When we talk about the founding and growth of the United States, it's essential to understand a foundational truth: much of the nation's early wealth and infrastructure was built on the backs of enslaved people. Their forced labor wasn't just a side note; it was the engine of a brutal but incredibly lucrative economic system. From the very beginning, enslaved individuals were the primary workforce for the booming cash crop industries. Think of the vast cotton plantations that fueled textile mills in both the North and Europe, or the sprawling tobacco and sugar operations. These profitable ventures, which made the Southern states among the wealthiest regions globally, were entirely dependent on the relentless, unpaid labor of enslaved men, women, and children. But their contributions weren't limited to agriculture. Enslaved people were also the muscle and skill behind much of America's early infrastructure. They quarried stone, milled timber, and laid bricks to con...