Causation of African Americans

Causation of African Americans

America has always been the land of the free. Many have migrated to America in hopes of a better life and in search of opportunity. Immigrants from all over the world have come here looking for freedom and happiness. Unfortunately, not everyone who has come here in search of a better life has been welcomed with open arms. This is especially true for African Americans. African Americans are a subordinate group originating from Africa, who has been faced with segregation from non-subordinate groups for many years. Unlike many other immigrants, African Americans were brought to America against there will.
The first African Americans to enter America did so by ship during the 16th century. However, they were not free to do as they pleased because they were slaves caught up in the transatlantic slave trade. According to The Library of Congress (2005), “It is estimated that during the 300 years of the transatlantic slave trade, between 15 million and 20 million Africans were transported to the Americas as slaves” (A global network of suffering, para. 3). African Americans were kidnapped, enslaved, and forced onto ships to be brought to America and put up for sale. The Africans were branded, shackled together, and beaten on the ships. Many Africans did not make it through the long journey and died before stepping foot on American soil. Many suffered from malnutrition, suffocation, and disease. Others were drove mad from fear and attempted suicide during the long months aboard the ships.
One would think surviving the trip was hard enough on the Africans, but life in America did not get any easier. Africans stepped from the ships and into a thriving slave society. The Africans were separated from their shipmates, put into holding pens, and placed on the auction block. Once sold, the African became the property of someone else and could no longer make his or her own decisions. The slave was then at the mercy of their slaveholder and could be bought, sold, traded,...

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