Kansas appeared as the Promised Land to African Americans primarily due to its association with freedom and opportunity during the era of westward expansion. Following the end of slavery, many African Americans sought a place where they could live independently and escape the oppressive conditions of the South. The Homestead Act of 1862 provided a chance for them to own land and build a new life, making Kansas an attractive option for settlement. Additionally, the landscape of Kansas, with its fertile soil and open skies, symbolized hope and potential, contrasting sharply with the harsh realities many had faced. This perception of Kansas as a land of freedom fueled the movement of black settlers seeking to claim their rights and establish a brighter future for themselves and their families.
"When I landed on the soil [of Kansas] I looked on the ground and I says this is free ground. Then I looked on the heavens and I says them is free and beautiful heavens. Then I looked within my heart and I says to myself, I wonder why I was never free before?"
This experience of John Solomon Lewis was one of many that were shared in black churches across the South.
Write a paragraph (5 sentences) that explains why Kansas looked like the Promised Land to African Americans. Compose complete sentences that illustrate proper grammar and spelling.
(4 points)
1 answer