1. Do Now
How do you think a person’s religious beliefs affect their stance on political issues?

2. V. The Abolition Movement
Objective 2.06

3. A. Definition Reform movement to abolish/get rid of slavery.
Supported by mostly Northerners
Different variations:
Establish colony for slaves in Africa
Gradual end of slavery state-by-state
Immediate emancipation: all slaves should be freed immediately
The primary abolitionist argument

4. B. Southern Opposition
Viewpoints on abolition: Slavery is a “necessary evil” – the economy depended on slavery, so they had to have it.

5. Religion in the Slavery Debate
Both sides of the argument used Biblical scripture to support their arguments.
Southerners: The Bible gives permission to hold slaves and has examples of people using slaves. It does not explicitly say that slavery is wrong.
Northerners: Slavery goes directly against the teachings in the New Testament. Just because it does not explicitly say slavery is a sin does not mean it isn’t a sin. All people are equal in God’s eyes.

6. Argument Analysis
Read the passages on your handout and answer the questions underneath them.
Circle or highlight the key points of the arguments and underline words you aren’t familiar with.

7. “What To the Slave is the 4th of July?”
1) According to Douglass, what does the slave do on the 4th of July? 2) Douglass repeatedly uses the pronouns “you” and “your” (rather than “our” and ‘ours”) throughout this section. Why does he do this?

8. D. Frederick Douglass Escaped from slavery and educated himself.
Very famous writer and most well-known speaker on abolition.
Famous speech: “Meaning of the Fourth of July to a Slave”

9. E. William Lloyd Garrison
Famous outspoken abolitionist leader.
Founded The Liberator – influential abolitionist newspaper that inspired others to join the movement.

10. F. Women and the Abolition Movement
Women were strong supporters of the abolition movement.
They were also having their rights denied, so they fought for a similar cause.
Grimke sisters – Southern women from a slaveholding family who gave speeches about how awful slavery was.

11. Independent Practice
Imagine William Lloyd Garrison has asked you to do a guest column for The Liberator. Write an article using the content and arguments you think The Liberator would publish.

12. Exit Ticket
1) Which of the following rationales were not used by Christian slaveholders seeking to justify their practices? a. Quoting passages in the Bible that took the existence of slavery for granted. b. Arguing that slaves were lucky to have been taken from pagan Africa, and the dangers of hellfire c. Saying that the spiritual gifts of Christianity allowed slaves to rise above their material difficulties d. Arguing that African-Americans should be given the full rights of citizenship, including the right to vote.

13. Exit Ticket
2) Who founded the antislavery paper The Liberator? a. The Grimke sisters b. William Lloyd Garrison c. Frederick Douglass d. David Walker

14. Exit Ticket
3) What is the abolition movement? How did those who supported it and were against it argue their position?