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African Americans in The Civil and Spanish American Wars

Uploaded by spootyhead on Apr 18, 2007

African Americans in The Civil and Spanish American Wars


African Americans were not always a major part of the Armed Forces. They were not a big factor in the military until the Civil War, when The Emancipation Proclamation opened the door full-fledged for Blacks to participate in the military. Both black slaves and freemen saw this opportunity to serve in the military as a chance to relinquish their chains and to help the nation develop as a whole. There was widespread resistance by whites on both the Union and Confederate sides in accepting Blacks as part of the military. Blacks joined the military for a variety of different reasons including challenge, education, manliness, job opportunity, and to escape living conditions. By the time The Spanish-American War came in 1898, African Americans were already participating in the military. When the U.S. beat the Spanish they received Spain’s colonies. This sets up the initial stage of the U.S.’s Empire. This essay will tell prove that with the help of African Americans the U.S. military is stronger as a whole, as shown in the Civil War and Spanish American War.

Leadership and honor were some of the prime reasons that African-Americans wanted to serve in the U. S. Military. When the island of CUBA was seeking its independence from SPAIN in 1898, the black military units were ready to serve. It took the explosion of the American battleship, the U. S. S. Maine, killing 260 Americans (22 which were black) on February 15, 1898 in Havana Harbor that the United States a reason for declaring war. The preparation for the war was fast, and on April 24, 1898 declared war on Spain. Congress also activated ten regiments of all black troops. Only four of the regiments saw action in the short war. It was no surprise, under the circumstances, that among the first units ordered to Cuba were the four black regiments. They were selected primarily on the basis of recent experience and their record on the Plains, but there was also the judgment of the War Department that blacks were immune to the diseases of the tropics and capable of more activity in high, humid temperatures. This thinking resulted in an effort to recruit blacks for the war. The soldiers themselves welcomed the opportunity to demonstrate their qualities and win respect for their race. These regiments were vital parts in...

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Uploaded by:   spootyhead

Date:   04/18/2007

Category:   American

Length:   3 pages (753 words)

Views:   4597

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