Washington
Can you believe it??? Washington, the first president of the United States, who represented freedom, democracy, independence, and independence in the Western world, was actually a champion of slavery, and he himself was a slave owner.
Washington was born into a wealthy family to a large farmer. At the age of 11, Washington could inherit his father's 10 slaves according to his father's will. By the time Washington was 27, he had 36 slaves. According to the concept at that time, having more than 20 slaves was a big slave owner.
In 1759, after the wealthy widow Martha Dandridge Castis married Washington, the number of their slaves reached its peak. Washington's new wife brought more than 80 slaves to Mount Vernon. On the eve of the American Revolutionary War, nearly 150 slaves were counted as private property of the Washington couple. These possessions and slaves also made Washington the great local slave owner.
Subsequently, Washington began to buy a large amount of land, expanding the size of its own plantations, and further purchasing more slaves for plantation labor. In order to defend his own interests, he was a staunch advocate of slavery, even after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
Black slaves
1775 Two days after the American Revolutionary War, George Washington advertises an advertisement in a virginia town offering a reward for the capture of 10 fugitive slaves. Including two black slaves; and eight white slaves.
In April 1789, Washington became the first president of the United States. The plantation owner who became president not only allowed the existence of black slavery, but also used a large number of slaves himself. In order to maintain his wealth, lifestyle, and reputation, Washington needed slaves to work for him.
Manuscript of Washington's List of Slaves
Washington thought hard about the survival of slavery. As he grew older, he also became aware of the backwardness of slavery and the shackles of the country's economic development.
But at that time, the United States, especially the southern states, had a firm support for slavery, but for the stability of the new United States, Washington could only turn a blind eye to the existence of slavery, and until he died, he did not dare to offend the interests of the great slave owners.
Washington died of illness
Washington died of illness on December 14, 1799. In his will, he said: "If my wife dies, I want all the slaves I have full authority to be free... Therefore, I am opposed to the sale or shipment of slaves in my possession to foreign countries for any reason. And I solemnly and vehemently ask my executor... It is understood that these provisions concerning slaves, and any serious changes he makes subsequently, should be implemented sparingly, without excuse and in a timely manner. "All old and infirm slaves" should be supported by my heirs and live comfortably. Young slaves should also be raised until adulthood (25 years of age) and taught to read and write and "acquire some sort of useful skill."
The will frightened Martha not lightly, because she was afraid that the slaves would design to murder her in order to be free soon, so on the day of Washington's death, she ordered the release of all his slaves. This act of self-preservation has earned her some good reputation.
Washington's life, and the life of a slave, is undoubtedly his black history.
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