1 / 13

The Abolition Movement

The Abolition Movement. Slavery and Equality. Republicanism based on the equality of men “We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it. All men are by nature born equally free and independent.” – George Mason

gammon
Download Presentation

The Abolition Movement

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Abolition Movement

  2. Slavery and Equality • Republicanism based on the equality of men • “We came equals into this world, and equals shall we go out of it. All men are by nature born equally free and independent.” – George Mason • Historically (in England) slaves and the poor not considered part of this equality • Ideal citizen of a republic = landowner who had a stake in the system

  3. Slavery and Equality (2) • Greatest threat to Republicanism = the poor (few in America) • If enslaved freed they would become a poor class = threat to future of the U.S. (in the minds of the Framers) • In South, fear more immediate • Slaveholder Landon Carter: “If you free the slaves, you must send them out of the country or they must steal for their support.” • Thomas Jefferson agreed, believed if slaves freed, they must be exiled (assimilation not possible)

  4. Slavery and Equality (3) • Still, revolutionary war changed attitudes • Many colonies/states ban slave trade • Virginia legalizes manumission (freeing slaves) in 1782 (10,000 freed by 1790) • Many in South hope for end of slavery • Northern states begin to prohibit slavery • No slaves in Massachusetts by 1790

  5. Early Abolitionism • ‘Abolitionists’ advocated the end of slavery • American Colonization Society (ACS) founded in Virginia in 1817 • Called for gradual emancipation • Slaveholders to be compensated • Freed slaves to be taken to Africa • Liberia founded 1830 (2.5% Americo-Liberian today) • ACS fades away • Refusal of freed slaves to leave, scope of slavery, increased profits from cotton

  6. The Growth of Abolitionism • Two factors led to growth of abolition movement in North in 1820s and 1830s • Agitation of black abolitionists and signs of black unrest in the South inspired white abolitionists • The Second Great Awakening (starts 1801) inspired a reform spirit in the North • Revivalists argued that America was in need of moral regeneration by dedicated Christians, many see slavery as sin

  7. Abolitionists • William Lloyd Garrison • White abolitionist journalist • Began publishing The Liberator in 1831 • Helped to form the American Anti-Slavery Society • Rejected “gradualism”

  8. American Anti-Slavery Society • Efforts • Sent speakers around the country • Sent petitions to Congress • Sent abolitionist propaganda to the South • Reaction • Angry white mobs opposed changes in race relations • Southern postmasters refused to deliver antislavery literature • In 1835 President Andrew Jackson unsuccessfully petitioned Congress to ban the mailing of abolitionist pamphlets

  9. Frederick Douglass • Escaped from slavery in 1838 • Author (Narrative published 1845) • Newspaper publisher (North Star) 1847 • Worked closely with radicals, particularly with the Underground Railroad • Helped about 1,000 slaves every year escape to the North • Raised awareness of conditions for slaves

  10. Video Questions • How is the North dependent on slavery? • Where did Harriet Jacobs live rather than stay enslaved? How long did she live there? • What connection did free African Americans have to slavery? • Who was David Walker? Why is he a significant figure in the Abolition movement? • How do Bostonians react to Garrison? • Some argued that abolishing slavery would hurt the U.S. Describe the argument. • How does slavery impact white children, according to the film? • What difficulties did African Americans face when they moved North? • How did slave fugitives impact the abolitionist movement? • How did the Abolitionists connect back to the Revolution?

More Related