Abolitionism and The Women’s Rights Movement Women’s rights emerges from the Antislavery movement?

Abolitionism  Movement to abolish slavery  Had existed since the founding of the new United States  Different strains:  Colonization (early on)  Gradualist  Immediate  Movement to abolish slavery  Had existed since the founding of the new United States  Different strains:  Colonization (early on)  Gradualist  Immediate

Abolitionists’ Tactics  Moral Suasion- most popular tactic  Slave narratives- Frederick Douglass (1845), Harriet Jacobs  Newspapers- William Lloyd Garrison (President of American Anti-Slavery Society- AASS) pub. The Liberator  Speeches: Maria Stewart, Angelina Grimke Weld, Sojourner Truth, Abby Kelley  Pamphlets- “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (Angelina Grimke- 1836)  Meetings- Philadelphia, England, etc.  Radical- calls for slave rebellions  David Walker’s Appeal  Radical- open rebellion, attempts to arm slaves  Moral Suasion- most popular tactic  Slave narratives- Frederick Douglass (1845), Harriet Jacobs  Newspapers- William Lloyd Garrison (President of American Anti-Slavery Society- AASS) pub. The Liberator  Speeches: Maria Stewart, Angelina Grimke Weld, Sojourner Truth, Abby Kelley  Pamphlets- “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (Angelina Grimke- 1836)  Meetings- Philadelphia, England, etc.  Radical- calls for slave rebellions  David Walker’s Appeal  Radical- open rebellion, attempts to arm slaves

Abolitionism- Support  Most Americans, even in the North, did not want immediate abolition  Even most members of Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party advocated gradual and/or colonization  Democrats were against it- Southern party, also Northern immigrants who feared competition from newly freed slave migration to the North.  Racism throughout the US, even among immediate abolitionists (eg. Garrison encouraging former slaves to speak in a less educated manner)  Most Americans, even in the North, did not want immediate abolition  Even most members of Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party advocated gradual and/or colonization  Democrats were against it- Southern party, also Northern immigrants who feared competition from newly freed slave migration to the North.  Racism throughout the US, even among immediate abolitionists (eg. Garrison encouraging former slaves to speak in a less educated manner)

“Our Countrymen in Chains” By John Greenleaf Whittier “Our countrymen in chains! Slaves-in a land of light and law! Slaves-crouching on the very plains! Where rolled the storm of freedom’s war!… Up now for Freedom!- not in strife Like that your sterner fathers saw That awful waste of human life- The glory and the guilt of war: But break the chain- the yoke remove And smite to earth oppression’s rod, With those mild arms of Truth and Love, Made mighty through the living God!…” “Our countrymen in chains! Slaves-in a land of light and law! Slaves-crouching on the very plains! Where rolled the storm of freedom’s war!… Up now for Freedom!- not in strife Like that your sterner fathers saw That awful waste of human life- The glory and the guilt of war: But break the chain- the yoke remove And smite to earth oppression’s rod, With those mild arms of Truth and Love, Made mighty through the living God!…”

Image Source: H/Grimke/PhiladelphiaRiotdefault.html

Women and Abolitionism  Maria Stewart  Sarah and Angelina Grimke  Sojourner Truth  Abby Kelley  Lucy Stone  Elizabeth Cady Stanton  Maria Stewart  Sarah and Angelina Grimke  Sojourner Truth  Abby Kelley  Lucy Stone  Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Women and Abolitionism  Arguments over women’s role in the movement split the abolitionist movement in 1840  Garrison wing- full female participation  Theodore Dwight Weld (Angelina Grimke’s husband) & both Grimke sisters- restrained their beliefs on women’s rights to focus on abolitionism  Talk of women’s rights “in the air… throughout the 1840’s”  Arguments over women’s role in the movement split the abolitionist movement in 1840  Garrison wing- full female participation  Theodore Dwight Weld (Angelina Grimke’s husband) & both Grimke sisters- restrained their beliefs on women’s rights to focus on abolitionism  Talk of women’s rights “in the air… throughout the 1840’s”

Women and Abolitionism  Key Moment: Philadelphia Anti- Slavery Convention in 1839  Mob attacked because women were speaking in public and because they were against abolition  Angelina Grimke gave an impassioned speech (see document)  But she was not the first woman to speak before a mixed gender (“promiscuous”) audience  Maria Stewart was, but she is often ignored- why? (see document)  Key Moment: Philadelphia Anti- Slavery Convention in 1839  Mob attacked because women were speaking in public and because they were against abolition  Angelina Grimke gave an impassioned speech (see document)  But she was not the first woman to speak before a mixed gender (“promiscuous”) audience  Maria Stewart was, but she is often ignored- why? (see document)

