Chapter 9 – Religion and Reform 1815-1855 Section 2 – The Antislavery Movement

An Antislavery Movement Arises Abolitionist Movement – the movement to end slavery. Started getting stronger in the 1830s. There were antislavery protests/groups since 1688! 1821 – Benjamin Lundy started a newspaper called The Genius of Universal Emancipation. Emancipation = freeing. Lundy called for a slow emancipation – don’t let slavery be in any of the new states and end the slave trade within the United States (when was the slave trade from Africa to the US ended?) Colonization of Liberia – Some abolitionists believed that African Americans would never be treated equally in the US and started the American Colonization Society. This Society started the West African country of Liberia (liberty) in 1822. Some abolitionists did not believe in equality and wanted to get rid of both slavery and African Americans. These people also supported colonization. Offended most African Americans. Considered themselves Americans. By 1831 only about 1400 free blacks had migrated to Liberia. Radical Abolitionism Supported the immediate end of slavery. One of the most famous radical abolitionists was William Lloyd Garrison. In 1831, he started a newspaper The Liberator. In 1833, he started the American Anti-Slavery Society. By 1835, there were about 1,000 local chapters and about 150,000 members who gave out more than 1 million antislavery pamphlets each year.

Frederick Douglass Former slave. Escaped at 21. One of the most popular antislavery speakers Autobiography, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass. 1852 – Invited to speak at a 4th of July event (?!?!) His speech.

Divisions Among Abolitionists Women’s participation Americans did not approve of women’s involvement in politics. When Garrison insisted that women abolitionists be allowed to speak at meetings, some members of his organization resigned in protest. 2 prominent women antislavery speakers – Sarah and Angelina Grimke. Sisters, from S. Car., moved north, became Quakers, devoted themselves to abolitionism Pamphlets they wrote were banned and burned in the south in 1836 Another powerful speaker was a former slave freed in 1827. In 1843, she took the name Sojourner Truth because she felt called to sojourn (travel) and tell the truth. Also in 1843, she became involved in the abolitionist movement. Race Movement to end slavery was personal for African Americans, not so much for white reformers Also, some white reformers treated black abolitionists as less equal Tactics Some believed that the Constitution allowed slavery and so a constitutional amendment was needed. Some disagreed and believed that laws could be passed preventing it.

The Underground Railroad Underground Railroad – a network of escape routes that provided protection and transportation for slaves fleeing north to freedom (Canada). Many abolitionists risked arrest and their lives to help slaves along the Underground Railroad. Called “Underground” because it was secret. Called “Railroad” because the abolitionist guides who helped the slaves were called conductors. Historians estimate that somewhere between 40,000 and 100,000 slaves were helped to freedom this way. Harriet Tubman – most famous conductor. Former slave. Escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad. She rescued more than 300 slaves and received the nickname, “The Black Moses”. (why?) Slave owners offered a $40,000 reward for the capture of Tubman. The center of activity for the Underground Railroad was Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. These states had a long boundary with Virginia and Kentucky, two slave states.

Resistance to Abolitionism In the North: Merchants worried the abolition movement would hurt trade between north and south White workers and labor leaders were afraid escaped slaves would be willing to work for less money Most northerners did not want African Americans living in their communities. Opposition resulted in violence People threw rotten eggs and stones at speakers A mob in Boston captured Garrison and paraded him around town with a rope around his neck. A hall built by abolitionists in Philadelphia was burned down, as were homes of black residents Alton, Illinois – Elijah P. Lovejoy was the editor of a Presbyterian newspaper. He wrote editorials against slavery. His printing presses were destroyed several times but he continued publishing. In 1837 he was shot and killed. In the South: Outraged at criticism of slavery Southern postmasters refused to deliver antislavery mailings 1836 – Southern Congressmen passed a law that no antislavery petitions could be read or acted on for the next 8 years. (Abolitionists used this as evidence that slavery threatened everyone’s freedoms – white and black)