The Abolitionists Section Two

Abolitionism Even before the Revolution, some Americans wanted to end slavery (abolitionism). Most Northern states banned it while Southern states supported it.

Benjamin Lundy In the North, many religious groups called for abolition. This was led by the Quaker Benjamin Lundy who published an abolitionist newspaper.

American Colonization Society In 1816, the American Colonization Society was created to relocate American slaves back to Africa.

Liberia Between 1822 and 1865, over 20,000 African Americans settled in Liberia. However, most African Americans did NOT want to go back to Africa. 

Abolitionists By 1830, most abolitionists were growing impatient and feared that slavery was increasing in the Deep South too rapidly.

William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison was the most prominent early abolitionists in America. He started the New England Antislavery Society, the American Antislavery Society, and The Liberator.

American Anti-Slavery Society

Grimke Sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimke were Southerners who used their inheritance to free their slaves. They toured the North talking about the horrors of slavery.

Samuel Cornish Many African Americans were active in the abolitionist movement like Samuel Cornish and John Russworm who founded Freedman’s Journal, the first African American newspaper.

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was the most famous African American abolitionist, devoting his life to the cause with the North Star newspaper. He purchased his own freedom in 1847.

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree) began working throughout the North in the abolitionist movement in the 1840’s.

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of safe houses from the South to the North. They traveled at night and rested at “stations” during the day with “conductors” leading the way.

Elijah Lovejoy Elijah Lovejoy, a white abolitionist, was killed in Illinois by anti-abolitionists mobs.

Conflict with the South The South opposed abolitionism because they feared it would interfere with their economy, but some in the North feared that free slaves would compete for white jobs or lead to a war with the North.

Slavery vs. Northern Factories? In the South, many argued that slavery was vital to their economy and that slaves were treated better than Northern factory workers. They gave food, clothing, and shelter to slaves.

White Man’s Burden The idea of the “white man’s burden” said that slaves were safer and better off under the care of the “white man” because they could not live on their own.