Race; The Power Of An Illusion Part 2 Notes

Race; The Power of an Illusion Part 2 Notes

 Declaration of Independence: Makes the claim “All Men are Created Equal…”

 If all men are equal, how do we explain enslaving blacks? How do we justify unequal treatment?

 The “story of race” is created to further political and economic goals

 T. Jefferson was a slave owner… wrote that he had “a suspicion” that blacks were a distinct, inferior race to whites

 How can USA (and Jefferson) promote “freedom, liberty, and justice for all…” while supporting slavery…

 Why support slavery? Because of intense need for labor

 In early colonies, religion ( whether you were Christian or not) and wealth determined your position in society (feudalism, natural order ∆ )

 Social hierarchy: levels of society from lowest to highest (blue bloods to peasants)

 Sources of labor in English colonies:

1. Native Americans: died from disease, ran away

2. Poor whites: as indentured servants (indenture: contract) want to get land… can run away and blend in, need to replace labor every 7 years, protected by English law, supply running out

3. Africans: seen as answer to labor problem.. Inexhaustible supply, skin color makes them stand out, resistant to disease, already farmers o Trans-Atlantic Slave trade o Laws (statute) begins to use the term “white” instead of Christian o Slavery is inheritable: status of slavery is passed down father to son o Inherent: inborn, born with, innate o Overseers: poor whites whose job was to force slaves to work, had POWER over slaves o Patrollers/ slave catchers: o Slavery leads to growing hatred between poor whites and blacks o Only 25% (1/4) of whites owned slaves in the South (need wealth) o Africans now viewed as different people, race o Unofficial “bargain” struck between rich whites and poor whites… just being “white” gave you status, above all blacks o Slavery is a “natural state” for blacks (natural order, God’s plan) o Early in colonial history, Indians “natural state” was free, warriors defending their lands o Indians were really “white”, not separate race but separate culture, free people, “noble savage” o Savages, hunters and gatherers that could be “civilized” o Most Indian peoples pushed West or killed by war and disease o Cheapest, easiest way to avoid war with Indians and acquire their land: “civilize” the Indians, make them “white”, speak English, be Christian, become farmers, forbid music, dance, religion o Cultural genocide: destroying a people’s culture, wiping out language, religion, etc. o Later in history: Western Indian children sent to Carlisle Indian School, forced to assimilate, cut hair, take “white” names, become Christian, beat for speaking their language or practicing their religion (cultural genocide) o Convert Indians from hunter gatherers to farmers on small plots of land (rest of Indian land goes to whites as “surplus”) o Jefferson believes Indians can be “civilized” not blacks o Jefferson calls on science to “prove” blacks are inferior to whites o Science and slavery reinforce idea of racism o Begin to follow idea that all whites had inherent (inherited, innate) qualities in common… looked the same, same language, culture, ideas o Purchase of Louisiana Territory (doubles size of US) and additional LAND propels North America into “racial spotlight” o Problem: westward expansion (Manifest Destiny) is onto Indian Land o Wealth is rooted in LAND- planter class (old feudal lords) o White people want/need land but Indians “owned” the land o 5 Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, & Seminole… Assimilated into American culture, became Christian, spoke English, had plantations and slaves, dressed and lived like Americans, etc. o Cherokee started their own alphabet, newspaper, government and constitution o Ceded to give up land, to hand over your land to another body o USA changing, peasant class (feudalism) needs LAND to move up in class… Indians have the land, racism grows, should be “white” land o 5 Tribes sitting on the best farmland in South, whites wanted their land o Gold found on 5 Civilized tribes land… poor whites “invaded” land.. wanted Indians out o Georgia legislature claims Cherokee land by “law” “She (Georgia) must have these lands and she will have them” o Cherokee vs. Georgia: Supreme Court cases, Cherokee win decision over Georgia, Pres Jackson refuses to enforce the ruling saying “(Chief Justice) John Marshall made his decision, let him enforce it” o Pres. Jackson promising land in the South to poor whites (for votes), move Indians beyond Mississippi River (Louisiana Purchase) o USA becoming more “race based”, only whites can use and protect the land and be “proper citizens” o Nationalism: excessive, patriotic love of your country to the point where all other cultures are wrong, only your country is right and can do no wrong o America is white; RACE determines if you are American or not o Pres Jackson believes Indians have “no intelligence, industry, moral habits, or desire for improvement, Indians “must yield (get out of the way) to the superior (white) race and disappear o Jackson vilified (hated as a villain) by native Americans o Jackson believes Indians should not “become white”, should embrace their Indianess and exist far apart from white Americans o President A. Jackson forces passage of Indian Removal Act, a federal law forcing the 5 Civilized Tribes to give up their land to whites and move beyond the Mississippi River o Trail of Tears: forced march of Southern Indians off their land , thousands die (Jews on forced marches during Holocaust) Use of