Abolition Flashcards

Abolition Movement

Origins and Early Actions

  • The abolition movement, aimed at ending slavery, emerged in the late 1700s.
  • By 1804, most Northern states had outlawed slavery.
  • In 1807, Congress prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States.
  • Abolitionists then advocated for a law to end slavery in the South. However, this was not yet achieved.

Key Figures and Their Actions

  • David Walker:
    • A free African American in Boston.
    • In 1829, he published a pamphlet urging slaves to revolt.
    • The pamphlet, "Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World," circulated in the South, angering slaveholders.
    • Walker refused to flee when his life was threatened and died mysteriously shortly after.
  • William Lloyd Garrison:
    • Started publishing an abolitionist newspaper, "The Liberator," in Boston in 1831.
    • He was a staunch abolitionist, declaring, "I will not retreat a single inch, and I will not be heard."
    • In 1834, a mob in Boston attacked Garrison, but the mayor intervened to save him.
  • Grimké Sisters (Sarah and Angelina):
    • Southern sisters who grew up on a plantation and believed slavery was morally wrong.
    • They moved to the North and joined an anti-slavery society.
    • They lectured against slavery, despite the societal norms that discouraged women from public speaking.
  • Theodore Weld:
    • Angelina Grimké's husband and an abolitionist.
    • Led a campaign to send anti-slavery petitions to Congress.
    • Pro-slavery congressmen enacted gag rules to prevent these petitions from being read.
  • John Quincy Adams:
    • Ignored the gag rules and read the anti-slavery petitions in Congress.
    • Introduced an amendment to abolish slavery, facing opposition from pro-slavery congressmen.
    • His efforts weakened the pro-slavery cause by highlighting their suppression of free speech.
    • Defended a group of Africans who rebelled on the slave ship Amistad.
    • Successfully argued their case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1841, leading to their return home in 1842.

Frederick Douglass

  • A former slave who became a prominent abolitionist speaker and writer.
  • Gifted in public speaking, he lectured for the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
  • James Russell Lowell said of Douglass, "The very look and bearing of Douglass are an irresistible logic against the oppressing of his race."
  • Rumors questioning Douglass's past as a slave circulated due to his eloquence.
  • In 1845, Douglass published his autobiography to prove his origins as a slave.
  • Fearing recapture, he spent two years in Great Britain and Ireland as a speaker.
  • Upon his return, Douglass bought his freedom and started an anti-slavery newspaper.

Sojourner Truth

  • Born Isabella in New York State around 1797.
  • She escaped slavery in 1827 and found refuge with Quakers, who granted her freedom.
  • She won a court battle to recover her young son, who was illegally sold into slavery in the South.
  • A devout Christian, she changed her name to Sojourner Truth in 1843 to reflect her mission to "soldier" or speak the truth to people.
  • She spoke for abolition and attracted large audiences in the North.

The Underground Railroad

  • A network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape to freedom in the North.
  • It was neither underground nor a railroad but rather a series of escape routes.
  • Runaway slaves traveled on foot, wagons, boats, and trains, typically at night and in hiding.

Henry "Box" Brown

  • A slave who escaped to freedom by mailing himself in a wooden box.
  • He collaborated with a white carpenter named Samuel A. Smith, who packed him into a box and shipped him to Philadelphia.
  • The box dimensions were 2.5 feet deep, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet long.
  • Despite the "this side up with care" label, Brown endured a miserable journey lasting about 24 hours, often upside down.
  • Upon arrival in Philadelphia, he emerged a free man and later worked with the Underground Railroad in Boston.

Stations and Practices

  • The Underground Railroad used places called "stations" to hide runaways during the day.
  • Stations included stables, attics, and cellars.
  • Frederick Douglass, at his home in Rochester, New York, harbored as many as 11 runaways at a time.