SEA-Change Topic Archive

Jefferson understood a harsh truth: the continuation of slavery in the colonies after declaring independence was irreconcilable with English law.

Examine how slavery shaped America’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, and the compromises made to preserve unity.

Explore the historical significance of the Book of Negroes, a registry documenting 3,000 Black Englishmen evacuated after the American Revolution, and its role in the fight for liberty and justice.

Discover England’s rich history of diversity and its foundational commitment to liberty under English law. Learn how this history challenges myths of racial homogeneity.

Explore the hidden history of colonial American slavery and its unlawful origins under English law. Learn about the legislative actions that abolished colonial slave codes, the landmark Somerset decision of 1772, and the contradictions of America’s founding principles.

Explore England’s diverse history and its foundational contributions to liberty and human rights. Discover how people of various backgrounds shaped Great Britain and its legal legacy.

Discover the clash of principles between George Washington and British General Guy Carleton in 1783, highlighting the fight for freedom for Black colonials during the Treaty of Paris negotiations.

Explore Thomas Jefferson’s struggles with slavery and democracy. Confront the contradictions of America’s founding and build a nation that fulfills its founding ideals.

Explore Thomas Jefferson’s reflections on slavery’s corrosive effects on America, its moral contradictions, and its incompatibility with liberty, equality, and justice. Learn how his 1785 writings foreshadowed the enduring legacy of America’s founding paradox.