| America was founded through open acts of | | | | Rebellion waas necessary because it drove the |
| rebellion by all different sorts of rebels. | | | | national idea and the knowledge not only of the |
| Is rebellion necessary? | | | | monumental significance of the actions to be |
| Throughout American nation has fought against | | | | undertaken, but also the impact of a free |
| oppression to gain freedom and independence. | | | | democracy. For instance, Master Hugh in "My |
| The one of the major forms of this struggle was | | | | Bondage and My Freedom" says that: "knowledge |
| rebellion. Taking into account historical | | | | unfits a child to be a slave." I [Douglas] instinctively |
| development of American nation, causes and | | | | assented to the proposition; and from that |
| effects of rebellions it is evident that rebellion was | | | | moment I understood the direct pathway from |
| a very effective way of open acts used by | | | | slavery to freedom" (Douglas, Chapter 10). |
| slaves and insurgents. The main purpose of the | | | | Rebellions could be seen as a school for those |
| paper is to examine the role of rebellion in | | | | who did not know the rules of strategic tactics |
| American history. | | | | and planning. Like uneducated people, most rioters |
| In general, the aim of rebellion was to fight for | | | | studied how "to read and write" the tactics of |
| freedom, equal rights and antislavery legislation. On | | | | fight and struggle. |
| the one hand, it helped to attract attention of | | | | In the movie "Amistad", Stephen Spielberg |
| masses to social problems such as injustice and | | | | portrays a slave revolt of 1839 on the ship in the |
| oppression. For instance, Frederick Douglas depicts | | | | Caribbean and the trials to revolt on U.S. soil. This |
| the "rebellion" of a person who strives for better | | | | movie shows that people werelocked by whites |
| days. Douglas described his experience as: "We | | | | who controlled them and suppressed. For this ship, |
| were all in open rebellion, that morning. Caroline | | | | rebellion was the only possible way to free |
| answered the command of her master to "take | | | | themselves and their comrades. Rebellion was a |
| hold of me," precisely as Bill had answered, but in | | | | kind of an obligation to fight and to protect their |
| her it was at greater peril so to answer" (Chpater | | | | dignity and self-esteem. |
| 17). | | | | For rioters, rebellion meant absence of restrictions |
| Rebellion was necessary because it led to | | | | and compulsions, and in correlation with the idea |
| revolution (in some cases). Rebellion could be seen | | | | of will, it is the opportunity to act as would be |
| as a "training" of soldiers before serious and key | | | | desirable. On the other hand, the idea which would |
| actions. For instance, the slave rebellions in 1781 | | | | be likely to the American society was that the |
| and 1830s prepared a firm ground for the | | | | freedom was not an honor or award except in |
| Revolution. Rebellion was necessary because it | | | | the case of honorary freedom. As Douglas says |
| demonstrated the act of human spirit and unity. | | | | "Coming generations in this country will applaud |
| Rebellion forced the government and insurgents | | | | the spirit of this much abused republican friend of |
| to realize the consequences that took place if | | | | freedom" (Douglas, Chapter 24). Rebellion was |
| political changes havd not been made. | | | | necessary because it opened freedom to all who |
| Rebellion was necessary because it showed a | | | | were genuinely interested and met the criteria of |
| struggle for individual freedom which means much | | | | a rioter. That was main principle on which |
| more than the absence of physical coercion. | | | | rebellions were based in the United States. |
| Every rebellion had a short term and long term | | | | Also, rebellion gave rise to a new national ideology |
| goals which helped mutineers to reach their target. | | | | held by most American revolutionaries. It was one |
| For instance, the rebellion depicted by Harriet | | | | in which they knew their sacrifices would be |
| Beecher Stowe in Uncle Tom's Cabin had two | | | | acknowledged and appreciated by future |
| objectives. On the one hand, slaves Tom, George, | | | | generations of Americans. There was also the |
| Eliza and Harry wanted to save their life and | | | | knowledge that America would serve as an |
| became free. On the other hand, this rebellion | | | | example to God and the rest of the world of |
| was a general movement of slaves who opposed | | | | what the advantages of a free society could be. |
| oppression and tyranny. For instance, when Tom | | | | To many revolutionaries who had their own ideas |
| talks to Eva he expresses his vision of slavery | | | | about united nation rebellion was a necessity. It |
| and masters: | | | | showed their strength and weaknesses, and it |
| "They are robed in spotless white, | | | | was absolutely a key to any further |
| And conquering palms they bear." (Chapter 22). | | | | advancement towards their ultimate goal of |
| In this situation, the obligation of people to rebel | | | | freedom to enjoy personal liberties. Store writes: |
| coincided with their strategy to survive as a unity, | | | | "since the legislative act of 1850, with perfect |
| on the one hand, and with that of defending its | | | | surprise and consternation, Christian and humane |
| national identity on the other. Rebellion could not | | | | people actually recommending the remanding |
| be explained through a private (personal) interest | | | | escaped fugitives into slavery, as a duty binding |
| of people taking part in a battle because a soldier | | | | on good citizens" (Stowe, Chapter 35). The movie |
| or a general means nothing as a subject, but | | | | "Amistad" vividly portrays the necessity of |
| becomes simply a tool of the battlefield. | | | | rebellion of former slave Theodore Joadson who |
| A wave of rebellions in the nineteenth century | | | | viewed the rioters as "freedom fighters" and |
| helped American people to neutralize their enemy | | | | called Africans "stolen goods" as they were |
| (the government) in order to protect their safety. | | | | kidnapped (Amistad, 1997). |
| Rebellions should be considered as a rational choice | | | | It is possible to say that a revolution had result, |
| which included its aims, alternatives, consequences | | | | positive or negative while rebellions were a part of |
| and choice. If American nation had taken such an | | | | revolutionary process, they represented |
| action, it was based on the purposes to | | | | continuous actions. On the other hand, rebellions |
| overcome oppression and created a set of new | | | | did not always lead to a revolution. If the |
| values and tasks. | | | | government compromised, there was no |
| It should be mentioned that alternative types of | | | | necessity to continue struggle which could lead to |
| actions were possible, but without careful and | | | | numerous death-roll. |
| strategic planning such actions would lead to | | | | Racial differences and oppression undoubtedly |
| numerous scarifies. Rebellions were necessary | | | | motivated people to acts of extreme violence |
| because they were concerned with the rule of | | | | against those whom they classify as "others." |
| national identity. They showed that something | | | | Racial confrontations acting as an original cause of |
| "wrong" with the society and demonstrated the | | | | rebellion forced Americans to struggle. In many |
| necessity for improvements. | | | | cases, fight for freedom and equal rights made |
| Desire of a nation to struggle as such did nothing, | | | | use of racial differences. In this case, a necessity |
| because only active operations led to rebellion. It | | | | to rebel served as a causal explanation of it. |
| was people who made claims or felt marginalized, | | | | Rebellion was a relational choice which allowed to |
| and people who often disagreed, | | | | start fighting and attract masses of people to |
| some¬times quite fundamentally, about how | | | | rebel. It served like a signal for those who wanted |
| their identity should be interpreted or understood. | | | | to be free. |
| For instance, in 1781 the rebellious states created | | | | It is possible to conclude that rebellions in |
| a loose union under the Articles of Confederation, | | | | American history were a very important step |
| and at the end of the war in 1783, Britain | | | | towards freedom and independence. Rebellions |
| recognized its former colonies as an independent | | | | prepared a ground for revolutions and became a |
| nation. | | | | single for unified popular uprising. |