The Women’s Movement  Pauline Wright Davis  Maria Stewart  Abby Kelley  Elizabeth Cady Stanton  Lucy Stone  Sojourner Truth  Susan B. Anthony  Thomas Wentworth Higginson  Pauline Wright Davis  Maria Stewart  Abby Kelley  Elizabeth Cady Stanton  Lucy Stone  Sojourner Truth  Susan B. Anthony  Thomas Wentworth Higginson

Abby Kelley Foster Sojourner Truth Paulina Wright Davis Elizabeth Cady Stanton Image Source: Image Source: s/ElizabethCadyStanton.jpg Image Source: Image Source:

Cult of True Womanhood  4 pillars- dominant society’s view of how women should be  Reinforced in literature, magazines  Eg. Children’s “cautionary tales” Worst of all is what happened to Pauline who persisted in playing with matches. Pauline's story is about the dangers of playing with fire, both literally and figuratively. Her mother and nurse both warned her. But, as soon as she found herself alone, she determined to light a match or two. Her pet cats call out to warn her, but Pauline pays them no heed. The fire is too pretty. She runs about and fails to put it out. A spark gets on her apron, and Pauline finds herself ablaze. The illustration strongly suggests a sexual theme to the story. Source:

Seneca Falls Conference  1848, Seneca Falls, NY  Women met to discuss rights  Wrote “Declaration of Sentiments”  “All ________ are created equal”  1848, Seneca Falls, NY  Women met to discuss rights  Wrote “Declaration of Sentiments”  “All ________ are created equal”

Seneca Falls Conference  1848, Seneca Falls, NY  Women met to discuss rights  Wrote “Declaration of Sentiments”  “All men and women are created equal”  1848, Seneca Falls, NY  Women met to discuss rights  Wrote “Declaration of Sentiments”  “All men and women are created equal”

1850 Convention Worcester,MA  Elizabeth Cady Stanton- beginning of movement for women’s rights  The first National Convention  Nominated Pauline Wright Davis President  Sojourner Truth- famous speech  Abby Kelley was the most controversial speaker (see doc)  Elizabeth Cady Stanton- beginning of movement for women’s rights  The first National Convention  Nominated Pauline Wright Davis President  Sojourner Truth- famous speech  Abby Kelley was the most controversial speaker (see doc)

Abby Kelly Foster-  “ I do not talk of woman's rights, but of human rights, the rights of human beings. I do not come to ask [for] them, but to demand them; not to get down on my knees and beg for them, but to claim them. ‘Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ We have our rights, and the right to revolt, as did our fathers against King George the Third--the right to rise up and cut the tyrants' throats. On this subject I scorn to talk like a woman. We must give them the truth, and not twaddle.” From the NY Herald account  (Source:  “ I do not talk of woman's rights, but of human rights, the rights of human beings. I do not come to ask [for] them, but to demand them; not to get down on my knees and beg for them, but to claim them. ‘Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ We have our rights, and the right to revolt, as did our fathers against King George the Third--the right to rise up and cut the tyrants' throats. On this subject I scorn to talk like a woman. We must give them the truth, and not twaddle.” From the NY Herald account  (Source:

Reaction of the Dominant Society:  Newspaper Account of Worcester Conference  “THE NEW YORK HERALD, Friday, October 25, 1850 WOMAN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION. AWFUL COMBINATION of SOCIALISM, ABOLITIONISM, AND INFIDELITY. The Pantalettes Striking for the Pantaloons. Bible and Constitution Repudiated.”  Source:  Newspaper Account of Worcester Conference  “THE NEW YORK HERALD, Friday, October 25, 1850 WOMAN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION. AWFUL COMBINATION of SOCIALISM, ABOLITIONISM, AND INFIDELITY. The Pantalettes Striking for the Pantaloons. Bible and Constitution Repudiated.”  Source:

Political Cartoons Satirizing Women’s Changing Roles  From Scraps, no. 1, 1849 (book published in Boston  Available on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History site  rchResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms= women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCE D# rchResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms= women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCE D#  From Scraps, no. 1, 1849 (book published in Boston  Available on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History site  rchResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms= women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCE D# rchResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms= women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCE D#