Critical thinking exercise
using natural rights philosophy to address the
problem of slavery
consider this situation. some 325,000 of the 1.6
million people living in the colonies in 1760 were
enslaved africans. slavery flourished in the plan-
tation economy of the southern colonies, as it did
in the british and french west indies and in south
america. slavery was legally recognized in all thir-
teen british north american colonies. new york
city had a significant slave population, as did new
england.
there was some active opposition to slavery
among the population of free citizens as well as
among the slaves themselves. some opponents
sought its peaceful abolition, while others were will-
ing to use violent or illegal means.
as explained in an earlier lesson, natural rights
philosophy emphasizes both human equality and
the protection of private property. both slave owners
and abolitionists in the colonies and in great britain
could point to natural rights philosophy for support.
which side has the stronger argument? why?