African Americans in the Revolutionary War

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African Americans in the Revolutionary War
By Krystal James Zach
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Two Major Factors Were of Primary Importance

• The basic framework of the black community was
  created during the revolutionary war.
• The pattern of black response to the American way
  was cemented.

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• The way slaves responded to the white community
  changed greatly during the era of the
  Revolutionary War.

• Thousands of slaves were denied the right of
  protecting their country because of fears of a
  revolt.

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Many people of the time owned slaves. Even
General Washington himself owned a slave who
fought along his side in the Revolution. He was
one of the first supporters of Blacks in the war.

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The Brits were the first country to allow blacks
in the war.
However, Due to the shortage of American soldiers
in the war Patriots finally allowed slaves in the
war.
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Many northern states said that if slaves fought
in the war they should be freed. This angered
southerners who wanted to keep their slaves.
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There were a total of 25,000 African American
soldiers fighting in the revolutionary war. The
Revolution was the most racially integrated war
ever.
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Approximately one third of General Washingtons
army were African Americans. Nearly 1,000
runaway slaves fought for Britain in hopes that
King George would free them following the war.
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The continental congress prohibited new black
recruits, But did allow veterans from other wars
to fight with American forces.
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The first African American to die fighting for
independence was Crispus Attucks who died during
the now infamous Boston Massacre.
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Many African Americans received large tracts of
land as a compensation for fighting in the war.
More than 10 black soldiers got tracts of 100
acres.
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The white fight for freedom gave many African
American slaves hope that they would be freed as
well.
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The American Revolution was the largest slave
revolt of the 18th century. More than 500 slaves
tried to escape during the course of the war.
Some slaves even tried to massacre the families
that owned them.
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Many blacks fought
during the Revolutionary war. However, they
werent fighting in the war. They were fighting
for the right to fight in the war.
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Many African Americans gave their lives for a
valiant cause. But in the end the freedoms they
fought so hard to earn were denied of them anyway.
A sad sad cause
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Bibliogrophy
cc.colorado.edu/dept/HY/HY234ruiz/research/revolut
ion www.afrigenas.com/forum-military/index.cgi?nof
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