Question

"Oh, you who have hearts to feel; you who have kind friends around you, in sickness and in sorrow, think of the sufferings of the helpless, destitute, and down-trodden slave. Has sickness laid its withering hand upon you, or disappointment blasted your fairest earthly prospects, still, the outgushings of an affectionate heart are not denied you, and you may look forward with hope to a bright future. Such a hope seldom animates the heart of the poor slave. He toils on, in his unrequited labor, looking only to the grave to find a quiet resting place, where he will be free from the oppressor." – Austin Steward, Twenty-Two Years a Slave, and Forty Years a Free Man, 1861 Which political action taken by the U.S. government was MOST directly related to the ideas presented in this passage?

Answer 1

The U.S. political action most related to the sentiments expressed in Austin Steward's passage is the Emancipation Proclamation, which formally began the process towards ending slavery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passage from Austin Steward's, Twenty-Two-Years a Slave, and Forty Years a Free Man, highlights the hardships and inhumanity of slavery faced by African Americans before the abolition of slavery. The political action taken by the U.S. government that is most directly related to the ideas presented in this passage is the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. This proclamation declared that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious states were to be set free. This monumental executive order began the legal process that led to the end of slavery and aimed to grant hope to enslaved individuals that they would achieve freedom and a brighter future, addressing the dearth of hope described by Steward.