If the Union must be dissolved slavery is If the Union must be dissolved slavery is precisely the question upon which it ought to precisely the question upon which it ought to

breakbreakJohn Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams

Background of AbolitionistsBackground of Abolitionists

MishMosh of BeliefsMishMosh of Beliefs• ReformersReformers..

– Saw slavery as a black Saw slavery as a black mark on American mark on American society and a limiting our society and a limiting our growth.growth.

– Mostly came from the Mostly came from the middle-classmiddle-class, who were , who were already reforming already reforming prisons, education, prisons, education, equality for women, equality for women, mental health, mental health, government, and government, and services for the poor. services for the poor.

Susan B. Anthonyhttp://ncwhs.oah.org/images/YoungSusanB.jpg

• Moral groundsMoral grounds..– Declaration of Declaration of

Independence Independence declared declared all people are all people are created equalcreated equal..

– The Bible preaches The Bible preaches equality.equality.

– A byproduct of the A byproduct of the Second Great Second Great Awakening and Awakening and Charles FinneyCharles Finney..

Charles Finneyhttp://demo.lutherproductions.com/historytutor/

basic/modern/people/images/Finney.jpg

Background of AbolitionistsBackground of Abolitionists

Why Abolition?Why Abolition?• Political reasonsPolitical reasons..

– Democrats protested the denial of Democrats protested the denial of political political and civil rights to blacksand civil rights to blacks..

– By By 18051805, all of the Northern states had , all of the Northern states had either either outlawed slavery or set out gradual outlawed slavery or set out gradual emancipationemancipation..

– Northerners believed that the slave South Northerners believed that the slave South was gaining power and trying to push north was gaining power and trying to push north of the of the Missouri CompromiseMissouri Compromise line. line.

Abolitionist OpinionsAbolitionist Opinions

Option 1: Option 1: ColonizationColonization

• Benjamin LundyBenjamin Lundy..– Quaker publisher, tried to Quaker publisher, tried to

persuade Southerners to persuade Southerners to free their slavesfree their slaves..

– Once freed, he explored Once freed, he explored the possibility of the possibility of colonization in colonization in Canada or Canada or HaitiHaiti. .

Abolitionist OpinionsAbolitionist Opinions

Option 2: Violent UprisingOption 2: Violent UprisingFormer Slaves: Former Slaves: David WalkerDavid Walker

• Born to freed slaves, Born to freed slaves, moved to moved to MassachusettsMassachusetts

• David Walker’s David Walker’s AppealAppeal..– A pamphlet that urged A pamphlet that urged

African-Americans to African-Americans to use use violent means, if violent means, if necessary, to win their necessary, to win their freedomfreedom..

– Known as the Known as the ““diabolical pamphletdiabolical pamphlet” ” throughout the South. throughout the South.

David Walkerhttp://cache.eb.com/eb/thumb?id=78425

Abolitionist OpinionsAbolitionist Opinions

Option 3: Work within the Option 3: Work within the SystemSystem

Former Slaves: Former Slaves: Frederick DouglassFrederick Douglass• Background.Background.– Most well-known escaped slave. He Most well-known escaped slave. He

learned to learned to read and write and mastered read and write and mastered a tradea trade while a slave. while a slave.

– Earned enough money from lectures Earned enough money from lectures and writing to send to his former master and writing to send to his former master and and legally purchase his freedomlegally purchase his freedom..

• Became part of the Became part of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.Society.--He believed freedom --He believed freedom

required not only required not only emancipation, but also full emancipation, but also full social and economic social and economic equality. equality.

• Changing opinions.Changing opinions.– Originally wanted emancipation Originally wanted emancipation

by violent means.by violent means.– Late 1840s, decides to break Late 1840s, decides to break

with the “with the “radical abolitionistsradical abolitionists.”.”• Believed that the Believed that the Constitution Constitution

needed to be upheld.needed to be upheld.• If it was not, then emancipation If it was not, then emancipation

meant nothing because blacks meant nothing because blacks would not be treated as would not be treated as equalsequals..

– Destroy slavery by working Destroy slavery by working within the systemwithin the system..

Abolitionist OpinionsAbolitionist OpinionsOption 4: Free them now, to heck Option 4: Free them now, to heck

with the consequenceswith the consequencesWilliam Lloyd GarrisonWilliam Lloyd Garrison• Assistant of Benjamin Lundy, would Assistant of Benjamin Lundy, would

become a leading abolitionist.become a leading abolitionist.– Became leader of the radical view.– Wanted the immediate

emancipation of slaves.– Did not care about the political,

social, and economic consequences.

– Refused to engage in political Refused to engage in political activity to end slavery.activity to end slavery.

– Compromises have failed in the Compromises have failed in the past.past.

– Laws made to protect slavery were Laws made to protect slavery were illegal under God’s law.illegal under God’s law.

– Prepared to destroy the Union to Prepared to destroy the Union to gain their ends. gain their ends.

• The LiberatorThe Liberator..– Key abolitionist Key abolitionist

newspaper.newspaper.– Extremely Extremely

controversial in both controversial in both the North and the the North and the South.South.

– Would be banned in Would be banned in the South.the South.

– Set out the reasons Set out the reasons for abolition in a for abolition in a graphic manner.graphic manner.

William Lloyd Garrisonhttp://www.olemiss.edu/courses/his105/images/liberator.jpg

• Importance of Garrison.Importance of Garrison.– Did not have many followers, but opened up Did not have many followers, but opened up

new views on abolitionnew views on abolition..– Abolition was Abolition was not not a a reform movementreform movement, but a , but a

revolutionrevolution..– Achieving Achieving racial equalityracial equality, not just ending , not just ending

slavery, will lead to the true goal: slavery, will lead to the true goal: full justice full justice for blacksfor blacks..

• Saw blacks as Saw blacks as true equalstrue equals..• Supported the efforts of Supported the efforts of female female

abolitionists and the women’s rights abolitionists and the women’s rights movementmovement. .

Abolitionist OpinionsAbolitionist Opinions

Option 5: Option 5: Moderate Approach—one Moderate Approach—one step at a timestep at a time

• Origins & beliefs.Origins & beliefs.– Broke with Broke with Garrison in 1840Garrison in 1840..– ““Immediate emancipation… gradually Immediate emancipation… gradually

achieved” through political activityachieved” through political activity..– Did not want Did not want female abolitionistsfemale abolitionists to take an to take an

active role.active role.• Believed that slavery was enough of an issue to Believed that slavery was enough of an issue to

antagonize people.antagonize people.• Would lose support.Would lose support.

• Created the Liberty Party.Created the Liberty Party.– Would be one of the numerous “third parties” Would be one of the numerous “third parties”

created to fight for the end of slavery. created to fight for the end of slavery.