[Destro]

Americans held the same views as Europeans. What makes Western/European civilization great is that is learns and advances.

What is a paradox is that the Enlightenment in leaving Christianity behind allowed for such disregard for humanity to rise up. This dispaly of a human body would never have been allowed in a Christian centered Europe. In fact it can be argued that American slavery in the South became what it became (treating Black Africans as non-humans and chattel) because the enlightenment weakened the Christian bonds of morality.

[GeronL]

Of course those old newspapers also have ads and articles about slave auctions and rewards for returning runaway slaves. It was a much different time, I hope we as a species, don't return to that kind of thing.

[redgolum]

In fact it can be argued that American slavery in the South became what it became (treating Black Africans as non-humans and chattel) because the enlightenment weakened the Christian bonds of morality.

I can agree with you up to a point, but slavery existed in Europe for centuries before the enlightenment, though not on the scale of the American south. Slavery was seen as a necessary evil, and as something ordained by God in some cases.

It can be argued that the treatment of slaves and servants was better before the enlightenment, but at that point I will have to plead ignorance and do some more research.