Chapter 15 Key Terms & People To Know

West Africa Squadron

British Royal Navy force formed to enforce the abolition of the slave trade in 1807. It intercepted hundreds of slave ships and freed thousands of Africans.

black belt

Region of the Deep South with the highest concentration of slaves. The ———- emerged in the nineteenth century as cotton production became more profitable and slavery expanded south and west.

breakers

Slave drivers who employed the lash to brutally '——— ' the souls of strong-willed slaves.

responsorial

Call and response style of preaching that melded Christian and African traditions. Practiced by African slaves in the South.

Nat Turner's rebellion

Virginia slave revolt that resulted in the deaths of sixty whites and raised fears among white southerners of further uprisings.

Amistad

Spanish slave ship dramatically seized off the coast of Cuba by the enslaved Africans aboard. The ship was driven ashore in Long Island and the slaves were put on trial. Former president John Quincy Adams argued their case before the Supreme Court, securing their eventual release.

American Colonization Society

Reflecting the focus of early abolitionists on transporting freed blacks back to Africa, the organization established Liberia, a West African settlement intended as a haven for emancipated slaves.

Liberia

West African nation founded in 1822 as a haven for freed blacks, fifteen thousand of whom made their way back across the Atlantic by the 1860s.

An Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World

Incendiary abolitionist tract advocating the violent overthrow of slavery. Published by David Walker, a southern-born free black.

The Liberator

Antislavery newspaper published by William Lloyd Garrison, who called for the immediate emancipation of all slaves.

American Anti-Slavery Society

Abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Garrison, who advocated the immediate abolition of slavery. By 1838, the organization had more than 250,000 members across 1350 chapters.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

Vivid autobiography of the escaped slave and renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Mason-Dixon line

Originally drawn by surveyors to resolve the boundaries between Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in the 1760s, it came to symbolize the North-South divide over slavery.

Gag Resolution

Prohibited debate or action on antislavery appeals. Driven through the House by proslavery southerners, the ———- passed every year for eight years and was eventually overturned with the help of John Quincy Adams.

slave narratives

Eighteenth and nineteenth-century accounts of slavery written by former slaves, most of whom had escaped from bondage. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Works Progress Administration recorded oral histories with former slaves, which added to the body of personal testimonies about slavery by the enslaved.

William T. Johnson

known as the “barber” of Natchez, began life as a slave but gained his freedom at eleven. After buying a barber shop in 1830, he taught the trade to free black boys and kept a diary until his death in 1851.

• married Ann Battles in 1835 and had eleven children.

• In 1851, he was shot by his neighbor, Baylor Winn, who claimed to be white and escaped conviction.

• owned sixteen slaves at his death, and his diary remains an important resource for studying free blacks and American history.

Nat Turner

On the night of August 21–22, 1831, an enslaved preacher, led the deadliest slave revolt in U.S. history in Southampton County, Virginia. Him and his followers killed fifty-five white people, less than a day later, they were defeated at James Parker’s farm, and the rebellion soon collapsed. In response, white residents violently regained control, killing around three dozen Black people without trials, resulting in the execution of nineteen people. He himself evaded capture until October 30 and was executed on November 11 after sharing his story, which was published as The Confessions of Nat Turner. The revolt spread fear of further uprisings and remains a significant example of enslaved resistance to slavery in the U.S.

William Wilberforce

Was a British politician and social reformer best known for leading the movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. A member of Parliament, he campaigned for years to end the inhumane practice of slavery. His efforts led to the passage of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which banned the slave trade in the British Empire, and later the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833, which abolished slavery throughout most of the empire. Wilberforce is remembered as a key figure in the fight for human rights and social justice.

Theodore Dwight Weld

Was an American abolitionist and writer who played a key role in the fight against slavery in the 19th century. He was a prominent organizer and speaker for the anti-slavery movement and helped train other abolitionist leaders. He also co-authored American Slavery As It Is, a powerful book that exposed the harsh realities of slavery through firsthand accounts. His work significantly influenced public opinion and contributed to the growing abolitionist movement in the United States.

William Lloyd Garrison

Was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer. He is best known for founding The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper, in 1831, where he called for the immediate abolition of slavery. His uncompromising stance and powerful writings helped galvanize the abolitionist movement in the U.S. He also co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833 and advocated for equal rights for Black Americans. He played a crucial role in raising awareness and fighting for the end of slavery in the United States.

David Walker

Was an African American abolitionist and writer best known for his 1829 pamphlet "Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World." In this powerful work, he called for the immediate abolition of slavery and urged enslaved people to fight for their freedom by any means necessary. Walker's Appeal was radical for its time, as it condemned both slavery and the oppression of free Black people. His writings inspired abolitionists and heightened fears among pro-slavery groups, making him a significant figure in the early struggle against slavery in the U.S.

Sojourner Truth

Was an African American abolitionist and women's rights activist who was born into slavery but escaped to freedom in 1826. She became a powerful speaker, advocating for the end of slavery and for equal rights for women. She is best known for her famous speech, "Ain't I a Woman?" delivered in 1851, where she argued for both racial and gender equality. Throughout her life, she traveled widely, speaking out against injustice and fighting for social change.

Martin Delany

Was an African American abolitionist, writer, and one of the first Black men admitted to Harvard Medical School. He was a prominent advocate for Black nationalism and self-reliance, believing that African Americans should establish their own nation in Africa. He also worked as a physician and served as a Union Army officer during the Civil War. His efforts in the fight for civil rights, along with his writings, made him an important figure in the movement for Black empowerment and freedom in the 19th century.

Frederick Douglass

Was a formerly enslaved African American who became a leading abolitionist, writer, and speaker. After escaping slavery, he dedicated his life to fighting for the end of slavery and advocating for civil rights. Was known for his powerful speeches and writings, including his autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, which exposed the horrors of slavery. He also supported women's rights and worked to promote equality for all people. He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in the fight against slavery in the United States.