As American history unfolds, many issues arise, such as the struggle for black freedom. Black people have come a long way on the path of American construction. Brought from Africa, they were made a purchasing item in the market, and were belittled whenever the opportunity came up. Most of these black people were plantation slaves who worked long hours under the sun and received no pay. The slave drivers and the masters constantly assaulted them. Often beaten with whips for making their thoughts known, slaves grew angry, and felt rage for their master and his race. They possessed a constant desire to runaway and escape this treatment. They were all expecting a better life, somewhat close to their perspective of heaven. They obviously had no idea what it was like. There were some slaves who ran away and made something out of their lives. For example Frederick Douglass was a slave like all the others, who ran away to the north and made something out of his life. He is now remembered as one of the most influential figures of Afro-American history. Many people such as Harriet Tubman contributed a lot to the freedom of many slaves. She was a slave as well, but she escaped and de