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The Abolitionist Movement In The 1800's

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The abolitionist movement in the early 1800s caused disagreement over the morality of slavery and played a vital role in people’s religious beliefs and how they manage to justify their actions. Religious leaders convinced Americans that religion was central to the American culture, and without religion, there couldn’t be a system of morals and ethics (Dyer). However, people were reevaluating their religion and how it played a role in slavery. Historians have questioned whether the abolitionist movement of the 1830s and early 1840s was a success or a failure (Robert A. Divine, The Pursuit of Perfection). This position implied that blacks should be granted equality as American citizens, so it ran up against the white supremacy prevailing in all …show more content…

Stephen Foster was a key leader in the abolitionist's movement in the 1800’s. In his speech, Foster argues that the church and clergy were guilty of theft, adultery, man-stealing, piracy, and murder because they were slaveholders and was using the church to hide behind. Foster didn’t use biblical quotes or characters to get his point across, instead, he pointed each crime of theft, adultery, man-stealing, piracy, and murder and went into detail of why it was wrong and how their actions disobeyed God and that God would condemn their …show more content…

Slavery was based on social class not based on race during that time. In the Bible, some people wanted to be slaves so that they could be taken care of by their masters. Some of the Israelites indicated that life was better as slaves in Egypt because, at least there, they were getting food, water, and housing as opposed to the wilderness, where not much was given. The owner of slaves in the 1800s used bible verses as a scapegoat for believing that it was okay to have slaves on their land and mistreated the slaves and did not treat them with respect as the bible said. In other words, involuntary slavery was a capital offense and was

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“The Civil War as a Theological Crisis” written by Mark A. Noll, presents an in-depth view on the conflicts surrounding the interpretation of the Bible, slavery and the Civil War. In addition, he explains how the opposing interpretations of the Bible, slavery and the Civil War remain connected throughout. Moreover, his work depicts the complexities regarding Bible analysis and how these accounts were formed and debated. Mark Noll, is a Historian of Christianity in America and a Professor at Notre Dame is considered an expert in the field. The major argument of this work suggests “The United States in 1860 was not uniquely religious, but was nonetheless, and by almost any standard of comparison, a remarkably religious society”.

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The Radical Abolitionist and Populist Movements: The Superficiality of Interracial Coalitions Despite the decades separating the Radical Abolitionist and Populist movements, these political crusades share vital characteristics and shortcomings, the most significant being the superficial nature of their supposed “interracial” coalitions, at least on the part of white members, which ultimately led to each movement’s defeat. This superficial interraciality is most evident in the movements’ basic goals and histories as illustrated by John Stauffer in The Black Hearts of Men, Lawrence Goodwyn in “Populist Dreams and Negro Rights,” and Charles Postel in The Populist Vision. The striking similarities between the superficial interracial coalition

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Douglass’s words that captured such “veracity” is his saying that “slaveholder’s profession of Christianity is a palpable imposture” (xiv). The strong declaration, which gained many witnesses, proves his first-hand experience with slavery and therefore, justifies his credibility, regarding his religious persecution. Through this, he proves that Christianity, as they call it, is an illicit form of religion bent toward justifying white slaveowners’ actions while praying for “heavenly union” (Douglass 106). In the following occurrences, Douglass provides insight into the religious masking that Christian slaveholders use to cover-up the unjust treatment of their slaves, shining light onto the misinterpreted cult they have formed to justify their crimes and the effect religion has upon the white dominant culture

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Segregation, a lingering byproduct of slavery, affected even free individuals, especially with the prejudicial beliefs of church officials sustaining this discrimination. People used a variety of methods to resist injustices and advance the abolitionist movement. Frederick Douglass, who personally experienced slavery, used his literature to advocate for the end of slavery. In order to gain attention and gather a following for the abolitionist movement, Douglass had to effectively convey his struggles in his literature to earn sympathy and support. Through “The Church and Prejudice,” Douglass uses irony, contrasts, and word choice to effectively influence public opinion on slavery by bringing to light the hypocrisy of the church.

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How Did Frederick Douglass Contribute To The Abolition Of Freedom?

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Many slave owners went to the Church and considered themselves good Christians. The Black population was privy to a crisis of faith because not only was their oppression being justified using law and biology, but religion had also become a tool in the hands of the White man. Douglass writes “and I am almost ready to ask, ‘Does a righteous God govern the universe? and for what does he hold the thunders in his right hand, if not to smite the oppressor, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the spoiler?' (Douglass 77)”.

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Christian Justification of Slavery & Frederick Douglass’s Views On Slavery Slavery has been justified in many ways but has been consistently exercised throughout the history of the US. Although in modern society slavery has been deemed an immoral practice, it played a key role in history prior to the ending of the civil war. However, it was defended and justified by confederate Southerners despite Northern scrutiny and criticism. Among the methods of justification practiced by slave owners was that of religious means. Religious justification and the continued use of slavery brought about the growth and development of influential historical figures, like Frederick Douglass, a pro abolitionist and former slave.

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It came a time when African Americans and Europeans found great inspiration in two key strains of American thought: Republicanism, The Intellectual Legacy of the American Revolution, and Protestant Christianity and especially the emotionally charged Evangelicalism. Because of these two key strains abolitionism was never considered a self-contained or singular movement from the 1830’s until 1870. In the 1830’s until 1870 abolitionism encompassed a bewildering array of national, state, and local organizations, contradictory tactics, and clashing personalities between the Europeans and African Americans. At this time some abolitionists were commonly portrayed as benevolent European people who were deeply concerned with the well-being of enslaved African Americans which was epitomized by many activists within that time period. Many abolitionists were convinced at this time of the abolitionist movement of the racial inferiority of the African American people and how they should be portrayed as humans within this society.

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hroughout the mid-nineteenth century in the United States, the reform movements that swept through the nation led to a great expansion of democratic ideas through increased rights and the betterment of the quality of life. Since the birth of the US through the early nineteenth century, the primary goal of all citizens and governmental leaders was to establish a solidified nation and to secure the laws and rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence and later, the US Constitution. Jumping forward to the 1820s, the young country faced numerous challenges to the prosperity of its citizens, bringing forth a slew of reform movements to do just that. One of the main reform movements to ravage the country was that of civil rights. As slavery

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There countless bible verses that addresses slavery, so the southerners took this as an endorsement of slavery. “The emphasis from proslavery defenders was always upon a literal reading of the Bible which represented the mind and will of God himself. Slaveholding was not only justified but also moral because it was recognized as such in Holy Scripture.” (Morrison n.d.) During this time many people on the lower side of the socioeconomic were illiterate

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