Chapter Overview

The adoption of the Constitution by the new federal government of the United States proved a paradox for those under the yoke of slavery. Many slaves had fought for the colonies during the American Revolution and deservedly longed for the freedom that they could see all around them as the eighteenth century drew to a close. Although an early antislavery movement had grown through such groups as the Quakers during the years of the war, the negotiations surrounding the Constitutional Convention of 1787 made it clear that the American opinion on slavery was closely linked to that of the now-vanquished British and seen largely as a necessary and natural condition for the African race.

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter you should understand the following:

• The paradox of slavery versus freedom that existed for African and American-born slaves of the American Revolutionary period
• The contribution of African Americans to the Revolutionary War efforts of both belligerent nations involved in the conflict
• The early antislavery movements in the colonies, and later in the young United States
• The conservative viewpoints that perpetuated slavery in the United States via the nation's new Constitution, through compromises and future promises