we will talk about the experiences and triumphs of African Americans in the United States.

African Americans were brought to the United States as slaves. They were taken from their home in Africa by Europeans and sold like cattle. Shackled up on ships, starved, beaten and made to live in the worst conditions imaginable. The ships that sailed to the New America were just wood and sails, there was no place for African Americans to sleep and be comfortable, they were stacked on top of each other, hidden under the decks of the ship to escape ocean laws for harboring slaves.

African Americans slept in their own feces and urine. Disease spread like wild fire because of that and even the sailors on the ship were not spared from it. Spending months and months on a ship took the value of an African American slave down but brought a good profit by selling to the White settlers already in the New America.

Once White men bought African Americans, they were transported to farms and plantations where they cooked, cleaned, picked cotton, tobacco and other produce. They lived in tiny shacks if they were lucky; some slept outside with the animals and very few were aloud to sleep in the house with their owner. It depended on what type of slave they were.

During the wars, African Americans were not aloud to fight; they were not free to do so. It took away from their duties on the farm and White men were scared that they would turn against them and cause harm. Once African Americans were accepted into the British Army, it was decided they could fight for their freedom and be free after months of service as long as they survived the battles.

President Lincoln freed...