Final answer:
African Americans fought for both the American and British sides during the American Revolution, often with the aim of gaining freedom. Despite their contributions, after the war, the promise of liberty was not fulfilled for many, and slavery became more deeply entrenched in American society.
Step-by-step explanation:
African American Participation in the Revolutionary War
During the American Revolution, African Americans played crucial roles, fighting for both the American side and the British side with the hope of securing their freedom. For the Americans, many served bravely in the Continental Army and Navy. Despite the promise of freedom, their participation did not always result in the liberty they sought. The British, on the other hand, explicitly offered freedom to enslaved African Americans who joined their cause, leading to significant numbers aligning with the Loyalists. The Revolution caused many to question the contradictions inherent in fighting for liberty while maintaining slavery, leading to debates and some progress in anti-slavery advocacy, although the institution of slavery ultimately continued and expanded in the United States after the war.
The presence of slavery within the colonies was a noted hypocrisy during a war for 'freedom.' This paradox forced many white colonists to confront the cognitive dissonance of their liberty rhetoric. African Americans utilized the chaos of war to escape their bonds and fight for personal and collective emancipation. After the war, many African Americans were denied the freedoms they fought for, and the systems of racial inequality persisted and grew, as slavery entrenched itself more deeply in American society.