Comparison Of Pro Slavery And Reform Movements

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Throughout 1790 and 1860 America was inviting in a new era of ideas that brought about a sense of white superiority in America. Westward expansion is one of these ideas and was the belief that it was white america's destiny to conquer and civilize the entire continent. Americans moving westward became a triggering movement for Slavery Debates. At the same time, Reform movements, some of which were religious such as the Second Great Awakening and the foundings of many new Protestant denominations became popular among Americans. Pro- Slavery Ideology was in opposition to the ideals of the Reform Movements. However, Anti- Slavery principles were coinciding with Reform Movements ideals of liberty and equality. Therefore, reform movements and slavery …show more content…

Pro Slavery supporters, which were most likely white nationalists, seen slavery as a positive good for several reasons bringing religion, economy and the Constitution into their arguments. For example, in the Constitution the 5th Amendments states” nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation”. Since slaves were considered property, Pro Slavery supporters adopted this as an argument that the Constitution defends Slavery. This unbalance of equality and rising of chaos was the were counterparts of Reform movements. AntiSlavery and Reform Movements had similar doctrines which were based on equality and Liberty. Anti Slavery supporters saw slavery as pure evil and unfair without a doubt since slaves owners brutally whipped and their workers and sometimes killed them out of hate. They wanted slaves to be free and have normal lives because they believed every man had natural rights. In a similar stand, reform movements were approaches to making a perfect or Utopian Society where everyone had the same chances, privileges, rights and