Frederick Douglass Abolitionist Essay
The practice of slavery grew tensions around the United States in mid-19th century America. Abolitionist beliefs became common in the Northern States. Popular abolitionists contributed their time and work to end the practice of slavery for good. These people include but are not limited to Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and William Lloyd Garrison.
Frederick Douglass spent a lot of his life advocating for causes he believed in, especially the end to slavery. Douglass was born on February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland to a slave. After years of living in the horrendous conditions an average slave experienced, he escaped at the age of 20. These first-hand experiences with slavery led Douglass to have a abolitionist view on slavery …show more content…
and encouraged him to spend his life fighting for a way to end the practice. To show his support, he joined organizations, attended meetings discussing an end to slavery, wrote three autobiographies about his life as a slave, and even subscribed to The Liberator; a newspaper written by William Lloyd Garrison that focused specifically on anti-slavery views. Although inspired by Garrison, they eventually grew apart due to a disagreement they had that would never be resolved. He aspired to share his story in a more personal and non-edited way. He was eventually offered a spot to give a speech at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society Convention in Nantucket. He continued to lecture for three years around the world, explaining the issues with slavery. Once the war broke out, Douglass consulted with Abraham Lincoln; the current US president. He was given the task to recruit and gather blacks from the north to fight for the Union army. Once the Civil War was over, Douglass did not end his fight for equality. For the rest of his life, he would contribute to the fight for women and blacks rights until his death on February 20, 1895.
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an abolitionist from the beginning of her life, and demonstrated that women were capable of fighting for causes they agreed with. Born June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut, Stowe’s father always pushed a strong abolitionists stance towards his children. Her dad’s actions and beliefs would later inspire and lead Stowe to become a popular abolitionists. A changing point in Stowe’s career occurred when the Fugitive Slave Laws were passed by Congress on September 18, 1850. The law provided slaveowners with weapons to capture slaves who were free after escaping from states where slavery was illegal. Appalled by this law, Stowe published her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin; which was the most popular anti-slavery novel at the time. The publication of the book had a nationwide effect, and made many change their thoughts on slavery. Although there was much controversy on the novel, it is impossible to deny her success and the effect she had on so many people. Once the war began, she had many encounters with important people in the war, such as Abraham Lincoln. She spent the rest of her life fighting against many inequalities of the time, until passing away in Hartford, Connecticut on July 1, 1896.
William Lloyd Garrison may be one of the most successful abolitionists at the time of the Civil War.
Garrison was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on December 10, 1805. His work in the anti-slavery movement didn’t officially begin until January 1, 1831; when he published the first issue of The Liberator. The Liberator stirred many disagreements as it was a newspaper that focused strictly on abolitionist beliefs. It is undeniable that at the time his views were widely unpopular, yet he expressed his ideas in a reasonable way. He believed that it was critical that the fight to end slavery was done in a nonviolent way, yet slavery should end immediately instead of gradually. His strictly abolitionist views led him to later join the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1832 and the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. Many of his beliefs struck people as unreasonable, but this did not change his mind. Another belief he strongly encouraged was for the American Anti-Slavery Society to allow women to participate in the group, and for it to also not identify with a specific political party. His belief that the United States Constitution was a pro-slavery document led to the end of his friendship with Frederick Douglass. Once the war had ended, Garrison officially published his last issue of The Liberator, and later died on May 29, 1879.
These three men and women used all of their energy to work hard and advocate for a cause they strongly supported. Even though the were mostly successful
in ending slavery once and for all, there is still cases of slavery in the United States today. Due to human trafficking, there may be up thousands of people still enslaved today in American alone. Although this is true, the fight to end slavery was still mostly successful. The Abolitionist movement freed most enslaved people at the end of the Civil War.
Frederick Douglass spent a lot of his life advocating for causes he believed in, especially the end to slavery. Douglass was born on February 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland to a slave. After years of living in the horrendous conditions an average slave experienced, he escaped at the age of 20. These first-hand experiences with slavery led Douglass to have a abolitionist view on slavery …show more content…
and encouraged him to spend his life fighting for a way to end the practice. To show his support, he joined organizations, attended meetings discussing an end to slavery, wrote three autobiographies about his life as a slave, and even subscribed to The Liberator; a newspaper written by William Lloyd Garrison that focused specifically on anti-slavery views. Although inspired by Garrison, they eventually grew apart due to a disagreement they had that would never be resolved. He aspired to share his story in a more personal and non-edited way. He was eventually offered a spot to give a speech at the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society Convention in Nantucket. He continued to lecture for three years around the world, explaining the issues with slavery. Once the war broke out, Douglass consulted with Abraham Lincoln; the current US president. He was given the task to recruit and gather blacks from the north to fight for the Union army. Once the Civil War was over, Douglass did not end his fight for equality. For the rest of his life, he would contribute to the fight for women and blacks rights until his death on February 20, 1895.
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an abolitionist from the beginning of her life, and demonstrated that women were capable of fighting for causes they agreed with. Born June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut, Stowe’s father always pushed a strong abolitionists stance towards his children. Her dad’s actions and beliefs would later inspire and lead Stowe to become a popular abolitionists. A changing point in Stowe’s career occurred when the Fugitive Slave Laws were passed by Congress on September 18, 1850. The law provided slaveowners with weapons to capture slaves who were free after escaping from states where slavery was illegal. Appalled by this law, Stowe published her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin; which was the most popular anti-slavery novel at the time. The publication of the book had a nationwide effect, and made many change their thoughts on slavery. Although there was much controversy on the novel, it is impossible to deny her success and the effect she had on so many people. Once the war began, she had many encounters with important people in the war, such as Abraham Lincoln. She spent the rest of her life fighting against many inequalities of the time, until passing away in Hartford, Connecticut on July 1, 1896.
William Lloyd Garrison may be one of the most successful abolitionists at the time of the Civil War.
Garrison was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on December 10, 1805. His work in the anti-slavery movement didn’t officially begin until January 1, 1831; when he published the first issue of The Liberator. The Liberator stirred many disagreements as it was a newspaper that focused strictly on abolitionist beliefs. It is undeniable that at the time his views were widely unpopular, yet he expressed his ideas in a reasonable way. He believed that it was critical that the fight to end slavery was done in a nonviolent way, yet slavery should end immediately instead of gradually. His strictly abolitionist views led him to later join the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1832 and the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. Many of his beliefs struck people as unreasonable, but this did not change his mind. Another belief he strongly encouraged was for the American Anti-Slavery Society to allow women to participate in the group, and for it to also not identify with a specific political party. His belief that the United States Constitution was a pro-slavery document led to the end of his friendship with Frederick Douglass. Once the war had ended, Garrison officially published his last issue of The Liberator, and later died on May 29, 1879.
These three men and women used all of their energy to work hard and advocate for a cause they strongly supported. Even though the were mostly successful
in ending slavery once and for all, there is still cases of slavery in the United States today. Due to human trafficking, there may be up thousands of people still enslaved today in American alone. Although this is true, the fight to end slavery was still mostly successful. The Abolitionist movement freed most enslaved people at the end of the Civil War.