I agree that the Proclamation of 1763 was a major cause of the desire of the leaders (ruling classes?) of the 13 colonies to break away from Great Britain. I am MUCH LESS convinced by the idea that because of the Somerset decision in Britain, there were many slaveholders who felt that the British government was on the verge of abolishing slavery. In fact, the story of the 168 words stricken from the first draft of the Declaration of Independence between the first draft (June, 1776) and the meeting in July which ratified it indicates that the colonies were deeply divided about the issue of slavery --- especially the slave trade.
For details see: https://www.history.com/news/declaration-of-independence-deleted-anti-slavery-clause-jefferson The words of Jefferson's initial draft were contradicatory: They first blamed King George for the Atlantic Slave trade which Jefferson attacked strongly -- AND THEN, they blaqmed King George for promising that slaves who ran away to the British lines would be freed -- remember the War for Independence was over a year old when the Declaration was drafted and the Royal Governor of Virginia (as a war measure) had promised runaway slaves independence. In other words --- King George was a pig for "creating" the Atlantic Slave Trade but also a pig for encouraging slaves to run away by promising freedom --- Jefferson (later) blamed the removal on delegates from two states -- SOuth Carolina and Georgia -- who he said wanted the slave trade to continue indefinitely --- and on the fact that many Northern interests profited from the slave trade ... This "tension" within the revolutionary generation became even more apparent in the Constitutional Convention with the promise NOT to end the slave trade for 20 years, the promise to deliver up fugitive slaves, and the 3/5 rule --- even before that, Congress in 1787 BEFORE the Constitution was written had passed the Northwest Ordinance which specifically banned slavery from any new states created out of these new territories (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan). I think the difference between how the revolutionary generation thought of Native peoples (the declaration refers to them as "savages" of course) and how they were conflicted about slavery is important. July 4 definitely is a harbinger of the wholesale genocide perpetrated by the "Americans" beginning with the Revolutionary War and continuing right up through Wounded Knee and beyond --- It is also a preview of the conflict that ultimately exploded in the Civil War. The version of the impetus for the separation from Britain that is presented in this piece is, I think, too one-sided --- and in fact in the 1619 project, Ms. Hannah-Jones has actually somewhat modified her view --- stating that fear of emanciaption was A factor in the American Revolution rather than THE factor ... (History, of course, remains "an argument without end" ....) On Sun, Jul 4, 2021 at 8:17 AM Charles Keener via groups.io <ckeener20005= [email protected]> wrote: > This piece by Margaret Kimberley seems like a very timely one - both in > terms of the calendar and also in terms of the larger struggles and > conversations > going on in 2021 regarding indigenous peoples, legacies of slavery , > racism and more. > > Charles Keener > > The Terrible Origins of July 4th - PopularResistance.Org > <https://popularresistance.org/the-terrible-origins-of-july-4th/> > > THE TERRIBLE ORIGINS OF JULY 4TH > By Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report > <https://www.blackagendareport.com/freedom-rider-terrible-origins-july-4th> > July 3, 2021 > | EDUCATE! <https://popularresistance.org/educate/> > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#9674): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/9674 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/83976790/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. #4 Do not exceed five posts a day. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/8674936/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
