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Abolitionism - Summary Essay Example

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Abolitionism - Summary Essay Example
Abolitionism

Abolitionism in the United States was essential to causing the Civil War during the nineteenth century. Many abolitionists in the North, such as Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, felt that slavery was a sin against God and published newspapers and pamphlets to share their views. Other abolitionists, such as John Brown, felt that the only way to abolish slavery was to forcefully free the slaves. However, people in the South did not see what was so wrong about owning a person as property and felt that these newspapers and pamphlets were an attack on their way of life. Sectionalism began to form as tension between the Northern and Southern states grew. Soon enough, war broke out between the states and the Civil War had begun. Abolitionists such as John Brown, Frederick Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison were major contributors to the movement to abolish slavery. John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry opened many people’s eyes to the issue of slavery. Frederick Douglass’s autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave spoke of his life as a slave and showed how bad slavery really was. He also published his own newspaper called the North Star which informed the public of slavery. Also, William Lloyd Garrison published the famous abolitionist paper, the Liberator which demoted slavery and promoted African American rights. He also began the American Anti-Slavery Society which was the first organization to demand an immediate end to slavery. Other publications such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe also contributed to the rise of abolitionism. By contributing to the rise of abolitionism, these abolitionists also contributed to the start of the Civil War. Tension between the Northern states and the Southern states grew as the rise of abolitionism increased. The more the Northern abolitionists protested, the more the Southerners felt their way of life was being attacked. There were

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