Module 10: "Abolitionist and the Civil War"

In the 19th century slavery was a social and powerful economic system that was essential to agricultural production in the United States. By 1860, the slave population in the U.S alone had skyrocketed to over 4 million. During this time of slavery, individuals began protesting against the right to own and labor slaves in the United States. This led to the movement called abolitionism. Abolitionism is defined as the movement to end slavery. During the 19th Century, the U.S began seeing numerous groups of people organizing to end the slave trade and overall set slaves free. With 11 slave states being declared in the U.S at this time, mainly consisting of the Southern States, parts of the public began to reach out to the slaves in an attempt to set them free. These included William Lloyd Garrison founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society; writers John Greenleaf Whittier and Harriet Beecher Stowe; former slaves like Frederick Douglass; and free blacks like brothers Charles Henry Langston and John Mercer Langston.

One of abolitionist biggest and most prolific contributors was John Brown. John Brown was a extreme abolitionist who was not afraid to avert to violence if it meant getting his point across about slavery. Historian Frederick Blue actually called him "the most controversial of all 19th century Americans". Brown certainly made a difference with the way the public at this time perceived slavery. Without Brown and the other abolitionist who spoke up for what they believed in, the South would have had zero interference in continuing their use of the slaves free labor. Slavery was only sought to be wrong when the South was pressured by who else but the swift abolitionist movement. Whether it be John Browns famous raid of the federal Harpers Ferry Armory in October of 1859, or the Civil War itself, abolitionism was a key factor to the end of slavery in the United States.

Abolitionist also started the push for complete emancipation from all 11 States that began the Civil War. Union leaders soon identified slavery to be the social and economic foundation of the Confederacy. From 1862 on, the Union was determined to end that support system. Soon the Union including many abolitionist had gained control of the border states and began the emancipation process. The Civil War was ultimately fought to end slavery all together in those 11 States which it did effectively. By January 1st, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation which finally ended the slavery movement over the next 24 months.

Abolitionism was a strong movement in the 19th century to end slavery. In the United states it led to simple protest as well as violent altercations that took many lives. The Civil War was ultimately fought to completely eradicate slavery from the 11 States still proclaimed as slave states. It wasn't until President Lincoln filed the Emancipation Proclamation and the passage of the 13th Amendment that officially ended slavery in the United States.

Works Cited

Civil War. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.civilwar.com/>.

Wikipedia.Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.wikipedia.com/>.