georgephillip
Diamond Member
How much of the historical events we celebrate today stem from colonial fears that England was about to outlaw slavery?
" We should understand that July 4th, 1776, in many ways, represents a counterrevolution.
"That is to say that what helped to prompt July 4th, 1776, was the perception amongst European settlers on the North American mainland that London was moving rapidly towards abolition.
"This perception was prompted by Somerset’s case, a case decided in London in June 1772 which seemed to suggest that abolition, which not only was going to be ratified in London itself, was going to cross the Atlantic and basically sweep through the mainland, thereby jeopardizing numerous fortunes, not only based upon slavery, but the slave trade."
“Counter-Revolution of 1776”: Was U.S. Independence War a Conservative Revolt in Favor of Slavery? | Democracy Now!
" We should understand that July 4th, 1776, in many ways, represents a counterrevolution.
"That is to say that what helped to prompt July 4th, 1776, was the perception amongst European settlers on the North American mainland that London was moving rapidly towards abolition.
"This perception was prompted by Somerset’s case, a case decided in London in June 1772 which seemed to suggest that abolition, which not only was going to be ratified in London itself, was going to cross the Atlantic and basically sweep through the mainland, thereby jeopardizing numerous fortunes, not only based upon slavery, but the slave trade."
“Counter-Revolution of 1776”: Was U.S. Independence War a Conservative Revolt in Favor of Slavery? | Democracy Now!