African American History, December 7th

Today in African American history we looked at industrialization as it created a new middle class. The emergence of a middle class allowed provisions that limited voting to only landowners was lifted; all white male citizens could now vote. This angered the southerners who saw the northern voting base rise as a result.

We also looked at two laws that applied to African Americans of the North; the Black Laws and the Fugitive Slave Law. The Black laws restricted rights for African Americans in housing, voting, integration, employment, and residency. The Fugitive Slave Law allowed runaway slaves who were caught in the North to be returned to the south and handed back to the master. There were many incidents where free African Americans were kidnapped and forced into slavery as a result of the Fugitive Slave Law.