Abolitionism

The abolition movement evolved significantly in the period spanning the time of Olaudah Equiano in the mid-18th Century, to the mid-19th Century of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs. Not only did the abolitionist rhetoric change, their goals, and the institution of slavery itself, transformed over course a century spanning the three narratives. Olaudah Equiano was writing in the mid-18th Century at the height of the slave trade and experienced slavery across the New World and Britain, and…

The end of slavery and the slave trade in the British Empire began with the Abolition of the slave trade act, 1807. This action by the Parliament made it illegal to engage in the slave trade throughout the British colonies. [footnoteRef:1] Abolishment groups continued to pressure the government for more changes and the eventual passage of the Slavery Abolition act of 1833 freed all slaves throughout the British Empire. These political movements were the result of several decades of…

The idea of abolishing slavery, and the Fugitive Slaw Law, was a Christian moral according to Stowe, and she emphasizes this idea throughout Uncle Tom’s Cabin. You ought to be ashamed, John! Poor, homeless, houseless creatures! It’s a shameful, wicked, abominable law, and I’ll break it, for one, the first time I get a chance; and I hope I shall have a chance, I do! . . .if a woman can’t give a warm supper and a bed to poor, starving creatures, just because they are slaves, and have been abused…

The Civil War began because of the differences between the slave states and the free slave states to end slavery. The abolitionist movement began in the North, which caused the country to split into North and South. The North and the South fought over constitutional rights because liberty was not defined the same between the North and the South. People in the South supported slavery and not abolition, which led to the Civil War. The South fought for freedom and the North fought for ideals for…

PART I The Underground Railroad was a term used to describe a high network of people, meeting places, secret routes, passageways and safe houses used by slaves in the U.S. to escape slavery. The network was administered by both Caucasian and African American individuals helping slaves escape holding states to northern states and to Canada. It developed as a joint effort of several different clandestine groups most notably the Quakers who were the first known group to take on the effort. The…

Lincoln's movie, set in 1865, during president Lincoln's second term and the last stages of the civil war, tells the story of Lincoln's and Seward's struggle to get votes necessary to pass the 13th amendment through the House of Representatives before the end of the Civil war. Through the film we see all the strategies the Seward and his team used to convince republicans and democrats to support the amendment or to at least abstain from voting. Although the movie is sometimes inaccurate with…

Education is a term affiliated with knowledge and growth which are considered to be two positives. Not very often do you think of education with a negative connotation. In Frederick Douglass’ narrative he is able to provide his personal evidence with both of these claims. He uses irony as well as character development to explain how although education can give you the power to grow and gain knowledge, sometimes knowledge is also left better off being unknown. Irony was a very common device that…

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. He served from March 1861 to April 1865. Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865, from being shot by John Wilkes Booth. In those four years, he accomplished several tremendous achievements. Lincoln’s presidency was mainly over the disputes between the Northern and Southern States about slavery. This soon lead to the Civil War, which took place throughout Lincoln’s whole presidency. Abraham Lincoln’s quote “The Best Way to…

Many Heroes accomplish great tasks and exemplify determination when completing such tasks. Being a hero involves showing determination, a person can’t do anything if they aren’t determined to do what they want to do. For instance, Frederick Douglass rose above from his fellow slaves/segregated african americans and attempted to make a difference. He knew the consequent would be going back to slavery, which for him was worse than death. According to Frederick Douglass’s autobiography which…

Interestingly, lots of people in the 1800’s were amazed by religion and its effect on their spiritual and psychological well-being. In almost all the southern states, it was common for people to believe in God for comfort and relief. Those who lived a God-fearing life back then were able to have hope that life would get better. Although Christianity was prevalent, it seemed difficult for slaves to believe fully in God and enjoy its goodness and positivity. In this book, it is stated by Frederick…