America: The Long and Winding Road to Equality America, love it or hate it, there is no denying that it has a significant influence on the world in that we live today. The American dream has always been about equal opportunity, no matter who you are or where you come from, if you work hard, you can achieve immense success. In 2017, equality and fair treatment are at the forefront of American interests, and the situation is only getting better. Even if it wasn't always like this. In the early stages of America's birth, there were many bumps in the road when it came to the pursuit of equality. From the 1670s to the 1850s, America took steps back and forth toward inequality, but often failed to fairly practice the very principles it held so strongly. The Founding Fathers wanted America to be a place of equality, but early efforts were blinded by prejudice. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The American idea of ​​treating and addressing its people fairly stemmed from the colonists' severe disgust with Great Britain's tyrannical ruler, King George III. The colonists believed that the king's laws were disgustingly unjust due to the fact that the colonists had no representation in the British parliament. This is where the famous American phrase “no taxation without representation” was born. This quote illustrates a huge step towards equality because it states that citizens need an elected representative who has the best interest of the people to vote on proposed laws. Without a representative equality can never be achieved. The cries of the unrepresented will be ignored and, in turn, overlooked. This neglect inflicted on the colonists by the king instilled in them an insatiable hunger for freedom and equality. This need for equality was the driving force behind the revolution and the founding of the United States of America. With an institution like slavery still alive and well, the United States was certainly far from the equality experienced in modern times. Equality, in its essence, is fairness to all in opportunity and treatment. Slavery is in direct opposition to these ideas. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 created a legal mechanism that ensured the recovery of escaped slaves from their masters. The act also classified the slave's children as slaves and were considered the master's rightful property. Over fifty years later, this act was further strengthened through the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which established that citizens and officials living in free states were also required to cooperate in ensuring the recovery of fugitive slaves. Law enforcement agencies across the United States were ordered to arrest and return these slaves. If citizens or law enforcement were caught turning a blind eye, they could be required to pay up to twenty-nine thousand dollars (modern value). By enforcing these laws, the United States was further dividing its people and hindering their development toward a place of greater equality. A civilization cannot be a place of greater equality if it is intolerant of other cultures. The United States is particularly guilty of this in regards to its dealings with the American Indians. The Indians were not treated as equals, but as if they were inferior. This prejudice of the Indians is extremely evident based on the passage of the Indian Removal Act. This authorized the president to force the Indians to leave the state lines and relocate them west of the Mississippi River. Most of the tribes peacefully agreed not to cause any.