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Question: History question about george washington!.!.!.PLEASE help!!?
So tomorrow I have to write an in-class essay answering this question: As a Virginia planter, George Washington owned hundreds of humans while representing freedom and independence to so many people!. How did he handle this American Revolution-era paradox!?!?

Can you guys please help me come up with some ideas on what to write about!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I suggest reading through the attached, it seems an excellent discussion of Washington's views on slavery, and his understanding of the system and its effect on both slave and slaveholder!.

I am attaching a copy of his will, which freed all his slaves upon Martha's death!.

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It was not a paradox then!. You cannot telescope time!. It was not acceptable for women to vote or hold land back then!. Not many people could read, of course there was not TV or video games!. Things were different!. Because of how things are now, that does not make them right!.
Our PC crowd, which you seem to be a part of, has gotten out of hand!.
How can you possibly apply today's standards to 200 years ago!.
You do not seem to understand that personal and human freedom are a relatively modern idea!. Read some history, not just on here, but then you may find things you don't like!.
By the way slavery is still fairly common around the world today!. I know you probably think the White Americans invented it, but that is so wrong!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

First you have to be very careful in the way you approach this question, that is, applying today’s perspective on slavery will result in an answer not realistic in the times of George Washington!.
Referring to his situation as a revolution-era paradox is putting into today’s perspectives and not the perspective of those times!. Slavery was, in those times, accepted and certainly not a paradox!.
In addition, stating that, “George Washington owned hundreds of humans” places this issue in the context which is not realistic!. While these ‘owned individuals’ were certainly humans, in those times they were not view by most people as the equivalent of those of European origins!. This perspective included most people who were anti-slavery!.

The statement of the number of slaves that he owned creates an inaccurate impression!. In is true that at the time of his death he owned 316 slaves but that number came about in a slow progression!. When he was eleven his father died and he inherited 500 acres and ten slaves!. Eleven years later as he began the serious farming of Mount Vernon he had a work force of 36 slaves!. When George Washington married Martha Custis she brought with her 20 additional slaves!. After their Marriage he purchased additional slaves and the slaves on Mount Vernon increased through marrying and raising their own families!. Farming a successful farm of 500 acres was very labor intensive and slavery was one way of accomplishing that job!.

The skilled and manual labor needed to run Mount Vernon was largely provided by slaves!. Many of the working slaves were trained in crafts such as milling, coopering, blacksmithing, carpentry, and shoemaking!. The others worked as house servants, boatmen, coachmen or field hands!. Some female slaves were also taught skills, particularly spinning, weaving and sewing, while others worked as house servants or in the laundry, the dairy, or the kitchen!. Many female slaves also worked in the fields!. Almost three-quarters of the 184 working slaves at Mount Vernon worked in the fields, and of those, about 60% were women!.
The workday for slaves was from sun-up to sun-down, six days a week!. Sunday was a day of rest!.
Although George Washington was born into a world where slavery was accepted, his attitude toward slavery changed as he grew older!. During the Revolution, as he and fellow patriots strove for liberty, Washington became increasingly conscious of the contradiction between this struggle and the system of slavery!. By the time of his presidency, he seems to have believed that slavery was wrong and against the principles of the new nation!.
As President, Washington did not lead a public fight against slavery, however, because he believed it would tear the new nation apart!. Abolition had many opponents, especially in the South!. Washington seems to have feared that if he took such a public stand, the southern states would withdraw from the Union (something they would do seventy years later, leading to the Civil War)!. He had worked too hard to build the country to risk tearing it apart!.
Privately, however, Washington could -- and did -- lead by example!. In his will, he arranged for all of the slaves he owned to be freed after the death of his wife, Martha!. He also left instructions for the continued care and education of some of his former slaves, support and training for all of the children until they came of age, and continuing support for the elderly!.
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