Douglas Bell
11/16/15
Period 7
Wendell Phillips On November 29, 1811, I was born in Boston, Massachusetts. I was raised by my mother and father, Sarah Walley and John Phillips. My father was a renowned lawyer, politician, and philanthropist. As a boy, I attended Boston Latin School, and graduated from Harvard University in 1831. I then went on to Harvard Law School, from which I graduated in 1833. My professor of oratory, Edward T. Channing, a critic of speakers such as Daniel Webster, emphasized the value of plain speaking, a philosophy which I followed. After being converted to the abolitionist cause by Garrison in 1836, I stopped practicing law in order to dedicate myself to the movement. I joined the American Anti-Slavery Society
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I argued that the slave population was increasing in numbers and slaveholders were monopolizing the offices in order to dictate the policy of the government. The slaveholders were manipulating the strength and influence of the nation to promote the support of slavery. I believed that this was greatly unfair to the rights of the free States and felt that it was madness to continue the system of slavery. Based on the previous history, I concluded that it is impossible for free and slave States to unite on any terms, without both feeling the negative effects of slavery. In 1836, I met Ann Greene. It was her opinion that the fight against slavery required not just support but total commitment. Ann and I became engaged that year. In addition to abolition, I was also an early advocate of women’s rights. In an issue of the newspaper, the Liberator, I called for securing women’s rights to their property and earnings as well as to the ballot. In 1840 Ied the unsuccessful effort at the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London to have America’s women delegates seated. After African Americans gained the right to vote under the 15th Amendment in 1870, I switched my attention to other issues, such as women 's rights,