What role did slavery play in Californias history (Paxton and August) by August Maccoll

Fugitive Laws

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-01 19:40:30 UTC

Runaway slaves in california had to be returned to their owners or a warrant would be put out for their arrest (Doc 1)

Analysis: California had the same runaway laws as most other states in the US

History of Slavery in California

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-01 19:43:04 UTC

"There is a long history of indigenous slavery and forced labor in California, dating back to the early Spanish missionaries(1769-1821)

Analysis: Since Spanish missionaries sailed into California there has been forced labor and slavery

Black Codes

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-01 19:46:27 UTC

California's black codes prohibited African Americans from testifying against whites in state courts. (Doc 2)

Analysis: This made it so White people could do what they wanted to African Americans without getting in trouble.

Native Peoples

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-01 19:47:10 UTC

" At the local level, Native people in California during the Mexican period (1822-1846) were made to labor for nothing an were viewed at a subclass whose asters exploited their labor and used them as a form of currency. (Doc 4)

Analysis: Native people in California were forced laborers and were viewed as a subclass worth currency

Fugitive slave law

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-01 19:48:09 UTC

State legislature voted to extend the fugitive slave act for another year in 1853 and again in 1854. (Doc 2)

Analysis: People didn't want to deal with removing the act so they kept extending it.

The end of slavery in California

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-02 04:26:49 UTC

After the Mexican American war ended there were extensive debates on slavery. "Ultimately, though, California voters opted a constitution in 1849(before California became a state), that included a section that said: Slavery is prohibited. Involuntary servitude is prohibited except to punish crime."

Analysis: California voters opted for a constitution that outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude unless it's a punishment for a crime.

Native Americans

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:10:44 UTC

"California passed an indentured servitude law and apprentice law that only applied to California Indians."(Doc 4)

Analysis: California passed servitude and apprentice laws that only affected indigenous peoples

Gold Rush

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:13:09 UTC

The gold rush brought together people from the North who were against slavery and people from the South who supported the institution of slavery. There were also free African-American settlers, seeking their fortune, as well as enslaved African-Americans, who were forced to dig for their owner's profits. (Doc 3)

Analysis: This made the State of California a heated issue over slavery.

Indian Vagrants

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:14:08 UTC

" any Indian, merely upon the word of a citizen, might be brought into the court and declared a vagrant. Thereafter, he might be put up at auction and his services as a laborer sold to the highest bidder for a period not to exceed 4 months."(Doc 4)

Analysis: Indians were subject to both court and law biases that turned them into bonafide slaves.

Indian Apprentices

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:15:39 UTC

"The apprenticeship laws, particularly in California, made California Indian children "valuable possessions". (Doc 4)

Analysis: Laws in California made Indian children a valuable thing

Free-States

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:15:47 UTC

California entered as a free state, which was part of the Compromise of 1850. But since California had vague antislavery constitution people interpreted it in different ways.(Doc 3)

Analysis: Since people of color couldn't testify against white people they were vulnerable to a white only court system.

Runaway Indians

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:17:28 UTC

"When Indian adults and children tried t escape their circumstances, often times a public notice and reward was published in a local newspaper by their "owners"."(Doc 4)

Analysis: Indians had similar runaway laws in California to the slaves in the south

The Free Soil Party

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:18:58 UTC

"The Free Soil Party(1848-1854) made its main purpose to oppose slavery into the western territories,"(Doc 6)

Analysis: The free soil party opposed slavery in western territories

Duel in San Francisco

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:20:16 UTC

David Broderick opposed the extension of slavery. While David Terry was advocating for the extension. Brodericks gun misfired into the dirt and Terry shot him in the chest killing him. (Doc 3)

Analysis: While Broderick was on his death bed he said people opposed him because he was against slavery and a corrupt administration.

Free Soil Party Motives

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:20:28 UTC

"In contrast to abolitionists, who opposed slavery on moral grounds, most Free-Soilers opposed slavery because they felt that white laborers should not have to compete with-nor be "degraded by- the presence of black slaves in new territories."(Doc 6)

Analysis: The free soil party didn't believe in slavery due to the fact that it gave white laborers a disadvantage in work oppurtunities

Ban of Black people in CA

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:23:52 UTC

Burnet said "It could be no favor, and no kindness, to permit free blacks to settle in the state." And many people in the state agreed with him.

(Doc 5)

Analysis: This was a speech that was said after California decided to ban slavery. Even though slavery was banned people made sure Free Black people didn't try to migrate to California.

Slaughter of Indians

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:26:38 UTC

"The slaughter of California Indians was rapid and even by the grim standards in North America."(Doc 8)

Analysis: The slaughter of California Indians was quick and gruesome

Slave Markets

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:27:37 UTC

On the main street in LA, there was a slave market. Native Californians were sold at auctions. (Doc 7)

Analysis: Where the slave market was, Its now the site of federal courthouse in LA.

Was Indian Slaughter a genocide

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:29:07 UTC

"Nearly genocidal in their consequences the mass murders raise the question: Did they constitute genocide by official definition. madley, a professor of history at the University of California , Los Angeles, thinks so." (Doc 8)

Analysis: Some people believe California committed a genocide in their murder of Indians

Not a genocide?

augustmaccoll2 — 2023-11-03 19:30:55 UTC

"The label "genocide" ultimately obscures the decentralized and populist nature of killings that involved thousands of Americans, high and low in society." (Doc 8)

Analysis: Many people believe Californias murder of Indians is incorrectly labeled a genocide

Act for the Government and Protection of Indians

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:33:17 UTC

The act made it legal for whites to enslave Natives who were charged with loitering or public drinking. Local ranchers and vineyard owners would pay their Native Californian workers with alcohol, which then encouraged public drinking and lead to them getting arrested. Then employers who wanted cheap labor would pay their bail and they would have to work until their debt was paid. (Doc 7)

Analysis: The Natives were tricked into slavery because they were paid in alcohol and if they were drunk in public they would get arrested and put into slavery.

Hastings College of the Law

paxtonmiller3 — 2023-11-03 19:37:25 UTC

The founder Mr. Hasting, was one of the wealthiest men in California in that era and the state's first chief justice. He masterminded one set of massacres that killed about 5,617 Native people. (Doc 9)

Analysis: They are deciding whether to change the name because of the horrible things that the founder did.