What Role Did The Quakers Play In The Abolitionist Movement
One of the groups that participated in the abolitions movement were the Quakers a religious group that believed in peace, justice and equality. The Quaker group encouraged members to free their slaves and also raise money and create propaganda to assist slaves and fugitives. As a result, many slaves were successful in their escape
Slaves were warned to obey their masters, “As to the Lord and not to men.” However, their masters were also held to this same standard. Masters were expected to treat their slaves well and even to treat them as brothers, as God is the master of all people, including
In 1774 and 1776 in England the Quakers proposed their reasons for ending slavery such as stating that slavery was cruel, inhumane and unjust, slaves were dehumanized and humiliated and were not regarded as human being but as part of estate stock and that the slaves were not provided with sufficient food, clothing , housing and medical care which often led to deaths due to diseases. Their proposals were disregarded because the slave trade had become a necessity to every nation in Europe allowing them to continue making great profits.
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.
The abolitionist movement has been highly influenced by former African American Slave, Frederick Douglass. He is an important leader of the abolitionist movement that argues slavery is an unnecessary evil. Having never received a formal education, Frederick Douglass has been able to create a strong reform movement. In addition, Douglass is a successful orator and author who wrote many best selling books. His strong work ethic and intelligence make him highly fit for the University.
Christianity encourages people to live upright and morally, which is why many slaves saw conversion to Christianity as a road to freedom. However, this wasn’t the case for most slaves because most slave-owner believed that religion would lead to emancipation of slaves; I support my argument with analysis of detailed evidence and reasoning in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, whose master used religious sanction and support for his slaveholding cruelty. Christianity doesn’t disagree nor support slavery but is a religion that encourages people to be charitable and be faithful which is why many African American converted to this religion. In the book “Native Son”, Bigger’s mother used Christianity as a pillar to hold the family together
Our people and our national neighbors are professedly Christians: the vast majority of them profess to get their ideas of morality, as all should, from the sacred Scriptures. “ James Henry Thornwell, a Presbyterian pastor from South Caroline, painted a picture that slaves underneath Christian plantations were treated in a more idealized manner, when in reality, this was often not the case. Thornwell also encouraged secession in the event Lincoln took the presidency. Due to unfortunate caricatures of pro-slave propaganda, the idea that the slaves were lesser, more savage creatures, made many slave owners feel as if they were justified in their actions.
(n.d.), the Quakers have always supported the rights of slaves and considered slavery a sinful act. The petition (pictured left) has been endorsed by five hundred Quakers for banning the slave trade (Quaker petition to congress, october 4, 1783.n.d.). In The petition, it reads that commerce conducted under slavery is unethical according to Quaker beliefs, citing that good Christian morals do not endorse slavery, and that slavery shall be discouraged (1783 quaker anti-slavery petition.n.d.). The Religious Society of Friends, or better known as Quakers, were a religious movement in England and America that believed that slavery should be condemned, as the whole concept of slavery was believed to religiously impermissible and ethically immoral. As early as the 1600’s and into the 1750’s, the Quakers actively pursued their mission in convincing the general public, be it in American or Britain, that slavery is wrong (Quakers &
Both leaders must struggle to with the church’s arguments to either be neutral or justify the cruelties and inequities of the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow, making it difficult to morally persuade people of the ills of African Americans’ oppression. Walker expresses his outrage at the actions of whites against African Americans, using a moral argument to challenge the treatment of slaves, asking how can they allow this institution to continue , “Can Christian Americans deny these barbarous cruelties? Have you not, Americans, having subjected us under you, added to these miseries, ...” (3). During slavery, the church at large made an effort to stay neutral, stating it wasn’t their place to support nor condone slavery on the premises of the church being separate from State; “The Christian Doctrine of Slavery: A Theological Analysis” by Archie C. Epps III, further discusses the church’s rationale, analyzing the ambiguous position it held on slavery, showing its ultimate goal was to keep peace at the expense of justice, “If the church and State have been given two spheres in which or over which they have jurisdiction then,we may assume the church claims no jurisdiction over the system of slavery”(Epps III 248).
In fact, most if not all Quakers felt the same way. But she knew that she would never be able to end slavery alone. Maybe one day things will turn around and there will be a change she always thought. Weeks, months, and days have passed and the same old things were going on in her community.
Christianity of the Land is what Douglass refers to as the religion of the slaveholders, which is bad, corrupt, and wicked (289). He explains that the slaveholders display some of the most despicable acts of cruelty to the slaves in their possession, however they present themselves
If thou doesn’t love thy neighbor as thyself, thou was unchristian like. Fervent sermons transferred meaningful ideas of equality to everyday citizens. Reverend Miller presented this sermon at the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Methodist denomination was one of the most outspoken anti-slavery sects. The Methodist gained the most membership during the Second Great Awakening, in fact one in five Americans belonged to the Methodist Church (Keillor 1).
One goal the Abolitionists wanted was to have their rights and to be free. The lasting impact of the Abolitionist Movement was many new laws that gave African Americans the rights they deserved. For example, in 1830, Congress added the 15 amendment to the Constitution which states, the right of citizens of the United States, to vote shall not be denied to any American male citizens. The Abolitionist movement started because they wanted to end slavery and to get rid of it forever. The 1 reformer that joined the Abolitionist Movement was Frederick Douglass.
The abolition movement in Britain, spurred the spread of Christianity to the slaves. The role of the Anglian Church as well as the church of the planter class was ineffective. The most influential was the Baptist followed by the Moravians and Methodist.23 However, at the start of colonial slavery, converting the slaves to Christianity was not considered a good idea. There were differences in the opinions of the Plantocracy as to whether or not the slave population should be Christianized.2 While some Planters felt that this would reinforce obedience, others feared the possibilities of a Christian slave as they thought that if their slaves were Christianized they would demand their rights as human
Religion and its relationship to slavery is a contradictive subject, whether it was forced upon slaves or was a form of hope and freedom is still commonly debated about to this day. However, these individuals were devoted Christians in the abolitionist movement who all
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