nists to allow blacks to fight for the local militias and even the army.Serving in the Revolutionary War enabled many slaves to earn their freedom, but to their dismay, not equality. Although blacks served in segregated units, the military gave them opportunity to gain respect through acts of courage and valor. Black soldiers like Salem Poor gained respect from white men. Lemuel Haynes used his military experience to fight for abolition of slavery by writing the essay “Liberty Further Extended.” This essay speaks about inalienable rights for blacks and a natural rights argument against slavery (Blacks in the American Army). The Revolutionary ideals also gave impetus to the abolition of slavery in the North, but slavery became more entrenched in the south.The military reverted to its policy disallowing blacks to serve once the war ended, with the navy being the only exception. The reason the navy remained open to blacks was simply due to necessity. The living conditions on the ships were so horrible that most white males chose not to serve. During times of peace when large military units weren’t necessary blacks were systematically disqualified from service.Civil WarThe life of a Black American in the Civil War Era was a continuation of hardship from the toils of slavery to the segregation of the free black man. The life of the slave during the Civil War Era worsened since the Revolutionary War. The war took most able-bodied white men away from the home, thus increasing the work for slaves. Male slaves were taken from the plantations to support the Southern Army’s war effort. Slaves were severely beaten and worked long hard hours in the cotton fields. They were treated as property rather than people and therefore very little medical attention was given to them. The onset of the American Civil War once again gave rise to the fear of wholesale rebellion of slaves in the South. Politicians, however, were...
