differences+in+race

The idea of separate races is fairly new. It has only been around since the 1700’s. As early as the 1200’s color differences were present but did not have a definite meaning. A scholar by the name of Margot Minardi has studied the history of race from the 1700’s and has written a definition that “ Race is a way of explaining human difference and organizing people into categories. It rests on four assumptions : Physical differences matter, these differences in our bodies cannot change, that is because they are inherited and each group has distinct differences in intelligence and moral capacity.” (Aronson)  Certain scientists, doctors, and professors do not believe that there are races. In the 1970’s scientists performed tests on whites and African Americans proving that there are more differences in someone’s own race then in another race. Concluding them to say that the word race is meaningless. (Aronson) In modern day there is still slavery. In India there are still slaves being sold into sexual slavery and [|sweatshops]. Some type of these factories are found everywhere in the world. Most people believe that slavery began with African slavery, meaning black slaves and white owners, but that is untrue. Slavery began even before Columbus found America. Africans had African slaves, Asians had Asians slaves, and Europeans had European slaves. By the time of the American Revolution 2/3 of the population had performed some physical labor. (Aronson) Before the 20th century African Americans would be [|lynched] if they were accused of trying to sleep with a white woman. After the 20th century African Americans would not be given a fast death, they would be tortured slowly until they were dead. Although there were slaves, and African Americans were lynched the word Racism did not come into effect until the 1930’s when Hitler tried to extinguish the entire population of Jews. (Fredrickson) Racism seems to have originated mostly in the west during the 14th and 15th century. Although Christians in Europe begin to become hostile against the Jews in the 12th and 13th century, which helped form the foundation of hate against the Jews later on. (Fredrickson) 

Why was it ok to lynch someone? What made people fearful of other races? (Example [|Rubin Stacy]) Based on race, were the laws different?

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