The Constitution guaranteed them freedom as liberty and white slaves were virtually non-existent. Slavery was so deeply ingrained as an attribute of the “black race,” that it came to be used as a descriptor to further lower the status of African Americans. Free from these racial tensions, whites seemed to enjoy freedom without conflict. However, in reality, not all whites had access to equal freedoms. “Freedom” often meant the ability to have equal opportunities, as the purpose of immigration to the colonies was often based on the desire for economic independence. Equal opportunity was not the case in a hierarchical and socioeconomically divided America. Land ownership or religious affiliation were often required to vote or run for office, respectively. In many ways, slaves were actually subject to a less forced social structure on the large plantations of the South, where they could develop their own private communities. The Gullah language is an example of a creole of English and West African dialects. Religious syncretism often resulted in African-influenced versions of Christianity that were far more culturally mixed than those Puritan Massachusetts required its citizens to adhere to. These cultural characteristics have served as a “glue” for many African Americans and reflect the complex facets of the word “freedom.” The sentence should therefore be modified to take into account the fact that