Abolition & Women's Rights Flashcards
Black Abolitionists
Black abolitionists played a crucial role in the fight against slavery, using their voices and experiences to challenge the institution and advocate for freedom. Many were former slaves who had firsthand knowledge of the brutalities of slavery and worked tirelessly to promote emancipation and equal rights.
Frederick Douglass: Perhaps the most famous black abolitionist, Douglass was born into slavery but escaped to the North. He became an eloquent speaker, writer, and publisher of the abolitionist newspaper The North Star. His autobiographies and speeches highlighted the horrors of slavery and made a powerful case for abolition.
Harriet Tubman: Known as the “Moses of her people,” Tubman was born into slavery and escaped to freedom. She then made multiple dangerous missions back to the South, leading enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Tubman became a symbol of courage and resilience in the abolitionist movement.
Sojourner Truth: A former slave who became a powerful speaker for both abolition and women’s rights, Truth is famous for her 1851 speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” She advocated for equality and human rights, speaking passionately about the intersection of race and gender oppression.
White Southern abolitionists
-75% white southerners were NOT slave owners
-Resentment toward slave-based wealth
-Fear of slave rebellion
-Angelina & Sarah Grimké of South Carolina (right): went on speaking tours against slavery
While the majority of white southerners were not slave owners, with about 75% not owning slaves, there was still a deep-seated resentment towards the wealth and power that slaveholders enjoyed. This resentment was partly due to the perception that the elite slave owners controlled much of the region’s political and economic power, leaving non-slaveholding whites with limited opportunities for advancement. Additionally, many poor white southerners harbored a fear of slave rebellions, knowing that their neighbors could potentially turn against them in violent uprisings.
Amidst this, Angelina and Sarah Grimké, two sisters from South Carolina, became prominent abolitionists. Raised in a slaveholding family, the Grimké sisters rejected slavery and went on speaking tours in the North to publicly denounce it. They spoke about the moral and religious wrongs of slavery, drawing attention to the injustices that were pervasive in the South. Their anti-slavery advocacy was notable not only for their message but also because they were women challenging societal norms, particularly in the context of women’s rights and abolitionismimké si
Angelina and Sarah Grimké
Amidst this, Angelina and Sarah Grimké, two sisters from South Carolina, became prominent abolitionists. Raised in a slaveholding family, the Grimké sisters rejected slavery and went on speaking tours in the North to publicly denounce it. They spoke about the moral and religious wrongs of slavery, drawing attention to the injustices that were pervasive in the South. Their anti-slavery advocacy was notable not only for their message but also because they were women challenging societal norms, particularly in the context of women’s rights and abolitionist
American Colonization Society (ACS)
-Formed in 1817
-Compensation for slave owners
-Transportation of free blacks to Africa (Liberia)
-Could not imagine a truly multi-racial society with freed slaves and whites
-Spread rapidly in the 1820s and 1830s
The American Colonization Society was formed in 1817 with the goal of addressing the issue of slavery by promoting the compensation of slave owners for freeing their enslaved individuals and then facilitating the transportation of free blacks to Liberia, a country in West Africa established for this purpose. The society’s members believed that a truly multi-racial society, where freed African Americans lived alongside whites, was unworkable, and thus they supported the idea of relocating free blacks to Africa. The society gained traction in the 1820s and 1830s, spreading rapidly, though it faced criticism from both abolitionists, who wanted immediate emancipation and equality, and from pro-slavery advocates.
Anti-Slavery Society
-Founded in 1833
-Helped to spread abolition throughout the North
-By 1838: 25,000 members and 1300 auxiliaries
-Used images of brutality & torture to convince white Americans of the horrors of slavery
The American Anti-Slavery Society was founded in 1833 and played a crucial role in spreading abolitionist sentiment throughout the North. By 1838, the organization had grown to 25,000 members and over 1,300 auxiliaries. The society used powerful tactics, including graphic images of the brutality and torture faced by enslaved people, to shock white Americans into recognizing the horrors of slavery and inspire action for its abolition. The society became a leading force in the abolitionist movement, rallying support for the end of slavery and equal rights for African Americans.
How to End Slavery?
-Immediate v. Gradual Abolition?
-Compensation to enslavers or not?
-How to move forward?
—Wait for political action?
—Moral suasion?
