Overview
This lecture covers the development of anti-slavery sentiment and abolitionist movements in America, focusing on key figures, major legislative compromises, and the influence of religious revival on the cause.
Early Anti-Slavery Sentiment
- Before the American Revolution, opposition to slavery was rare except among Quakers like John Woolman.
- Woolman argued slavery violated natural rights and used religion to challenge its morality.
Revolution & Emergence of Abolitionism
- The American Revolution spread anti-slavery ideas and created the first movements in the U.S.
- Slaves fought for both Patriots and Loyalists, sometimes earning freedom.
- Enslaved people in the North, such as Prime and Primus in Connecticut, petitioned for freedom by highlighting the contradiction between American liberty rhetoric and slavery.
- Northern states began gradually abolishing slavery, with Vermont first in 1777; by 1804, all northern states had abolished it.
Constitutional Compromises on Slavery
- The Three-Fifths Compromise counted each slave as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation.
- The international slave trade ban was postponed until 1808.
- The Fugitive Slave Clause required free states to return escaped slaves, causing ongoing controversy.
Colonization and Early Solutions
- The American Colonization Society (1816) aimed to gradually end slavery by relocating freed slaves to Africa (Liberia), but few chose to leave the U.S.
Missouri Compromise & Sectional Crisis
- The Missouri Compromise (1820) admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain Senate balance.
- Drew a line designating future free and slave territories.
The Underground Railroad
- A secret network of black and white abolitionists, churches, and homes assisted over 100,000 slaves in escaping to freedom, often led by figures like Harriet Tubman.
Religious Revivals & Social Reform
- The Second Great Awakening spurred evangelical activism, influencing movements for temperance, women's rights, and especially abolitionism.
- Charles Finney and Theodore Dwight Weld mobilized Christians for anti-slavery work, often through camp meetings and activist training.
Key Abolitionist Leaders & Authors
- William Lloyd Garrison published "The Liberator" and founded the American Anti-Slavery Society, advocating radical reforms and women’s participation.
- Frederick Douglass, a former slave, became a leading orator and author, challenging the hypocrisy of American liberty.
- Free blacks in the North, like poet Frances Harper and minister James Pennington, were crucial to the abolitionist movement.
Notable Female Activists
- Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree), born into slavery in New York, won her son’s freedom in court and became a prominent abolitionist and women’s rights advocate.
- Angelina and Sarah Grimke, Southern-born sisters, became outspoken abolitionists and collaborators with Weld.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Abolitionism — Movement to end slavery.
- Fugitive Slave Clause — Required escaped slaves to be returned to owners.
- Three-Fifths Compromise — Formula for counting slaves in representation and taxation.
- Underground Railroad — Secret network aiding slave escapes.
- Second Great Awakening — Religious revival that fueled reform movements including abolition.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the narrative of Frederick Douglass for deeper understanding.
- Explore poems by Frances E.W. Harper and writings of Sojourner Truth.
- Prepare for discussion on the impact of the Missouri Compromise and religious activism on abolitionism.