`` 12 Years A Slave `` And The Fight For Freedom Essay

Throughout the the period of Antebellum America, the institution of slavery distinctly shaped the lives of both enslaved, and free, African Americans. This institution tore apart lives, killed countless, and wrongly enslaved an entire race of people for something out of their control.. The academy award winning film 12 Years a Slave tells the tragic tale of Solomon Northup, a free African American, and his horrific journey while kidnapped into slavery. This film portrays both the struggle and the act of resisting authority that many African Americans of this time participated in through various means. Another excellent source of information comes from the book Harriet Tubman and the Fight for Freedom which perfectly displays a shortened African American history through the use of brief documents. Through the use of these two resources, as well as the lectures, I will display how the institution of slavery changed the lives of countless African Americans spanning across generations an d slave status. Within the antebellum period, enslaved African Americans experienced brutal conditions and treatment unlike any other. From abuse to rape, enslaved African Americans during this time truly suffered an incomprehensible tragedy. Nearly as detrimental, the paternalistically based society that sprouted from this horrid institution had many implications across all of America. First off, it enacted the southern code of honor. This was the idea that men needed to protect their familyShow MoreRelatedPatrick Henrys Fight For Freedom776 Words   |  4 Pageswhich is a reason to fight for is freedom. In Patrick Henry’s speech â€Å"Speech of the Virginia Convention†, 1775, and Steve McQueen’s â€Å"12 years a slave†, 2013, is this idea well presented. Patrick Henry tells his opinion and is trying to convince the convention to attack the South right now. McQueen shows us a film based on a true story in which he tells the story of a black man who gets kidnapped and sold in slavery. He had a job and a wife and two childs. It took him 12 years to become a free manRead MoreSummary Of 12 Years A Slave By Solomon Northup Essay1380 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Civil War, many slaves began to acquire their freedom by many things, including escaping plantations, buying their freedom, or being granted freedom from their former owners. Once slaves entered the North, they were able to finally be seen as a free African American. 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