Abolitionism and Women’s Rights Is there a connection between the fight to end slavery and the fight for women’s rights? Why do you think rights granted to African Americans before women?

Fugitive Slaves Component of Compromise of 1850 requiring harsh punishment for escaped slaves and for anyone who helped them Resistance – Northerners resorted to violence to rescue fugitive slaves – Northern states passed personal liberty laws which banned the imprisonment of escaped slaves and guaranteed them jury trials

Underground Railroad Organized by free African Americans and white abolitionists Led by Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave and “conductor” Secret network of volunteers who hid fugitive slaves on their dangerous journey north to freedom

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Published in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe Showed horrors of slavery Prompted Northern abolitionists to increase their protests against the Fugitive Slave Act Southerners viewed the book as an attack on their way of life

Free-Soil Party Formed in the mid-1800s Against extending slavery into the western territories for ECONOMIC reasons (not moral) Didn’t want free white workers to be threatened In 1848 election, chose Martin Van Buren as nominee – No electoral votes – 10% popular vote

Women in the 1800s Cult of domesticity: American women in the 1800s were supposed to care for the home 1/10 of women worked outside the home – Earned only ½ of what men earned No suffrage for women and no jury service Some women couldn’t own property

Reform Movements of the 1800s Abolitionism: Sarah and Angelina Grimke Temperance: Mary Vaughn Education: girls’ schools founded Women’s health issues – Amelia Bloomer: changed women’s clothing to improve their health – Elizabeth Blackwell: first woman to graduate from medical college; later opened a hospital for women

Seneca Falls Convention Women’s rights convention in 1848 Started by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, abolitionist women branching out to improve their own lives More than 300 men and women attended Called for = rights including the right to vote Sojourner Truth = African American woman speaking out for both abolition and women’s rights

“Ain’t I a Woman?” Why does Sojourner Truth keep repeating this phrase? How persuasive is this speech? What were the most persuasive lines?

Kansas, Nebraska and Popular Sovereignty Aim: How effective was popular sovereignty to determine slavery in the new states?

Do-Now “If the people of Kansas want a slaveholding state, let them have it, and if they want a free state they have the right to it, and it is not for the people of Illinois, or Missouri, or New York, or Kentucky, to complain, whatever the decision of Kansas may be” – Stephen Douglas If people vote for slavery, is slavery right? If people vote to discriminate or hurt people, is that right?

Popular Sovereignty Popular Sovereignty = the right of residents of a given territory to vote on slavery for themselves KS and NE would enter the union and decide on slavery themselves Senator Douglas believed in Popular Sovereignty but also wanted Southern support to build a RR between Chicago and SF Missouri Compromise: Since Nebraska was north of Missouri Compromise line it can’t have slavery Douglas supported repeal of Missouri Comp

Kansas-Nebraska Act Douglas’ bill to admit Nebraska and Kansas Repealing Missouri Compromise Establishing popular sovereignty for both territories Supported by South

“Bleeding Kansas” Settlers poured into Kansas to affect the vote Both sides set up governments and started legislating Violence erupted Abolitionist John Brown led a group to pull men from bed to hack off their hands and stab them Triggered more incidents and 200 deaths A fight even broke out in the Senate

Dred Scott (1856): The Worst Supreme Court Case of All Time Parties: Dred Scott, a slave from Missouri and Sandford, his owner Facts: For 4 years, Scott lived in free territory in Ill and Wisc. When he returned to Missouri, he sued for freedom, claiming that he had become a free person by living in free territory for several years Issue: Does a slave become free if he moves to free territory?

Dred Scott (1856) Issue: Does a slave become free if he moves to free territory? Holding: No. Slaves do not have the rights of citizens therefore Dred Scott had no right to bring his suit. Also, Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional b/c right to own slaves was protected by the 5 th Amendment Consequences: Supreme Court went beyond the case at hand to install slavery position as law. No more compromises. After Civil War, 13 th and 14 th Amendments expressly intended to nullify Dred Scott.

John Brown’s Raid John Brown reemerges to lead a band of 21 men into Harper’s Ferry, Virginia to seize the federal arsenal there & start a slave uprising Held town citizens hostage in hopes that slaves would come forward, none did. Local troops killed several of Brown’s men and the U.S. Marines (led by robert e. lee) captured Brown Many questions: Why didn’t Brown prepare slaves in the area? Brown hung for treason in Virginia and seen as a martyr by Northerners

For HW Read 318 – 321 and : What were the issues and outcome in the Election of 1856? What did the Republican Party stand for? What was the effect of the Dred Scott decision? What were the issues that divided Lincoln and Douglas? Who was John Brown? What were the issues and outcome in the election of 1860?