The Abolitionist Movement, 1831-1860

The Second Great Awakening Religious revival The Second Great Awakening, 1800-1850s Joined all types of people in a common effort to give up sin Revival meetings were entertaining Millennialism and perfectionism Some Americans thought this meant the nation should give up slavery

Anti Slavery forces in early America Active since the 1750s Abolished slavery in the Northern states Early efforts were relatively conservative Gradual emancipation Avoid social and economic dislocation Compensate slave owners

The American colonization society Took a slow, careful approach to emancipation Founded in 1817 Send former slaves to Liberia Supporters had various motives Some hated slavery . . . but believed the races could not live together Some supported slavery . . . And hoped to deport free blacks The ACS send few black people to Africa

Abolitionism experiences a dramatic transformation January 1, 1831 The Liberator -- an abolitionist newspaper William Lloyd Garrison First abolitionist newspaper to call for an immediate end to slavery No support in the South Made few concessions to slaveholders Opposed compensation and colonization

Garrison held radical views on race Garrison believed in Racial equality Greeted slaves as “sister” and “brother”

The abolitionist movement becomes more combative Garrison’s ideas made antislavery less compromising The movement becomes almost exclusively northern and Midwestern New England, upstate New York, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania Harsh rhetoric alienates southerners

Immediatism defined The term “immediate” was never clearly defined by Garrison Seldom insisted that they be freed all at once Insisted slave owners renounce slavery and begin the process of emancipation They knew that both slave and master needed time

The Role of free blacks Free Blacks played a major role in abolition Early advocates of immediate abolition Early opponents of colonization The majority (75%) of the subscribers to the Liberator were black Slavery was an intolerable insult to their race No black was truly “free” Escaped slaves had firsthand knowledge and made effective propagandists

Leading Black abolitionists Some of the most important abolitionists were Black Frederick Douglass Sojourner Truth Harriet Tubman John B. Russwurm Henry Highland Garnet

Leading white abolitionists Important white abolitionists include . . . William Lloyd Garrison Theodore Dwight Weld Sarah and Angelina Grimké Lewis and Arthur Tappan James G. Birney

White abolitionists were religious Deeply religious Middle class Spoke of slavery as a “sin” Spoke of “redemption” for those who freed their slaves Slavery violated America’s core political and religious principles

American anti-slavery society -- 1833 Denounced slavery as a sin Immediate abolition Endorsed nonviolence Condemned racial prejudice 1835 – Hundreds of branches around North Published literature Sponsored lectures Petitioned Congress

Abolitionists split -- 1840 Moderates Push for change thru politics Liberty Party, 1840 and 1844 Radicals Led by Garrison Talk of secession “No Union with Slaveholders” Burns copy of the United States Constitution

Abolitionism – a minority movement Only 2% of Americans were joined abolitionists organizations Most Americans were white supremacists Abolitionists were attacked in the North and South

Southerners (Over) react See abolitionism as a threat to their way of life Southerners exaggerate strength of abolitionism Link abolitionism to slave uprisings Mount strong defense of slavery Censor mail Gag rule Argue that slavery is “a positive good.” Good for master and slave Talk of secession – “fire eaters”