Changes

===United States===

===United States===

{{main|History of slavery in Virginia}}

{{main|History of slavery in Virginia}}

The first black slaves were brought to [[Jamestown]] Colony early on.  Originally, slavery was legal in every British American colony.  However, after the [[American Revolution]], the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that, since the new state constitution read, "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties", it made slavery illegal.  By 1804, slavery had been abolished in every northern state.<ref>However, in many states, current slaves remained in servitude for the rest of their lives.</ref>

The first black slaves were brought to [[Jamestown]] Colony early on.  Originally, slavery was legal in every British American colony.  However, after the [[American Revolution]], the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that, since the new state constitution read, "All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties", it made slavery illegal.  By 1804, slavery had been abolished in every northern state.<ref>However, in many states, current slaves remained in servitude for the rest of their lives.</ref>

    

    

Many people, primarily liberals, attempting to delegitimize the United States as a great nation or a moral nation with a Christian heritage, claim that because slavery was legal in several states up to 1865, the U.S. is not great and a force for evil. However, these liberals overlook several key facts, and their claims are exaggerated. First, slavery was common throughout the entire world (and still exists; 45 million people in the world were slaves in 2016<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36416751 What does modern slavery look like?]. ''BBC''. May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref>), existing in many different nations and cultures for millennia.<ref name="Medved">Medved, Michael (September 26, 2007). [https://townhall.com/columnists/michaelmedved/2007/09/26/six-inconvenient-truths-about-the-us-and-slavery-n876052 Six inconvenient truths about the U.S. and slavery]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> Only 3% of all the slaves taken from Africa actually went to North America,<ref name="Medved"/> and liberals commonly overlook the [[Arab slave trade]], which enslaved tens-of-millions of African people.<ref>Moore, A. (June 2, 2014). [http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/06/02/10-facts-about-the-arab-enslavement-of-black-people-not-taught-in-schools/ 10 Facts About The Arab Enslavement Of Black People Not Taught In Schools]. ''Atlanta Black Star''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Williams, Thomas D., PhD (August 2, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/08/02/islamic-state-muslims-ran-america-lucrative-african-slave-trade-continued/ Islamic State: If Muslims Ran America, ‘Lucrative African Slave Trade Would Have Continued’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Hochschild, Adam (March 4, 2001). [https://www.nytimes.com/books/01/03/04/reviews/010304.04hochsct.html Human Cargo]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> Additionally, the founding fathers mainly opposed slavery and put anti-slavery principles into the Constitution.<ref name="McCormack">McCormack, John (June 29, 2011). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/lincoln-said-it-best-the-founding-fathers-opposed-slavery/article/575904 Lincoln Said It Best: The Founding Fathers Opposed Slavery]. ''The Weekly Standard''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> They did not outright abolish it mainly due to pragmatic concerns, although the Northern states did.<ref>Anthony Iaccarino. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Founding-Fathers-and-Slavery-1269536 The Founding Fathers and Slavery]. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> The U.S. soon took steps to limit slavery, such as banning it in the [[Northwest Territory]] in 1787 and banning the [[slave trade]] in 1807.<ref name="McCormack"/> Unlike most other countries around the world, the U.S. quickly abolished slavery, and although the evil of slavery cannot be denied, the slave trade did not equal genocide and it was a long term benefit for the Africans to leave Africa and enter the U.S.<ref name="Medved"/> Regarding racism in general, racism exists throughout the enire world, with most countries being much more racist than the U.S., a [[melting pot]], and modern liberals hold racist attitudes.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Liberal-Racism-Fixating-Subverts-American/dp/0742522016 Liberal Racism: How Fixating on Race Subverts the American Dream], by Jim Sleeper. (2002)</ref>

Many people, primarily liberals, attempting to delegitimize the United States as a great nation or a moral nation with a Christian heritage, claim that because slavery was legal in several states up to 1865, the U.S. is not great and a force for evil. However, these liberals overlook several key facts, and their claims are exaggerated. First, slavery was common throughout the entire world (and still exists; 45 million people in the world were slaves in 2016<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36416751 What does modern slavery look like?]. ''BBC''. May 31, 2016. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref>), existing in many different nations and cultures for millennia.<ref name="Medved">Medved, Michael (September 26, 2007). [https://townhall.com/columnists/michaelmedved/2007/09/26/six-inconvenient-truths-about-the-us-and-slavery-n876052 Six inconvenient truths about the U.S. and slavery]. ''Townhall''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> Only 3% of all the slaves taken from Africa actually went to North America,<ref name="Medved"/> and liberals commonly overlook the [[Arab slave trade]], which enslaved tens-of-millions of African people.<ref>Moore, A. (June 2, 2014). [http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/06/02/10-facts-about-the-arab-enslavement-of-black-people-not-taught-in-schools/ 10 Facts About The Arab Enslavement Of Black People Not Taught In Schools]. ''Atlanta Black Star''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Williams, Thomas D., PhD (August 2, 2016). [https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/08/02/islamic-state-muslims-ran-america-lucrative-african-slave-trade-continued/ Islamic State: If Muslims Ran America, ‘Lucrative African Slave Trade Would Have Continued’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref><ref>Hochschild, Adam (March 4, 2001). [https://www.nytimes.com/books/01/03/04/reviews/010304.04hochsct.html Human Cargo]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> Additionally, the founding fathers mainly opposed slavery and put anti-slavery principles into the Constitution.<ref name="McCormack">McCormack, John (June 29, 2011). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/lincoln-said-it-best-the-founding-fathers-opposed-slavery/article/575904 Lincoln Said It Best: The Founding Fathers Opposed Slavery]. ''The Weekly Standard''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> They did not outright abolish it mainly due to pragmatic concerns, although the Northern states did.<ref>Anthony Iaccarino. [https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Founding-Fathers-and-Slavery-1269536 The Founding Fathers and Slavery]. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved May 23, 2017.</ref> The U.S. soon took steps to limit slavery, such as banning it in the [[Northwest Territory]] in 1787 and banning the [[slave trade]] in 1807.<ref name="McCormack"/> Unlike most other countries around the world, the U.S. quickly abolished slavery, and although the evil of slavery cannot be denied, the slave trade did not equal genocide and it was a long term benefit for the Africans to leave Africa and enter the U.S.<ref name="Medved"/> Regarding racism in general, racism exists throughout the enire world, with most countries being much more racist than the U.S., a [[melting pot]], and modern liberals hold racist attitudes.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Liberal-Racism-Fixating-Subverts-American/dp/0742522016 Liberal Racism: How Fixating on Race Subverts the American Dream], by Jim Sleeper. (2002)</ref>

===British Empire===

===British Empire===