An Overview of the Antebellum Period in American History

By 1830, the authorities were successful in their efforts to establish slavery in the South, where it adopted various forms. African Americans became slaves in large plantations, small firms, in towns, in cities, in residential areas, in the transportation sector> in the fields, and others The Antebellum is used to illustrate the social, economic, cultural, and political conditions of the black population during their years of slavery. The period is a historical stage (1820-1860), which presented a sense of prosperity and socio-cultural development for a majority of Tennessee dwellers.

Economic Conditions The Antebellum is a term used to describe the conditions that were rampant in Tennessee before the eruption of the Civil War. Towns and cities became centers of trade as a result, as steam and rail boats promoted the accumulation of people into communities. There was increasing prosperity amongst the black populations in various ways.

For instance, there were artists, both trained and untrained, who were able to secure a market for their products since the rising upper and middle classes asked them to paint their portraits Tailors, silversmiths, gunsmiths, and other craft experts established their shops in towns and cities.

Tennessee exhibits made firearms, silver, quilts, and many other things to signify this prosperity, Social and Cultural Conditions.  The Tennessee population majorly comprised of African-Americans, who made up to 17% of the entire population. They arrived in the region long before it gained the status of statehood and led their lives both as free citizens and as slaves with a set of limited rights (a crucial reason for the cold war).

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As such, while some blacks resided in the state as free citizens, others were only able to survive there as slaves (forced labor without compensation aside from food, shelter, and clothing) About one-fifth of the population was not able to share in the socio-economic prosperity of the state.

These were the slaves who were greatly limited when it came to controlling their own lives As a result, there were significant rifts amongst the social classes, with the upper class comprising of extremely economically able members who could afford almost anything They were the ones who controlled slave trade and initiated the laws and policies to coordinate its Political Conditions The rise of slavery promoted the growth of political assertiveness and liberation movements amongst the black community Those who were subjected to forced labor united in a common cause of fighting against social and economic inequality. These initiatives commenced as calls for compensation and social inclusion but gradually grew to the point of becoming the Civil War, Political tension was particularly high during the Antebellum period because of denial of political and social freedom towards a section of the population State Role in Reform.

The state played a significant role in the reform agenda surrounding the Antebellum period by providing a political platform for changing labor laws. It supported the rise of public knowledge and information by introducing a newspaper in 1830 called ”The Penny Paper” that played the role of sensitizing people against the evils of slavery. The newspaper was a great stride in journalism as it made literacy and news more accessible to the masses. Conclusion The Antebellum period is a historical stage (1820-1860), which presented a sense of prosperity and socio-cultural development for a majority of Tennessee dwellers. While some African-Americans lived in the region as free citizens, others existed as slaves, being denied their political, social, cultural, and economic freedom.