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The '''abolitionists''' were those who were actively against [[slavery]]. The term usually refers to the abolitionist movement as it took place in the [[United States]] or in [[Britain]]. The [[abolitionist movement]] reached its peak during the 1800's up through the period of the [[American Civil War]] when slavery was ultimately outlawed. The forces that were lined up for the continuation of slavery were strong, but so were the abolitionists who were often guided by a strong belief in the [[Bible]] and the moral need to right a horrible wrong.

The '''abolitionists''' were those who were actively against [[slavery]]. The term usually refers to the abolitionist movement in the [[United States]] and in [[Britain]]. The northern states in the U.S. abolished slavery 1777-1803, and the British Empire abolished it in the 1830s in its Caribbean colonies. The American [[abolitionist movement]] reached its peak 1840-1865; it avchieved success during the [[American Civil War]] when slavery was ended and outlawed. The forces that were lined up for the continuation of slavery were strong and numerous; the abolitionists were few in number and had no political power before 1860 but were guided by a strong religious belief and the moral need to right a horrible wrong.

One of the strongest and most compelling arguments against the cause of slavery came from the [[Bible]] - the parable <!-- Possibly wrong usage --> of "The Selling of [[Joseph]]." <!-- Chapter, verse needed here --> Abolitionists argued that the action of capturing Africans and selling them as slaves was as bad as the capture and selling of Joseph had been.

 

Abolitionists argued that the action of capturing Africans and selling them as slaves was as bad as the capture and selling of Joseph had been.  Pro-slavery spokesmen pointed out that the Bible repeatedly endorsed slavery and denounced the abolitionists for trying to start a race war that would kill many thousands of blacks and whites, as happened in [[Haiti]] in the 1790s.

 

Historians debate whether the abolitionists ignited a frenzy that led to a war with 600,000 deaths that could have been avoided. [[Neoabolitionist]]s are 20th century historians who used the moral themese of the original abolitionists to rewrite history in terms of the evils of slavery and racism.

==Famous Abolitionists==

==Famous Abolitionists==

*[[Harriet Beecher Stowe]]

*[[Harriet Beecher Stowe]]

*[[Levi Coffin]]

*[[Levi Coffin]]

*[[Frederick Douglass]]

*[[Frederick Douglass]], black leader

*[[Sojourner Truth]]

*[[Sojourner Truth]], black leader

*[[Harriet Tubman]]

*[[Harriet Tubman]], black leader

*[[Charles Finney]]

*[[Charles Finney]]

*[[William Lloyd Garrison]]

*[[William Lloyd Garrison]]

*[[William Wilberforce]]

*[[William Wilberforce]], in Britain

==See Also==

==See Also==

[[Abolitionism]]

*[[Abolitionism]]

* Lowance, Mason, ed. ''Against Slavery: An Abolitionist Reader'' (2000) 384pp; primary sources [http://www.amazon.com/Against-Slavery-Abolitionist-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140437584/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241017836&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]

[[Category:American Civil War]]

[[Category:American Civil War]]