1. According to the Founding Fathers, and how it changed in the mid-1800s
Slavery
According to the
Founding Fathers,
and how it changed
in the mid-1800s

2. The Issue
The founders all grew up around slavery and could have accepted slavery as their fathers had done but they chose to face the issue instead.
Since the beginning of time there had been slavery, and America’s founding fathers were the first and only to actually debate whether or not to continue or dismantle the institution because our government was the first government to be based on equality, unlike everyone else’s.
It was legal to free a slave in the 1700s-early 1800s, but by the mid-1800s, it became nearly impossible.

3. Declaration of Independence
“All men are created equal,” was an unnecessary quote for Jefferson to write for independence, and actually hurt our chances of getting foreign aid.
Were slaves included in his quote?- Yes. They saw slaves as men instead of as property because there wouldn’t have been such great debate over whether slaves should be counted for representation in Congress.
The longest offense of the king was a section in relation to slavery, though it was later cut in order to gain Southern support.

4. Constitution, 1787
Slavery could have been termed “a necessity,” but instead it was termed a “necessary EVIL,” as the economy had been allowed to grow from it.
The 1st Congress made it illegal to own slaves in the Northwest Territory, and they abolished the slave trade in 1808.
The Founders did not even see all whites as equal because their would not be an electoral college or property ownership for voting rights.
Many of the signers freed their slaves (Washington) upon their deaths.

5. “In order to form a more perfect union…”
Madison realized that the nation was not perfect at the creation of the Constitution, but put this quote in for future generations.
The Constitution had to be written the way it was because if slaves had been given more attention there would not have been a Constitution. The Southern states would have walked out of the convention.

6. John C. Calhoun-slavery defender
He was from SC and worked as Jackson’s 1st VP, but was fired after his Nullification proclamation.
Though he did not live to see the Civil War, much of his philosophy was used in the South for reason as to secede from the Union.
He believed that the quote, “All men…” was the worst quote ever written. Why?

7. Calhoun’s Reasons behind slavery
People are born into a world of inequality from the beginning because children are subordinate to their parents.
No one is ever truly free because everyone depends on everyone else, and if not, then anarchy prevails.
African Nations themselves practice slavery.
The Bible speaks of how women and slaves are to obey their husbands and masters.
When given their freedom, slaves would not be fit citizens in society.
Slavery makes slaves into good Christians and saves their souls from the darkness of Africa.

8. Conclusion?
Yes, the Founders spoke of liberty and yet held men as slaves.
But one can say that the founders could have been slave holders and NEVER say anything about the slaves they kept.
Lincoln believed that Government by the 1850s was actually regressing from what the founders originally believed, and that the real “villains” for slavery were not the Founders, but those of the 1850s.