Cause of Freedom “Lafayette was a leader in the American Revolution against the tyranny of England; he was a greater leader in the revolt against the tyranny of slavery” (Gillard 355). Lafayette had a plan for equality that was influenced by his trip to America and by his wife, Adrienne. Lafayette’s plan was a gradual abolition of slavery. He wanted to educate the slaves to prepare them to be citizens, then later grant them their citizenship. He put his plan to work in Cayenne, New Guiana where he bought two plantations. Adrienne was involved in the management of Lafayette’s plan as well as the religious aspect of the plan. Lafayette was the first person to be involved in the abolition movement on an international level. Without Lafayette
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Some of Lafayette’s views on slavery came from his visit to America. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Brandywine and stayed in Pennsylvania with the Quakers and the Moravians while healing. Both the Quakers and the Moravians strongly opposed slavery which rubbed off on Lafayette. According to the article, Lafayette, Friend of the Negro, by John T. Gillard, “Lafayette may have been impressed by their placid protests; his own observations and his energetic spirit might well have combined to make of him an enterprising champion of the Negro slave”(Gillard 355). Lafayette’s religion also had a minor impact on his views on slavery. His wife, whom was a Catholic, influenced his decisions greatly. He was a brought up a French Catholic, but viewed himself more as a humanitarian. The French Catholic religion “taught the Frenchman that the slave was his equal in all the essentials of manhood and, perhaps, in the sight of God was his superior”(Gillard 357). Lafayette believed in equality for everyone which made him want to experiment with equality of slaves. Lafayette bought two plantations in Cayenne, French Guiana, and, because he did not have any of his own, bought slaves from there as well. The estate cost him one hundred and twenty
Some of Lafayette’s views on slavery came from his visit to America. He was severely wounded in the Battle of Brandywine and stayed in Pennsylvania with the Quakers and the Moravians while healing. Both the Quakers and the Moravians strongly opposed slavery which rubbed off on Lafayette. According to the article, Lafayette, Friend of the Negro, by John T. Gillard, “Lafayette may have been impressed by their placid protests; his own observations and his energetic spirit might well have combined to make of him an enterprising champion of the Negro slave”(Gillard 355). Lafayette’s religion also had a minor impact on his views on slavery. His wife, whom was a Catholic, influenced his decisions greatly. He was a brought up a French Catholic, but viewed himself more as a humanitarian. The French Catholic religion “taught the Frenchman that the slave was his equal in all the essentials of manhood and, perhaps, in the sight of God was his superior”(Gillard 357). Lafayette believed in equality for everyone which made him want to experiment with equality of slaves. Lafayette bought two plantations in Cayenne, French Guiana, and, because he did not have any of his own, bought slaves from there as well. The estate cost him one hundred and twenty