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this post was submitted on 02 Jun 2024
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It wasn't just the cotton gin though.
I don't think the founding fathers realized the sheer agricultural potential of the country, especially if you compare the size of the country's territory to that of what it would be by the Civil War.
Then there's their backgrounds from the British, where an abolitionist movement had already existed for quite some time and the fact that the British were already industrializing and needed slavery even less. Great Britain was fairly liberal in general, so I'm sure that had a lot of influence on the founding father's viewpoints. For context, during the Final Act of the Congress of Vienna in 1815 Castlereagh the main British representative managed to sneak in a handful of statements on slavery, suggesting the other powers should eventually end the practice. This was more so to impress the British people due to the current on-goings of British politics, but it's still only 30ish years after American Independence.
That's an interesting point, about the Founders under appreciating the land itself.
I'm not sure what you were arguing with the second point, about the liberalism of the British. Are you suggesting the British abolitionist ideas influenced the Founders towards abolitionism?
You're right, though, it wasn't just the Cotton Gin. There were a number of factors, and the Founders limited knowledge effected their reasoning. Again, there were also the slavers amongst them, who actively advocated for the maintenance of the system of slavery.
Absolutely. Although we parted ways with the British you can't deny the roots from where we originated. Especially when you look at the founders who were of the first generation during the severed connection.
Of course, as we carved out more of an identity for ourselves some of those roots and beliefs seem to have diminished.