Any black history in America experts out there?

Question

I did not go to high school in America and I missed out on a lot of the history. I am wondering who and when exactly was the trade slave started? When did it start in America and why? When was slavery completely ended? When did segregation start and why? When did segregation completely end? I am also wondering why America did nothing to help the slaves when they were freed. Do you think that there should still be retribution for descedents of slaves? Do you think that lack of retribution is a major factor in their current socio economic status? I am hoping that this is all taught in the high schools here.

Answer 1

I don't know all this off the top of my head cause I'm not a history teacher, but i believe slaves were African Americans and the slave traders were also African Americans. People wanted slaves so they wouldn't have to do any work or they can make a profit off of buying them and selling them to other Americans. Nobody thought it was wrong until Abraham Lincoln was president. Around that time, the civil war began. Southern states wanted slaves, North did not. When the war was over, slaves were freed and became American citizens.Everything else i don't know much about. I'm pretty sure about everything that i did explain though,but NOT positive. I'm pretty sure the high schools explain it even more in depth about what exactly happened. Hope this information helped ya.

Answer 2

There is a good history book called "White Over Black" by Winthrop D. Jordan.  It will answer many of your questions.

Answer 3

The slave trade was part of the colonial period when England, France, Spain, Portugal, and Holland were all building  world empires.  The European powers had established colonies in the Americas and needed a labor source to work the plantations and mines.  European traders would take slaves from the warring tribes of West Africa to bring to the New World, the slaves usually being sold by the conquering tribe.  The first slaves brought to North America was in the 1600's by the Dutch to Massachusetts. It would continue until the America Civil War in 1865.   The US Constitution stopped importation of slaves in 1808.  Different states in the US ended slavery at different times and for different reasons.  Slavery was more economically feisable in the Southern States to the North, but that is not to say that slavery was stricly limited to the South.  As for segregation laws, they existed both North and South and existed before the Civil War.  After the abolition of slavery, steps were taken to help the freed slaves, namely the freedman's bureau.  

No I don't think that retributions should be paid to decendants of slaves.  What has happened in the past is in the past.  Blacks in America have been given every economic advantage possible including Affirmative Action, racial quotas for schools, minority business aid, and more.  

Here is a web-site that will help give you a biger view of the whole picture of slavery in America:

www.slavenorth.com

Answer 4

the slave trade began before we were a nation. during the 1620's when tobacco farming was america's number one export. it was done by the slave triangle. slaves from british colonies in africa to south america and the colonies for food and goods such as fur, tobacco, chocolate, and others. slavery ended with the north winning the american civil war, abe lincolns emancipation proclamation, and the ratifying of the 13th amendment to the constitution. segregation began after the emancipation proclomation and the end of the civil war  when the us supreme court rules separate but equal in order to try and relieve black and white tensions. america did alot to help freed slaves, most slaves wanted to stay and work because it was all they new. we helped them find homes and new jobs and created alot of jobs building railroads. sure we could have done more but many americans died for slavery to end and it destroyed much of the land and hurt our economy. most of our money was invested into rebuilding the south where the entire war was fought. and rebuilding railroads which helped southern blacks to find work. so we didnt just stay back and let them suffer. no i do not believe in retributions because black people have the same rights as white people. also simply because there would be millions of people who trace their ancestry to an american slave. and many slaves werent mistreated. also alot of white people would get money too. blacks receive scholarships to schools, and the same oppurtunities as everyone else. poverty is an american problem, not a black problem. we should help everyone, not just hand out money to people who probably dont need or deserve it. u cant blame slavery for everything. many black people flourish because they are hard working, proud and humble and the ones who beg for reperations are the ones who blame everyone else first. weve done everything we can to help black people and white people had to die for blacks to be free. so in my opinion if things are so bad over here...they can go back to africa because we are doing everything we can and if its not appreciated, go away.

Answer 5

Those are a lot of questions and would take hours to answer.

PBS did a good program on the topic:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/

As for the retribution questions: From whom? I never had slaves, NONE of my ancestors had slaves (they lived in Europe). That is the case with many many Americans today.

Lack of retribution as a factor in their current status? Absolutely not!

Taught in schools? Yes, but most slept through it. I went to high school in Europe and I am thankful for that! American educational system needs a lot of improvement.

Answer 6

The first slaves were brought to Jamestown, VA in 1619. Slavery was outlawed in 1865. Segregation started with the Jim Crow law of "separate but equal" and lasted from about 1876- 1965. By 1968, segregation was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. The north wanted to help the slaves, the south was accustomed to a way of life that they were not ready to give up. As far as retribution for descendants, I am torn. I think that the lack of retribution plays a part in how things have turned out, but for the most part I believe it is up to an individual to take responsibility for their own life. African Americans have many opportunities available to us today that just were not available to our ancestors.

Answer 7

Most of the kids in American do not know why we are in war much less that there is even a war going on.  I am not sure of exactly when the slave trade started but in the 1800's.  Why did it start, because you had alot of lazy people who thought they were too good to do their own work so they went and found persons who they thought could. It ended in the early 1900's.  that is when share cropping came into effect where the land owner's gave the slaves 40 acres and a mule to stay and work the land.   that was american's way of giving to the slaves.

Segregation was started in the 60-70's.  some schools here are still segregated except they are called private schools and they set the tuition so high that most people can not afford it so they figure other races won't be able to afford the school.  

Should there still be retribution for descendents of slaves?  i personally do not think so. Here everyone basically has the free will to make a lifestyle for themselves. it is personal choices as to why some do not go to school and make something out of themselves (and that can go for any race)

Who knows why the economy is slipping.  you hear so much until you just don't know.  I think too much money is spent on unnecessarry mess and not enough spent on the important things.  The government mishandles alot of money, but that is because they are already rich.  if they would allow someone poor who has had to work hard for their money for their whole life to budget our economy i bet they would save alot....

Answer 8

It started in Rome in the time before Christ.