Ian Horkan
ERH-206WX
COL. BALL
12/1/14
Reflective Tag
Over the course of the past few weeks where I have been compiling this scrapbook, one thing I grew to appreciate was just how much of a cultural force slavery was in the nineteenth century. It permeated every aspect of American life in a way that nothing can compare to today. It divided the nation in a way that is unfathomable to us and would eventually lead to the bloodiest conflict in our history. What is particularly interesting is how both sides of the debate used the Bible to back their stances up. It was peculiar to see how two radically different interpretations could be drawn from the exact same piece of literature. Additionally, it was also interesting to learn about just how successful Slave Narratives were both commercially, where they sold extremely well, and politically where they helped to galvanize northerners into supporting the abolitionist movement. Their influence on the abolitionist movement, which would in turn help to create the Republican Party, can still be felt today. Even after slavery ended it was shocking to see how it still had an effect on American mind and culture. Even today where we can seethe traces of the slave conflict still brewing, it was interesting to look back and study where it all started.