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Slaveholders At The Helm Of American Foreign Policy

Forrest Reed

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Published in This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders At The Helm Of American Foreign Policy

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The history of American foreign policy is often told as a story of westward expansion and the pursuit of Manifest Destiny. But there is another, less well-known story to be told, a story of how slaveholders used their power and influence to shape the nation's foreign policy to protect and promote their interests.

This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy

by Matthew Karp

4.7 out of 5

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From the founding of the republic to the Civil War, slaveholders played a major role in shaping American foreign policy. They served as presidents, secretaries of state, and ambassadors. They dominated Congress and the Supreme Court. And they used their power to promote policies that would benefit their own interests, such as the expansion of slavery into new territories and the protection of the slave trade.

The role of slaveholders in American foreign policy has been largely ignored by historians. But it is a story that needs to be told. It is a story that helps us to understand how the institution of slavery shaped the course of American history.

The Slave Power Conspiracy

In the years leading up to the Civil War, there was a growing belief among abolitionists and other antislavery activists that there was a "slave power conspiracy" at work in the United States. This conspiracy, they argued, was led by a group of wealthy and powerful slaveholders who were determined to expand slavery into new territories and to protect the slave trade.

There is no doubt that there were slaveholders who advocated for expansion and the protection of slavery. But the evidence does not support the claim that there was a single, organized conspiracy. Rather, the slave power was a loose coalition of individuals and groups who shared a common interest in preserving and expanding the institution of slavery.

The slave power conspiracy was a powerful force in American politics. It was able to block antislavery legislation, to promote the expansion of slavery into new territories, and to protect the slave trade. But it was ultimately defeated by the Union victory in the Civil War.

The Foreign Policy of the Slave Power

The foreign policy of the slave power was designed to protect and promote the interests of slaveholders. This policy was based on the following principles:

The expansion of slavery into new territories. Slaveholders believed that the expansion of slavery was essential to the survival of the institution. They argued that slavery was a positive good and that it should be spread to new territories.
The protection of the slave trade. Slaveholders believed that the slave trade was essential to the maintenance of slavery. They argued that the trade was necessary to replace the slaves who died or escaped.
The suppression of antislavery movements. Slaveholders believed that antislavery movements were a threat to the institution of slavery. They used their power to suppress these movements, both at home and abroad.

The foreign policy of the slave power was successful in achieving its goals. Slaveholders were able to expand slavery into new territories, protect the slave trade, and suppress antislavery movements. But this policy also led to the Civil War, which ultimately destroyed the institution of slavery.

The Legacy of the Slave Power

The legacy of the slave power is a complex and controversial one. Some historians argue that the slave power was a force for evil, that it was responsible for the Civil War and the deaths of millions of Americans. Others argue that the slave power was a product of its time, that it was simply reflecting the values and beliefs of the society in which it existed.

Whatever one's view of the slave power, there is no doubt that it played a major role in American history. Its legacy is still felt today, in the ongoing debate over race and equality in the United States.

The story of slaveholders at the helm of American foreign policy is a complex and often disturbing one. But it is a story that needs to be told. It is a story that helps us to understand how the institution of slavery shaped the course of American history.

The legacy of the slave power is still with us today. We can see it in the ongoing debate over race and equality in the United States. But we can also see it in the many positive changes that have been made in the years since the Civil War. The abolition of slavery, the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and the election of Barack Obama as president are all signs of progress. But there is still much work to be done. The legacy of the slave power is a reminder that the fight for equality is not over.

This Vast Southern Empire: Slaveholders at the Helm of American Foreign Policy

by Matthew Karp

4.7 out of 5