Earlier this year, I wrote of
John Laurens and his efforts to speak out against slavery. Tamera Kraft wrote about
abolition in early America, and then Roseanna White shared how Georgia was first seen as
opportunity to show charity to London's poor. While researching on the roots of slavery in our country for my new release,
The Rebel Bride (a Civil War story, part of Daughters of the Mayflower), I discovered murmurs that the South, despite stereotypes to the contrary, was actually at one time opposed to slavery, while it was New England merchants and ship owners who saw the trade as most lucrative. (I think my personal writing brand should be, "Exploring the Contradictions of History" ...)
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| Statue of Oglethorpe in Augusta, Georgia |
Further digging revealed that James Edward Oglethorpe, founder and trustee of the colony of Georgia, not only envisioned using the land and its resources to extend help to the less fortunate in England, while encouraging industry and trade (a somewhat brilliant idea, even if it failed in execution), but was stridently antislavery in the process. It's remarkable that together with the other Georgia Trustees he managed, at least at first, to ban slavery in the colony--and to promote fair trade with the native peoples.
Shortly after his departure for England, however, in 1744, the other trustees caved to demands to legalize slavery. Oglethorpe remained outspoken against slavery for the rest of his life, and also argued on behalf of the colonies during the American Revolution.
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For more reading:
I remember some basic facts from middle school history--that the woodlands of the north were rocky, mountainous and not conducive for expansive farming & planting, whereas,the south was. But we tend to forget the people who influenced the future of this country.
ReplyDeleteThat was part of it, true. It's just interesting to me to see all the nuances behind various issues. :-) History certainly isn't as clear-cut as we'd like it to be, is it?
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