ipl-logo

How Did Wendell Phillips Contribute To The Civil War

1139 Words5 Pages

Wendell Phillips was an individual who was hungry for change. When Phillips passionately delivered a speech condemning a mob action against another abolitionist, he was thought of as one of the most brilliant orators of his day. With his eloquence and pure determination, this crusader helped give rise to the antislavery movement that lead to the American Civil War.
Phillips’ treacherous journey began on November 29, 1811 in Boston. He was born into a loving and nurturing family. He was the son of Sarah Walley and John Phillips, who was a judge and an influential political figure in Boston during his time. Seeking for an occupation that was almost as admirable as his father’s, Phillips turned to law school. Phillips’ academic work was stellar, …show more content…

He spat out words dripping with hatred and passion and made is so that all eyes were on him. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Phillips’ ideas were unprecedented and swayed the minds of the Northerners. He took his views to another entirely different level and recommended that the South should be expelled from the Union until slavery was abolished. Phillips’ unmistakable abolitionist fervor made everyone turn heads whenever he spoke. He moved his audience with his unparalleled ability to make people question what they thought they …show more content…

Contrary to the popular opinion, Phillips thought that Lincoln was "the Slavehound of Illinois." He was particularly outraged with the fact that Lincoln had included temporary arrangements for the retrieval of the fugitive slaves. Being a Garrisonian abolitionist, Phillips adopted the phrase "No Union Without Slavery"(3) and encouraged breaking all ties with the southern states. He even went a step further than his fellow abolitionists and suggested that the south be expelled from the union until slavery was abolished. He frequently criticized Lincoln and his administration, and gave the prime of his life to describing Lincoln as a negative figure. With historical allusions, Phillips tried to make his audience question their beliefs and crack the surface of Abraham Lincoln. He found faults in the audiences perceptions and his fiery spirit helped expose the prominent leaders of his

Open Document