15.4 The Antislavery Movement pp. 488-492

Objectives: Evaluate the techniques of antislavery leaders. Examine how Americans responded to abolitionists.

A. The Antislavery Movement (pp. 488-489) Throughout America’s early years, many people, called abolitionists, wanted to end slavery. The American Colonization Society attempted to organize a colony in Africa (called Liberia) for free African Americans. In 1829 David Walker published “An Appeal to Coloured Citizens of the World,” which called on enslaved men and women to fight for their freedom.

B. Abolitionists (pp. 490-491) In 1831 white abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founded the “Liberator,” a Boston antislavery newspaper. In his first issue, Garrison demanded the immediate emancipation, or freeing, of all enslaved persons. He and other abolitionists founded the American Anti-Slavery Society, which pressed for immediate and unconditional emancipation.

Sojourner Truth

C. Antislavery Leaders (p. 491) Isabella Baumfree, a former slave who later changed her name to Sojourner Truth, vowed to tell the world about the cruelty of slavery. The most important African American spokesperson for the cause was Frederick Douglass, who captivated audiences by talking about his life in bondage. Douglass also edited an abolitionist journal called the “North Star,” and wrote three very moving autobiographies.

D. The Underground Railroad (p. 491) Many abolitionists became “conductors” on the Underground Railroad, which was not an actual railroad but a series of houses that runaway slaves used on their way to free territory in the North or in Canada. The most famous African American conductor was Harriet Tubman, a former slave called “Moses” because she led more than 300 enslaved persons—including her own parents—to freedom.

E. Northern Reaction to Abolitionism (p. 492) Mill owner and bankers who depended on Southern cotton viewed abolitionists’ attacks on slavery as threats to their livelihood. Other Northerners feared that free African Americans would come to the North and compete with them for jobs. One abolitionist editor, Elijah Lovejoy, was murdered by a Northern mob, an act of violence that shocked many into joining the antislavery cause.

F. Southerners Defend Slavery (p. 492) Southerners accused abolitionists of encouraging violence. Southern church leaders argued that the Bible condoned slavery, while other Southerners argued that slaves had better lives than Northern factory workers. In 1836, under Southern pressure, the House of Representatives passed a gag rule providing that all abolitionist proposals should be set aside without debate.

Review: Define abolitionists— Define emancipation— Who edited the “Liberator”? List two famous African American abolitionists? Who was the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad?