By attacking slavery more fiercely than ever before, Revolutionary Americans freed tens of thousands of slaves. But the Revolution’s libertarian and egalitarian message had perverse consequences. It forced those Southerners who chose to retain slavery to fall back on the alleged racial deficiencies of blacks as a justification for an institution that hitherto they had taken for granted and had never before needed to justify. The anti-slavery movement that arose out of the Revolution inadvertently produced racism in America.
Cornwallis, Charles
Wilmington, NC — Built 1770 by John Burgwin, who was the colonial treasurer under the Royal Governor. General Lord Cornwallis rested here in 1781 prior to his march to Yorktown.
Yorktown, VA — Includes Cape Henry Memorial and Yorktown Battlefield.
Greensboro, NC — The 220-acre park commemorates the 1781 battle between British and Americans, led by General Nathanael Greene; includes 28 monuments.
Camden, SC — The 107-acre site includes the town of 18th century Camden, the Joseph Kershaw mansion — headquarters for Lord Cornwallis — and more. Fourteen battles of the Revolution were fought in the area.
Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 (2009)