Eli Whitney's Argumentative Analysis

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America is known as the land of the free. This hasn’t always been the case though. As many of us know equality has been a trait that has been earned and fought for. It wasn’t always the social norm; it was gained over years of struggling. The first Africans ever to set foot on American soil were brought over by a Dutch slave trader who traded his 20 or so African workers for some food in Jamestown, Virginia. The division of this country was due to slavery. While the northern states fought hard for freedom the southern states fought hard for their rights as states to keep slavery legal. The reason for the differences between the North and South can be traced back to one man, Eli Whitney. Whitney did not intend to have created such a…show more content…
In a passage from usconstitution.net it explains why “As for the slave trade, for quite some time in the Convention, it was debated hotly. The states of the Deep South wanted it maintained; the North and the middle south were opposed. But alliances between states kept some of the Northern states voting with the Deep South, and any prohibition in new slave imports or import taxes were defeated. As the Convention progressed, though, it became clear to the South and her allies that some compromise would be needed. In exchange for a prohibition on export taxes, the South agreed to allow the slave trade to continue for just 20 more years, and for imported slaves to be taxable. As a side note, the very day that the slave trade could constitutionally be prohibited, it was: on January 1, 1808.” Basically it was just a compromise between the north and south that was needed to instate a Constitution. Let’s say that the slave importation had continued for years past that 1808 date. I believe that had it continued longer than the constitutional 20 year agreement that the civil war would not have happened. That state rights would become more important than a strong union. That blacks would continue to go through struggles that would be completely harsh and unbearable. Our country and the world would be totally…show more content…
At UC Davis there was a system of committees allowing entrance to medical school. There were two committees a regular one and a “special one”. The special one was made up of minorities and its intent was to allow people who had struggled financially or educationally a way into medical school without having to have the same GPA as the regular committee asked. One white applicant felt that he met the specifications of the “special” committee but continued to not be accepted. He brought this to court where the holding was found that affirmative action systems are constitutional but a system based on race is not constitutional. A landmark case was concluded. I believe that affirmative action should continue. I believe Obama should definitely support it. It gives opportunities to many people who could never have dreamed of doors to places such as law school, med school or even college to be opened to
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