What impacts did African Americans have on American history ?

By 1775 more than a half-million African Americans, most of them enslaved, were living in the 13 colonies. Early in the 18th century a few New England ministers and conscientious Quakers, such as George Keith and John Woolman, had questioned the morality of slavery but they were largely ignored. By the 1760s, however, as the colonists began to speak out against British tyranny, more Americans pointed out the obvious contradiction between advocating liberty and owning slaves. In 1774 Abigail Adams wrote, “it always appeared a most iniquitious scheme to me to fight ourselves for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have.”

Widespread talk of liberty gave thousands of slaves high expectations, and many were ready to fight for a democratic revolution that might offer them freedom. In 1775 at least 10 to 15 black soldiers, including some slaves, fought against the British at the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill. Two of these men, Salem Poor and Peter Salem, earned special distinction for their bravery. By 1776, however, it had become clear that the revolutionary rhetoric of the founding fathers did not include enslaved blacks. The Declaration of Independence promised liberty for all men but failed to put an end to slavery; and although they had proved themselves in battle, the Continental Congress adopted a policy of excluding black soldiers from the army.

In spite of these discouragements, many free and enslaved African Americans in New England were willing to take up arms against the British. As soon states found it increasingly difficult to fill their enlistment quotas, they began to turn to this untapped pool of manpower. Eventually every state above the Potomac River recruited slaves for military service, usually in exchange for their freedom. By the end of the war from 5,000 to 8,000 blacks had served the American cause in some capacity, either on the battlefield, behind the lines in noncombatant roles, or on the seas. By 1777 some states began enacting laws that encouraged white owners to give slaves for the army in return for their enlistment bounty, or allowing masters to use slaves as substitutes when they or their sons were drafted. In the South the idea of arming slaves for military service met with such opposition that only free blacks were normally allowed to enlist in the army.

Most black soldiers were scattered throughout the Continental Army in integrated infantry regiments, where they were often assigned to support roles as wagoners, cooks, waiters or artisans. Several all-black units, commanded by white officers, also were formed and saw action against the British. Rhode Island’s Black Battalion was established in 1778 when that state was unable to meet its quota for the Continental Army. The legislature agreed to set free slaves who volunteered for the duration of the war, and compensated their owners for their value. This regiment performed bravely throughout the war and was present at Yorktown where an observer noted it was “the most neatly dressed, the best under arms, and the most precise in its maneuvers.”

Although the Southern states were reluctant to recruit enslaved African Americans for the army, they had no objections to using free and enslaved blacks as pilots and able-bodied seaman. In Virginia alone, as many as 150 black men, many of them slaves, served in the state navy. After the war, the legislature granted several of these men their freedom as a reward for faithful service. African Americans also served as gunners, sailors on privateers and in the Continental Navy during the Revolution. While the majority of blacks who contributed to the struggle for independence performed routine jobs, a few, such as James Lafayette, gained renown serving as spies or orderlies for well-known military leaders.

Black participation in the Revolution, however, was not limited to supporting the American cause, and either voluntarily or under duress thousands also fought for the British. Enslaved blacks made their own assessment of the conflict and supported the side that offered the best opportunity to escape bondage. Most British officials were reluctant to arm blacks, but as early as 1775, Virginia’s royal governor, Lord Dunmore, established an all-black “Ethiopian Regiment” composed of  runaway slaves. By promising them freedom, Dunmore enticed over 800 slaves to escape from “rebel” masters. Whenever they could, enslaved blacks continued to join him until he was defeated and forced to leave Virginia in 1776. Dunmore’s innovative strategy met with disfavor in England, but to many blacks the British army came to represent liberation.

hello! : )

1. intercessory weapons

“god is looking for somebody, a wall builder; somebody who can prevent calamities and avert disasters through importunate tears of supplication,” writes father oforka. “such wall builders attend the divine council and, like spiritual attorneys, passionately argue their cases in order to achieve their purpose.”

an example of an intercessory warrior is moses in the old testament. “moses acted as a bridge between god and his people. that was an office that god called him to when he appeared to him in the form of a burning bush. he therefore respects both moses as his faithful servant and his office of mediation between him and his people,” father oforka writes.

how does intercession play a role in our lives today, as the spiritual battle rages on still? “we must go back to our roots and repossess the right of attending the divine council through the ministry of intercession,” father oforka explains. we intercede through prayer, petitioning for others before the throne of god.

2. the name of jesus 

“there is something in the name of jesus that is awesome and fascinating,” father oforka writes. “hence, the quiver of the intercessory cannot be complete without it.”

saints paul, peter, and john write extensively about the power of the name of christ. no one can make demons subject to him without the name of christ.

in the early church, justin martyr wrote, “for every demon, when exorcised in the name of this very son of god – who is the first-born of every creature, who became man by the virgin, who suffered, and was crucified under pontius pilate, who died, who rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven – is overcome and subdued. but though you exorcise any demon in the name of any of those who are among you – either kings, or righteous men, or prophets, or patriarchs – it will not be subject to you.”

3. the power of praise 

praise is a underrated arrow in the quiver of a christian. “it’s important that intercessors should learn the power of praise,” writes father oforka. “a group of prayer ministers may gather for hours praising god and soaking the air with divine waves. . the father cherishes it when his awesome deeds are recounted and his person is addressed accordingly.”

what does this have to do with spiritual warfare? “at those times when the thick clouds of evil begin to gather, when the smoke of satan begins to blur our view and choke our breath, intercessors might opt to descend into the bright cloud of praise, invoking these awesome names, instead of a mournful prayer-fight.”

heaven can’t resist soulful praise of the faithful – and satan can’t stand to hear god praised here on earth.

4. the fire of the holy spirit

the fire of the holy spirit has a two-fold purpose in the life of the spiritual warrior. “it could be used as both an offensive and a defensive weapon,” father oforka explains. “it is like the word of god, which is double-edged and therefore dual in purpose.”

we often see god through the medium of fire throughout the old testament. he appears to moses in a burning bush, and as a pillar of fire through the desert wanderings of the israelite nation. in his letter to the hebrews, saint paul writes that god is an “all consuming fire.”

5. the eucharist 

in the gospel of john, christ says: “very truly i tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life within you.” the institution of the eucharist is an event recorded meticulously by three of the synoptic gospels and saint paul.

when catholics worship in the mass and receive the body of christ through the eucharist they can “draw more strength than he can image,” explains father oforka. “an intercessory, who identifies with jesus in the eucharist, can handle difficult cases. he does not just end with the invocation of this treasure. he must, as often as possible, be part of the sacrifice of the mass through which this power flows.”

hope this and i hope i answered in time!

good luck!

~ destiny ^_^

the alfred thayer mahan award for literary achievement is awarded each year by the navy league of the united states. the award is named for an american naval historian and theorist, rear admiral alfred thayer mahan, united states navy who, through his writing, provided stimulus and guidance to those who share in the defense of the nation. presented since 1957, "this award for literary achievement is awarded to a u.s. navy officer, u.s. marine corps officer, enlisted service member, or civilian who has made a notable literary contribution that has advanced the knowledge of the importance of sea power in the united states."[1]