During the 1800’s, those who saw social prejudice or corruption started many reform movements to correct the difficulties in America. The Second Great Awakening really helped shape the United States into a religious nation and paved the way through the reform movements, while stressing individual choice that caused an uprising in denominations leading to followers by the masses. Antislavery abolitionism became a movement mostly because of influence from the religious revival that was taking place, and demonstrating to all of those religious that slavery is a sin. Reformists of the antislavery movement transformed their thoughts forward of equality to all people, no matter their race.
There have been many movements over time that has led America to where we are today. “The Antebellum reforms was a new, more radical anti-slavery movement that emerged by the early 1830s. Its program for ending slavery stood in stark contrast to the “colonizationist” position earlier advocated by some prominent Americans and embodied in the American Colonization Society (1816–1964)”. (Walters, 1995) This reforms were put into place to better everyone as well as their families.
Abolitionism was a well-known movement around the time of the Civil War and its aim was to put an end to slavery. The people of the early nineteenth century viewed the elimination of slavery in numerous ways. Some fought against the end of slavery, some appeared to mildly support the cause and yet others wholeheartedly supported the ending of slavery until their dying day. Charles Finney was a religious leader who promoted social reforms such as the abolition of slavery. He also fought for equality in education for women as well as for African Americans.
The fight to abolish slavery lasted almost a century and was a never-ending conflict. There were hundreds of attempts to end slavery, but the Pennsylvania Society, the African Methodist Episcopal, Fredrick Douglas, and the underground railroad all made significant contributions that ultimately led to its abolition. Pennsylvania society was the first abolition society of both races, in the western part of the world. They played a huge role in the abolition movement because they fought to protect anti-slavery laws. Quakers, some of the most authoritative religious figures, aided the society in the fight to free blacks by drafting documents and distributing them out, in hopes of gathering more to show support for the abolition movement.
According to the article, “Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” (1790), the Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery was passed on March 1, 1780. It was the first attempts to begin abolishing slavery. The given act forbidden further imported slaves into states and required slaveholders to regularly register slaves to establish any children born in Pennsylvania “free persons” regarding the specific conditions. Stated in the passage, African-Americans were able to vote but many whites preventing most. Unfortunately, they were unable to use their voting rights because whites did not allow it to happen.
Prior to the 1830s, the antislavery movement was mainly concentrated in the upper South. At first abolitionist groups encouraged slave owners to release their slaves voluntarily; however, as the movement grew in popularity, abolitionist began to encourage colonization and other techniques in order to improve a slave’s quality of life. Within both techniques they hoped to persuade all slave owners to treat their property humanly, this would allow for the slave population to decrease. Therefore, by 1836, the abolitionists had radicalized the antislavery movement greatly, due to an increasing number of attacks on groups such as the American Colonization Society, growing revolutionary views, and labeling slavery as a moral issue.
By 1860, 35% of the southern population was made up of slaves. African Americans that were free, enslaved, and formerly enslaved actively resisted the institution of slavery and contributed to the abolitionist movement through internal and external resistance such as revolting and holding public speeches. Famous abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Nat Turner led prominent anti-slavery newspapers, revolutions, and speeches. Internal and external resistance to slavery has been overlooked because of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by Abraham Lincoln.
In the wake of the second Great Awakening in the early 1800’s, societal morals regarding slavery, lack of rights for women, the prison system, education, and other institutions were questioned. Unitarianism stressed salvation through good works, and both religious converts and transcendentalists initiated social reform movements in an attempt to improve the moral state of America. Two of these movements that included perhaps the most controversy and struggle included abolitionism and women’s rights. Although both the abolitionist and women’s rights movements were able to eventually create lasting societal and political change, the fact that only a small portion of the population had any democratic rights showed the initial weaknesses of American democracy.
Transcendentalists were Americans that believed everyone should be treated equally, so they began six major reform movements. There were many Transcendentalist movements, but the six most important reforms were the prison movement, women’s rights, anti-slavery, temperance, insane and education movement. The prison reform movement was started by the Transcendentalists because they felt that the system was wrong unfair and cruel. All prisoners suffered the same consequences regardless of his or her crime.
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
We stand for Abolitionism and are here with you today as we request necessary funding in order for this movement to succeed. Abolitionism, as you all know is an ongoing movement that is attempting to end slavery. We support and stand for this movement as it represents every moral our country should have but doesn’t at the moment. This movement is rapidly gaining support from places in the North such as New England. Important politicians in the past such as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr have been strong supporters of Abolitionism.
In spite of the presence of Abolitionist being in the United State since the first slave had arrived upon its shores, this group did not become a significant part of the political system until the early 1830s. This weak framework of Abolitionist began to rise with a new sense for the injustices of slavery and the moderates of anti slavery during this age. In a similar ideology, as stated by Magliocca, it is without doubt that this gradual increasing presence of Abolitionist was connected to the Cherokee removal act of 1830. Many during this time were against these actions such as William Lloyd, a historical activist for anti slavery. Although originally believing that they should send African Americans back to Africa in 1829, he ultimately changed his view upon hearing Jackson’s proposal of the removal act.
Slavery through the eyes of activists On December fifteenth, in eighteen sixty-five, the United States abolished slavery with the thirteenth amendment. Powerful individuals such as Frederick Douglass, David Walker, Nat Turner, Sojourner Truth, and Benjamin Banneker were people that longed to see the day that they would be free from slavery. Although these five individuals were never in contact with one another they all shared the same drive and motivation to change the way people viewed slavery for the better. These individuals accomplished their goal of changing slavery with a strong belief in god, a strong political voice and a light in them that never died.
The main goal of the movement was the emancipation of slaves and the end of racial discrimination. Many abolitionists argued that slavery went against the “unalienable rights” outlined in the United States Declaration of Independence. These were the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Other abolitionist believed that the enslavement of others was a sin.
Introduction: During the 1800’s, Slavery was an immense problem in the United States. Slaves were people who were harshly forced to work against their will and were often deprived of their basic human rights. Forced marriages, child soldiers, and servants were all considered part of enslaved workers. As a consequence to the abolition people found guilty were severely punished by the law.