The Movement to End Slavery

Section 4

The Movement to End Slavery

The Big Idea

In the mid-1800s, debate over slavery increased as abolitionists organized to challenge slavery in the United States.

Americans Oppose Slavery

Main Idea 1:Americans from a variety of backgrounds

actively opposed slavery. Some believed African Americans should have the

same treatment as white Americans, while others were opposed to full equality

Americans Oppose Slavery

The reform spirit of the early 1800s also influenced the many abolitionists

Some Americans opposed slavery before the country was even founded.

Americans took more organized action supporting abolition, or the complete end to slavery, in the 1830s.

Americans Oppose Slavery The American Colonization Society was founded

in 1817 to establish a colony of freed slaves in Africa. Liberia was founded on the west coast of Africa

in 1822. Liberia is Latin for

“place of freedom”

Americans Oppose Slavery

The resettlement idea … did not halt the growth of slavery Was not liked by African Americans because they did

not want to go to Africa

Americans Oppose Slavery

Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founds an antislavery newspaper, The Liberator He called for an immediate

end to slavery His paper gathered a large following in the North

Americans Oppose Slavery

He also helped found the American Anti-slavery Society. They wanted the immediate emancipation and racial equality for African Americans.

Americans Oppose Slavery

• Angelina and Sarah Grimké,two white southern women, were activists who wrote antislavery works, including American Slavery As It Is.

Americans Oppose Slavery

Many free African Americans were also a part of the abolitionist movement

Samuel Cornish and John Russworm started the first African American newspaper called Freedoms Journal

Samuel Conrish John Russworm

Americans Oppose Slavery

Frederick Douglass: was born a slave taught himself to read and

write ran away from his slave

holder when he was young became an outspoken

and famous abolitionist.

Americans Oppose Slavery

Frederick Douglass He was a powerful speaker

Spoke in America, London, & the West Indies

He edited the abolitionist newspaper, the North Star

He spoke about freedom and equality for African Americans

Americans Oppose Slavery

Sojourner Truth She was born a slave with the

name Isabella Bumfree. She fled to freedom when NY

outlawed slavery. She later traveled around the

country preaching the truth about slavery and women’s rights.

The Underground Railroad

Main Idea 2:Abolitionists organized the Underground

Railroad to help enslaved Africans escape.

The Underground Railroad

By the 1830s a loosely organized group had begun helping slaves escape from the South.

Abolitionists created the Underground Railroad: a network of people who arranged transportation and hiding places for fugitives, or escaped slaves.

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad: helped slaves escape to freedom was a network of safe houses from the south to the

North was supposed to be

a secret encouraged slaves to

follow the North Star tofreedom as they traveled

at night.

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad developed a unique vocabulary:

Passengers = the run away slaves

Stations = barns, attics, church basements, or other places of rest for run-away slaves

Conductors = the white and African American guides who helped the run-away passengers

The Underground Railroad

Many runaways went to the North and sometimes even to Canada because they feared having to go back to slavery if captured in the northern part of America.

The Underground Railroad gave great hope to slaves

The Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman A woman who escaped slavery She helped over 300 slaves

escape to freedom. She is one of the most famous

conductors of the Underground Railroad

Rewards were offered for her death by southerners.

Opposition to Ending Slavery

Main Idea 3: Despite efforts of abolitionists, many

Americans remained opposed to ending slavery.

Opposition to Ending Slavery

Many white northerners agreed with the South and supported slavery.

Thought that ending slavery would take jobs from white workers