The Reconstruction Era: Conflict between the North and the South Essay

Submitted By cvzaba
Words: 528
Pages: 3

Opening Statement: The Reconstruction era was a period of tremendous conflict between the North and the South. Many argued about how the Reconstruction of this nation should be accomplished and which legislation could safely benefit the well being of people in the North and the South. The disagreements between the many new and old political parties during the reconstruction era led to a new battle called the Reconstruction. Ultimately the South did not “win” the reconstruction.
Argument #1 An accurate characterization of the life of a slave during his or her childhood is best described as brutal. The typical slave would face many hardships and losses early in their existence. When a slave was first born they are already considered property and their master would usually have a plan of how to utilize his new asset. The newly born would likely either stay in their “home” plantation or be sold early on to another plantation for profit. Despite already being in a dehumanized environment the child could be traumatically separated from his or her parents. If the slave was lucky enough to not be sold, one of their parents would likely move on. Once the slave gets older the rigorous and exhausting farm work would begin. Working on a cotton plantation would require long strenuous hours in scorching heat. Masters would often impose harsh punishments for the slightest misdemeanors. These included flogging and other types of tortures. Some slave owners would give their slaves impossible tasks to complete and they punish them.
My Escape:
The escape of a slave is an incredibly risky and difficult venture. Slave owners would hunt down slaves for weeks, offering large rewards, and then killing them in front of the other slaves at the plantation. If a slave could muster the courage to try to escape his chains he would begin a long and dangerous journey. The Underground Railroad is the most famous and common way a slave could escape. Many abolitionists and fugitive slaves would participate in this program. Through the Underground Railroad a network of paths and safe