—Armed rebellion?
-What to do after slavery?
—Equal rights?
—Colonization of free blacks?
Immediate vs. Gradual Abolition: There was a divide among abolitionists on whether slavery should be abolished immediately or through gradual steps. Some argued for immediate emancipation, while others believed gradual abolition would be more practical and less disruptive.
Compensation to Enslavers: Another debate was whether enslavers should be compensated for the loss of their property (enslaved people) or if they should not receive any compensation. Some abolitionists believed compensation was necessary to ease the transition, while others argued it was unjust to reward those who had profited from slavery.
How to Move Forward?: Abolitionists also debated the best method to achieve freedom. Should they wait for political action, hoping for gradual legal change? Should they use moral suasion, convincing people of slavery’s immorality? Or should they resort to armed rebellion, following the example of slave uprisings like Nat Turner’s rebellion?
What to Do After Slavery?: After the abolition of slavery, the question arose of what to do with freed African Americans. Should they be granted equal rights and integrated into American society, or should they be colonized in places like Liberia, as suggested by groups like the American Colonization Society?
William Lloyd Garrison & The Liberator
-President of the American Anti-Slavery Society, 1843-1865
-Published The Liberator (1831-1860)
—Radical approach to abolition
—Immediate abolition
—Opposed compensation & colonization
—Religious Zeal
Frederick Douglass
-Former enslaved man who became one of the most important abolitionists in antebellum America
-Wanted African Americans to be included in the political process
-Defended the Constitution & wanted to use the political system to end slavery
Harriet Beecher Stowe & “Moral Suasion”
-#1 Best-seller of the ENTIRE 19th century
-Helped to garner widespread support for abolition
-Evangelical attack on slavery:
—Slavery breaks apart families
—Emphasized Christian compassion
Disagreements among Abolitionists
-1840: American Anti-Slavery society split on two issues.
- Should the abolitionist movement work within the system of the US Government?
—Garrison argued: NO. The government was too corrupt
—Others said: YES. They formed a separate party. - Should women be allowed to address abolitionist audiences?
—Garrison argued: YES. He supported the Grimké sisters & other female abolitionists
—Others argued: NO. It was improper, and didn’t help their cause.
In 1840, the American Anti-Slavery Society split over two major issues:
Should the abolitionist movement work within the system of the US government?
William Lloyd Garrison, a leading abolitionist, argued NO, believing that the government was too corrupt to be an effective tool for abolition. He advocated for a more radical approach, completely rejecting any cooperation with the existing political system.
On the other hand, others in the movement believed YES, arguing that working within the government, forming political parties, and influencing laws could lead to a more effective path toward abolition.
Should women be allowed to address abolitionist audiences?
Garrison supported women speaking out and addressing audiences, championing figures like the Grimké sisters and other female abolitionists. He believed their voices were vital in the fight for both abolition and women’s rights.
However, many in the movement disagreed, arguing that it was improper for women to speak publicly, believing that it would damage the credibility of the abolitionist cause and distract from the main issue of slavery.
These disagreements led to a divide within the movement, with some members leaving to form new factions, including the Liberty Party and other groups advocating for more political engagement.
The Woman’s Movement
-Participation in the abolitionists movement led women to recognize their own disenfranchisement
-Argued that ALL Americans – not just men – should be able to participate in the political process
Seneca Falls Convention (1848)
-200 men and 40 women met to “discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and the rights of women”
Attendees included Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Stanton and Mott
-Composed the “Declaration of Sentiments”
—“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.”
-Narrowly supported women’s right to vote
The Seneca Falls Convention took place in 1848 and was the first major women’s rights convention in the United States. Around 200 men and 40 women gathered to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of women. Notable attendees included Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott. The convention produced the “Declaration of Sentiments”, which mirrored the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.” The convention narrowly endorsed women’s suffrage, marking the beginning of the formal push for women’s right to vote in the United States.
Woman’s Movement
-Now known as “First Wave Feminism”
-Major issues:
—Legal equality for women
—Domestic abuse (marital rape not recognized as a crime)
—Divorce laws
—Suffrage
Achievements
-13th Amendment (1865): abolished slavery
-14th Amendment (1868): citizenship rights for all
-15th Amendment (1870): voting rights for all men
-19th Amendment (1920): voting rights for women
