Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place sublet to their jurisdiction. Amendment XIII Dec. 18, 1865.
With such a strong and provocative amendment, its no wonder it took Americans almost two century's of embarrassment in order to create such an ideal. It's amazing that such controversy and confusion could come about from two words who's meaning are so different. But yet we place them together as so to justify one another. We watch and see freedom as it becomes a hollow concept no less so in the 21st century, than it was in the 17th and 18th century as well. There are two books with which provide us with a basis for such analysis "Myne Owne ground", by T.H Breen, Stephen Innes and "Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian", edited by Hunter Dickinson Farish. Through detailed passages we witness our own brothers attempt to establish a solid legal tradition for the absolute enslavement of blacks.
To better understand and furthermore analyze history, it is crucial for one to venture out and make assertions, in hopes of proving and supporting them. In the 17th century slavery was not merited by color, nor was its enitre focus to enslave only one specific group; in this case that group being black. More importantly, as much as the early English settlers tired to create a society in which mimicked the hierarchal structure of the homeland their success was limited. Newcomers to the Americas were concerned primarily about survival. Inhabitants of this new land included indentured servants and slaves that were both black, white and occasionally Indian. "Whites, blacks, Indians, all comers were fair game in the scramble of wealth (pg49My owne)" .
The notion of freedom had yet to be associated with only one particular group. Many blacks were free and owned large amounts of land and assets equivalent of white owners at the same time.
