What role did slavery play in California's history? (Colin and Jack) by Jack Bartlett

Government Against Free Blacks

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:30:28 UTC

California's first governor Peter Burnett stated his anti-free black beliefs, "It could be no favor, and no kindness, to permit free Blacks to settle in the State, [...], the object is to keep them out."

California Slave Policy

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:31:59 UTC

After heated debates on a contested subject, California decided to ban slavery when government was formed

Citizens agree

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:36:22 UTC

many delegates including anti slavery ones advocated for free blacks to be banned from California during the constitutional convention, and it was seriously considered to be put in, and miners who feared the competition either drove blacks out of town or subjected them to segregation

Black voting

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:42:17 UTC

The free soil party voted down black suffrage in the party

Los Angeles Slave Market

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:45:29 UTC

A current federal courthouse was a flourishing slave market that sold Native Californians by auction from 1850-1870

Slavery of California Indians not Completely Outlawed

jackbartlett5 — 2023-10-31 16:48:02 UTC

California Legislature passed an indentured servitude and apprentice law that applied only to California Indians

Act for the Government and Protection of Indians

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:50:16 UTC

Made it legal to enslave Natives charged with loitering or public drinking, even though they were paid with alcohol. They had to work until their debt was paid, whatever that means.

Native Rights

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:51:54 UTC

Natives could not become citizens, vote or testify in court.

Their population in LA dropped from 3,693 to 219 between 1850 and 1870

Justification of Native Labour

jackbartlett5 — 2023-10-31 16:52:45 UTC

-An Indian could be declared "vagrant" and be forced to work

-If an Indian was found to break a law and could not pay the fine, a white person could bail them out. In return the Indian would have to work for the white person until the fine was paid off

-A white person could bring an Indian child to court to be responsible for the "care, ...control, and earnings" of the child

Indian Population Decline

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:55:06 UTC

Roaming Indian-killer bands played a large role in reducing native population by 80%

Indian Children

jackbartlett5 — 2023-10-31 16:56:15 UTC

viewed as "valuable possessions", children were often kidnapped and sometimes brought to the south to be sold as virtual slaves

Broderick vs Terry Duel

jackbartlett5 — 2023-10-31 16:58:53 UTC

Broderick opposed slavery

Terry was an advocate for expanding slavery into California

The death of Broderick turned him into a martyr for the anti-slavery cause

Native Slaves San Francisco

colincann2 — 2023-10-31 16:59:00 UTC

These Indian-Killer groups profitted by selling native women and children

Section 18 California Constitution

jackbartlett5 — 2023-11-02 16:48:50 UTC

Section 18. Salvery is prohibited [In the state of California]. Involuntary servitude is prohibited except to punish crime

State rewards

2023-11-02 16:52:05 UTC

California often funded or rewarded indian killers

Fugitive Slave Law

jackbartlett5 — 2023-11-02 16:54:10 UTC

"When a person held to labour, [...], shall escape to this state, the person to whom such labour or service may be due, his agent or attorney, is hereby empowered to seize or arrest such fugitive from labour, [...]."

Massacre

colincann2 — 2023-11-02 16:55:27 UTC

As many as 5,617, and very likely more, natives were massacred by officially sanctioned militias and U.S. troops from the 1840s-1870s. These massacres were state sponsored

White-Only Court Systems

jackbartlett5 — 2023-11-02 16:57:39 UTC

Black codes prohibited African Americans from testifying against whites in state courts.

Vigilantes

colincann2 — 2023-11-02 16:58:09 UTC

Vigilantes killed thousands more natives