Historical studies carried by some students on the composition of the continental army at times assume that the African Americans played no significant role in the war. In addition, African Americans were perceived to have played the minor parts of the war and mostly worked as laborers of the wealthy war officials. The laypersons suppose that the Euro Americans may have viewed the African American soldiers negatively. Contrary to this notion, in the American history, the Continental Army was the first ever-integrated army in the American history comprising soldiers from all over the country irrespective of their race. During America’s fight for independence, their leaders saw the need to embrace the available manpower consisting of the African American population and the Euro Americans.
The American colonies used the militia system as their tactic of defense. Each colony had formulated its own specific militia system in the favor of their need and concerns. Despite, the differences in the militia systems of different colonies, all the colonies had the same decision on the law, which stated that African Americans should be excluded from the services of the colonial militias. As Americans had enslaved most of the Africans, they believed that Africans should serve their masters more preeminent to the services they would offer to the colonial militia.
In the American Revolution, African Americans took part in the battles in Lexington, Bunker hills, and Concord and some of them such as Salem Poore was honored for his bravery during the battle. Africans were considered as great soldiers. In these battles, Africans acted as part of an integrated force and not a segregated one. The continental congress decided to create an American army to challenge the British forces and Africans were included as they were also inhabitants of America. General John Thomas viewed Africans as equal to the tasks as other men and brave as they had portrayed in the previous battles. John Thomas view was greatly resisted by the Congress members and the colonies, as they could not enlist slaves into the newly created army. Later it was agreed that some Africans be enlisted in the Continental army to increase their manpower to help them in liberation of their country.
At the end of the war, the Africans had experienced the same consequences as of the other veterans. In reward, the enlisted Africans in the Continental army were offered their personal freedom in return. Funny enough, some masters still tried to enslave the African veterans again. Governments of various states in America offered to protect the returning African American veterans as they had played a role in the liberation of America. An order was also put across to release the substitutes from any involuntary servitude.
The African Americans being despised for their racial background and the Americans going to an extent of even enslaving them was unethical and inhumane. Viewing other people as inferior and undermining them without even testing their capabilities is not a clever thing. Africans being incorporated as part of the Continental army proved that they were equal to Euro American men due to their bravery. They played a big role in the liberation of America, which was the interest of the Euro Americans. Africans volunteering to go to war hoped to gain their personal freedom that they did get at the end of the war. Americans incorporating Africans as part of their population was a wise choice enhancing togetherness in the country and creating preparedness for future matters that may arise.
