The sale of African slaves began with Portugal. How much blame does Portugal get? You guessed it. None.
The Dutch, The Portuguese, The Spanish, The U.K, The French and others all brought their slaves to the New world. But for some odd reason, their slave heritage has been completely white washed and fingers are pointed only at the U.S. Why? A mere 80 years after we kicked the last of those countries out, we fought a war that liberated the slaves and cost 600,000 American lives. We are the only ones who fought a brutal war of liberation. The emancipation was signed in 1863. The U.K. freed their slaves just 30 years before we did. And France just 15 years before us.
The Netherlands freed their slaves in 1863. The same year the U.S. did.
Portugal in 1869
Cuba in 1886
Brazil 1888
Several African countries continued to hold slaves well into the 1900’s. And there are many other slave countries not listed. We are the only country who paid for our sins in blood. 2 percent of our population died in the fight and the slave holding states were obliterated.
So Yes. We ARE a great country. The greatest that the world has ever seen.
At the national level it makes sense that Americans would primarily discuss and analyze our own nation’s history of slavery more than that of other nations.
Are you suggesting that when slavery is discussed at the international level, the US is the only nation that is made to face its history?
