Drawing from chapter 4 in both African American Odyssey and Many Rivers Cross, write an essay in response to the following prompt. Your essay should be between 3-4 pages (750-1000 words) in length and supported only by sources we covered in class, which means no outside sources are to be used as evidence for your essay. Good organization is essential for the successful completion of this assignment. To put it simply, your essay needs a beginning (with a clearly articulated thesis), middle, and an end, or, in other words, an introduction, body, and conclusion. I’d recommend that, before writing, prepare an outline and make notes about what you will say in your essay.
Write an essay that addresses how the coming of the American Revolution changed circumstances for African Americans, both enslaved and free. What were some far-reaching implications of the intellectual and political leadership that African Americans exercised during this period, and how did they push themselves closer to freedom? What specific choices did many make in pursuit of freedom? Describe those forces in American society after the war that worked in the interest of freedom and those that worked in the interest of slavery. How does the recognition of the African American experience in the era of the American Revolution inform your understanding of this moment in American history?