In early 19th century America, Antebellum reforms grew and spread across America attempting to bring democratic ideals to all parts of the American society, in giving equality to women, rehabilitating drunkards, and freeing blacks from slavery in the eyes of the whites and the blacks. Woman in Antebellum America wanted suffrage and equal opportunities in education and employment with men. Many wives and church members sought to convert and reform drunkards from their sinful drinking. The white abolitionist proclaimed equal rights for blacks, however, they wanted to limit the expansion of black rights to only abolishing slavery. The black abolitionist strived for the ultimate goal of freedom and equality for all blacks in America. Women in …show more content…
As Sean Willentz wrote, “the supposedly antislavery Jacksonians were actually proslavery men who feared that emancipation would cause untold thousands of undesirable blacks to emigrate to the North,” (Willentz 220). Similarly, the Gag Rule allowed members of Congress to avoid dealing with slavery by making the states decide rather than the national government (PP 33). Most white abolitionists originated in the North where the economy did not depend on slavery. Although the North abolished slavery, white supremacy remained prominent in society. Rare exceptions to this mentality included William Lloyd Garrison, who wrote the abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator, expressing views similar to the black abolitionists (Berlin 208). Black abolitionists pursued full equality and freedom. While most white abolitionists concentrated on abolishing slavery, black abolitionists combined antislavery demands with appeals for racial equality and justice (Web). Violence did erupt confirming the white abolitionists worst fears in rebellions such as Nat Turner’s, one of the most violent slave uprising in the south (Oates 192). As such, reforms sought by blacks came slowly and not without setbacks. However, black abolitionists found white male reformers that were more supportive of black rights than those of