- Published: September 28, 2022
- Updated: September 28, 2022
- University / College: Université Laval
- Level: Secondary School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 13
The paper ” To Make Them Stand in Fear: Slaveowning in the South” is an excellent example of an essay on history. ‘ To Make Them Stand in Fear Slaveowning in the South” portrays a truly harrowing chapter in American history. It begins by pointing out the illusion of myth and how many Americans think of a charming, refined Dixie when the reality was much harsher. Slaves in this era were human cattle to be bought and sold, hunted by dogs, and beaten like animals. Many slaveowners had no concern whatsoever for the personal lives of slaves, and families were often torn asunder by the trade. Slaves were less than human and the law permitted them to be traded and hunted. This was part of the economy that so many southern states were founded on. The chapter also makes a very important point about the end of slavery. Slavery may well have continued to exist in the south had the Civil War not put an end to it—there was no other reason to stop it. I personally found this essay shocking. It is so hard to imagine this version of America that is so different than the one I see around me every day. The idea that even with the U. S. Constitution guaranteeing freedom to people there were still people in chains in America is a very painful thing to think about. Not enough has been told about this sorry era. Even in the movies and books, it is hard to convey much of the cruelty of represented in this chapter. The painting of the slave fighting off dogs with an axe is especially horrifying. To think that people used to live this way reminds us how vigilant we must be to protect human rights for everyone.