few lashes less than the other slaves living under harsh dictators. Any feeling of pity that the master once felt
is gone, and his childlike, innocent eyes are blinded. His brain stems that once held regret are no longer
working, but the cruel actions are currently meeting with the inhumane thoughts. He no longer meditates on
the endurance of his actions upon the slave, but on the demon-possesed flesh that desires to take over the life of
the slave. The uncontrollable master himself is the reason slavery was so wrong and is now abolished. He is
the reason it is so uncivil, vulgar, monstrous, and impermissible. Before the thought of abolishing slavery the
only hope the slaves had, and the only person they could rely on was God. Everything changed for the slaves
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when the Declaration of Independence was signed proclaiming life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all
mankind-- changing the world's view of colored people and bringing new hope and freedom.
When the 56 declaration signers inscribed their names on our nation's freedom, they also signed their
name bringing life to those unfortunate slaves. Life was given by God to man, but man did have the free will
to make his own decisions and choose the path of his own life. Man chose the route making life easier for him
by capturing people to do all of his chores for him. He didn't think of the lives of the people captured, but of
his own life. He welcomed his selfish desires without hesitation. He was taken out of his will and and bound
into a prison with many others like him. He had no promise of ever seeing his family or house again. His
future was always up in the air with no certainty of tomorrow or even of that day. His life was at stake every
minute of the day with a constant anxious feeling and worries for the safety of his family. He was sold from
one master to the next and with every pay came the new face of his master. Some nice, some mean. After his
name was brought into slavery there was no turning back. This was his future. His lashes, his new family,
and even his grave stone lie here. The dreams of being set free were always there, nonetheless, and the
thoughts of escaping were diminishing. Whether good or bad master his life was not his own any more, and
his privileges were few or none. He was now and forever a puppet tied to strings and manipulated by anyone
that took reign of the strings.
The United States Of America is the land of opportunity and most of all liberty. Liberty is the freedom
from arbitrary or despotic government or control. Liberty is independence. The Declaration of Independence
caries its definition in its name. It says all men are equally free and independent. Although we have a lot of
freedom now we didn't have a lot of freedom in 1600's. The slave was never to have free will again unless, by
some lucky chance, he were set free, which was unlikely. Luckily the underground railroad was a useful way
of escaping to the North where they prohibited slavery, but in Solomon Northup's book that wasn't an option.
Sending letters was the only way of possible escape, but there was more of a chance of getting caught in the
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middle of writing it. Most slaves didn't attempt traveling past the gates for fear of double the floggings and
possibly death. If they were fortunate enough to escape the chances of survival they were few, and the people
that did get past to the North they were most likely found and sold into slavery again. The slaves didn't fill
their minds with such musing, for they were like dreaming of acquiring all the riches in the world. There was a
better chance of pigs flying, they thought.
The unalieanable rights decree not only life and freedom but to pursue our happiness. Whatever makes
us happy we are free to pursue it. Unfortunately the slave was not able to pursue his dreams. Above any
dream ever worth living he wished to be home with his family, protecting them, and hearing their laughter from
time to time. He wished to be their with them in the happy times and to console them in the bad times. The
holidays would lack the one that they lost. It wouldn't be the same without that person. The unhappiness not
only bound the family at home but also reached to the slave who wished more than ever to live in his happiness
again. The happiness of freedom took predominant stand over vacation he ever wanted to take, any
relationship he ever wanted to consolidate or any goal he ever wanted to achieve. The slave's happiness was
to, but just because it wasn't work. Any event they didn't have to work for they were happy to make their
acquaintance with. But it wasn't such a great anticipation as one with his own family that he chose to go to.
No event in slavery could bring back the true happiness he once possessed.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." As Martin Luther stated in this quote all men
should be created equal no matter what the race, religion, etc. Slavery took the rights from the colored people
which shows that they are not for equality leading further to be against the Bible. For God created all men alike
and treats everyone the same. Only God's slavery could take the twisted minds of the masters and change
them. God has enslaved many people by his mercy and grace, for none of us are worthy, but still have the
choice of being a slave unto God or being a slave unto the world. For where God comes from there is always
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life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all
one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28