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Period: to
Lives of Anthony Johnson and sons
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Anthony the Negroe acquires land in Northampton
This court case seems important because negroes could still be normal by buying land and having a family. Anthony lived up to those standards by buying his own freedom and gaining respect from white people. He broke these cultural norms aswell by owning 250 acres of land. This set the standards almost impossible to achieve and exceed, especially for his sons. Anthony the Negroe was definently a man to remember in history. -
Richard gets 50 acres of land taken from him
When Anthony Johnson died racial prejudice was beginning to take place. Like when his son had his 50 acres of land taken from him by a jury of white men. It was taken from him because Anthony was " a Negroe and by consequence an alien." They are saying that his consequence is being considered an alien and now we are giving your son's land to a local white planter. This is definently wrong because his father gave it to him and by law you aren't allowed to take it away even if he was a negro. -
Act I- Casual KIlling of Slaves
This event is important to diminishing progress because it shows when white men began to actually not care about African-Americans/slaves. I think that because they could kill or punish slaves if they did even a minor mistake. The law states that if any slave resist his master and by the extremity of the correction should chance to die, that his death shall not be felony. Also it is one of the several laws passed during the last thirty years of that century that redused negroes' rights. -
Act VII- When Negroe Children shall be Tythable
This act is an important event to show diminishing progress because they are forcing negroe children to work at a young age. The act states that Christian children shall be tythable at fourteen but if you aren't Christian your children will be tythable at twelve. This also says that if you are Christian you are still worthy of having an extra two years out of work. This law has effect on anyone that is enslaved. White men are taking the frist step to declaring africans as property. -
Chapter XXII- Slaves, Mulattos, and Indians declared Property
This act is apperantly the whites' final law. The whites are trying to let the negroes know who's boss by saying you aren't even a person anymore you are now a creature. This is an important event because it shows when slaves are declared to be property and white people can technically make them, just like furniture. -
Conclusion
This is diminishing progress because when Anthony was born you weren't considered property or a rank below white persons. Even when Anthony went to America for the first time he was respected, could hunt, and own land and a house. By 1705, white men were becoming monsters by making negroes property and stating when they would work and they could be killed if there was an error in their work. I'm glad the economy now isreasonable.