concentration camps o Forced Relocation by gunpoint, like Jews during Holocaust o Who could be civilized? Who could be white? As Americans moved West, only WHITES can be civilized o Homesteaders: whites moving west to settle on Indian land o Later, as poor whites move west (Homesteaders), come into direct contact with Indians, wanted their land, hated them, saw as murderous savages stopping peaceful whites from settling on the land o US government passes Dawes Act: Federal law “awards” Indian families 500 acres of land each, declares all leftover Indian land “surplus” land to be given to whites o Answer: exterminate or wipe out the Indians, drive the rest out onto reservations o Mexican war: USA provokes war to gain additional land in Texas, and west into New Mexico, Clifornia, etc. o Mexicans labeled a mongrel race, same as Native Americans, “mere Indians”… fulfills Manifest Destiny o The West is for “Whites Alone” o Use of science again the “prove” white superiority over Indians, Mexicans, etc. … belief that science can explain all o Abolitionists: blacks and whites actively working to end slavery, Frederick Douglass most famous o “slavery question”… should slavery be allowed to expand into western territories? o Abolition vs. expansion o Use of science: Agassiz: are people the same or did they come from different species? If Christians believe in Adam and Eve, then there is only one species… o Sam Morton: had largest skull collection, believed in innate differences among humans, studied skull size and brain size, decided that: White Americans were the best, then English, French, … the lowest were Indians and blacks o Southern slave owners loved new science, slaves can’t exist in free, white society because science proves blacks are inferior race o Ultimate defense of slavery: blacks as inferior race o Enslaving black people doesn’t violate American Democratic ideals.. “All men are created equal” doesn’t apply to blacks because they are “scientifically” inferior o Agassiz changes belief, distinct races are “obvious”, changes belief in unity of race because of racism o “Types of Mankind” book written by Agassiz and Nott, believes that each race has “separate destinies”, some are born to rule, some are born to be ruled… two separate, distinct races cannot exist as equals o (White) Americans are NOT greedy, NOT treating Indians, blacks as inferior and stealing Mexican lands… It’s God’s will, (natural order), bound to happen, “science” proves whites are better, fundamentally, biologically different o Dred Scott decision: Supreme Court rules, blacks are NOT citizens of the USA , have “no rights the white man is bound to respect” … can’t sue in court, not protected by Constitution o Precedent: Supreme Court ruling that must be followed like it’s a law (Roe v. Wade and abortion) o Jefferson “not sure” of inferiority …. Now it’s accepted “fact” with “deep irrevocable gulfs” between the races (whites and blacks) o Conflict over slavery leads to Civil War o Border States: states that held slaves but remained loyal to the Union o 13th amendment: frees the slaves and abolishes slavery o Once slaves are free, “What do we (The USA) do with blacks?” Remove from USA and give them their own land? Return them to Africa? Colonization outside the USA? o Lincoln turns to “experts” like Agassiz for advice o Race Question…slavery over but the rationalization for slavery remains (racism)… what do we do with inferior blacks? o “Beware what rights you give to blacks incapable of living on equal footing” endanger the progress of whites o Caricatures: exaggerated portraits of people, usually emphasizing their perceived racial differences… “teach” Americans about “other” peoples o Whiteness begins to unify Americans based on RACE o You may be poor and miserable, but you’re still white and therefore better than other “races” o RACE as a national identity, to be white is to be American o “White Man’s Burden” poem by Rudyard Kipling… white man’s job to “take care” of the lesser, colored races… natural order, God’s plan o Change from Feudal society where status was based on landed, wealth, rich vs. poor…. Now, WHITE is right, you may be poor but you’re still WHITE o Monthly magazines… “teach” Americans about race, articles by scientific “expert” illustrated by cartoon caricatures… teach and reinforce racial stereotypes o Spanish-American War: US goes to war with Spain to acquire islands for naval bases to expand their growing international, naval power… Imperialism, empire building… US takes Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines from Spain o USA justifies taking these islands by using the idea of the White Man’s Burden, role of the USA is to “civilize” these “little brown people”, USA destined to rule because whites are superior o Paternalism: treating adult peoples like they were children that need cared for, disciplined, etc. o World’s Fairs: periodic displays of scientific achievement, carnival attractions, amusement park rides, etc….. held every couple of years to showcase American achievement… displays reinforce racial attitudes, further “proving” the superiority of the white race, show the “White Man’s Burden” and justify American imperialism o Imperialism: stronger nations conquering or controlling weaker nations (US takeover of Guam, Cuba, Philippines) empire building o World’s Fair showed that US is better than the dark races, shows how civilized whites are o The “highway of human progress” whites are in the fast lane, non-whites are being passed by o RACE becomes the most important part of national life… being American is being white…