--11--
NORTH AND SOUTH
In theyear 18 10 the rewere7."2millionpeopleillthe
UnitedStates.For1.2millio nofthesepeopleth e
wordsofth eDec larationofIndependence" tha t all men
a rccr eat edeq ual"were far fro mtrue. Theywere
blackandtheyw ereslave s.
Thomas j efferso n, wh o w ro tetheDeclaration of
Independence,ownedsla veshimself.So did George
Washingto nan dotherleade rso f t hemovement for
Americanindepe n den ceand freedom.Borhjcffcrson
andWashin g to n h adun eas y consciencesaboutthis.
13mo therbiglandow ner s in southernstates suchas
Virgmia defendedslavery. T hey askedwhat th ey
thoughtwasanunanswera b lequestion .Howcould
th e ycu lt i va t etheirfields oftobacco, ri ceandcotton
w ithout sla veworkers?
44
In the northoft heU n i te dStat esfarm sweres m aller
andth e climate was cooler.Farmerstheredidno t
needs lav es toworktheland fo r th e m.Some
northerner soppos edslavery fo rmorala ndreligio us
reasonsalso.Manywerea bo litio nists -thatis,people
whowantedto e n do r a bolish slaveryb ylaw.13yt he
earlynineteenthcentur ym a ny northe rn stat es had
passedlawsa bolishin g slaveryinsid etheirown
boundari es.In 1808 th eyalsopers ua ded Congressto
m ake it illegalfo r shipsto b ringan ynewslavesfrom
A fricaintotheU n itedState s.
B y th e 1820ssouther na ndnorthe r npoliticiansw er e
arguin g fiercelyabou t w he t h e r s laver y shou ldbe
permitt ed inthene w terr ito riest hat werethenbeing
settledIIIt heWest. T heargumentcentered on the