Question

To truly liberate the slaves and give them a fresh economic start by giving them land the government would have been required the slaves and give them a fresh economic start by giving them land the government would have been required to do what? why were the politicians unwilling to do this?

Answer 1

In this scenario, the government would have been forced to take land from white farmers and give it to newly freed slaves.

Many politicians were unwilling to confiscate land from white farmers to give it to blacks farmers because they felt this was a violation of American citizens natural rights. During this time period, ownership of land was seen as extremely valuable as agriculture was still the main source of income for most American families. By taking away someone's land and giving it to someone else, politicians felt that they would be creating an extremely powerful and tryannical federal government. This is why the government never takes farm land and gives it to newly freed African American citizens.