History Homework

How did the abolitionists’ proposals and methods differ from those of earlier antislavery movements? Why did those proposals and methods arouse such hostility in the South and in the North?

Antislavery, in United States of America began after independence. Earlier Antislavery and the abolitionists’ movements had noble goal aimed at freeing Africans from servitude. However, the two antislavery crusaders differed in the manner they approached the issue of slavery.

Earlier antislavery movements advocated use of legislative approach and due process to annihilate slavery. They had proposals that encompassed drafting and/ or redrafting of legislations that could end pervasive spread of slavery without hostility. For instance; Newman (2002) writes the legislative they suggested that calling for buying of slaves from slave-owners and sending them home in Africa or to any free state as adopted from Europe. However, peaceful the approach, the process was delaying and self-centered, thus unfavorable for the fugitives (Newman, 2002).

The abolitionists were anxious to end slavery instantly at any cost. At first, the abolitionists proposed gradual Emancipation to grant African-Americans equal rights to whites. When it failed, Garrison and other abolitionist champions as well as politicians such as Abraham Lincoln sought political antislavery approach (Pease & Pease, 1972). Lincoln used public debates during senatorial campaign to put his moral and rational point on the issue of slavery. William Garrison wanted immediate outcomes. Thus Garrison among other abolitionists justified activism, protests and violence controversies for self-defense which resulted to radicalism and terrorism, and end result was the American civil war (Pease & Pease, 1972).  

Although some northerners were slave masters, many abolitionist crusaders were from north such as journalist William Lloyd Garrison. Southerners depended on slave labor to sustain their economy. Therefore, according to Ericson (2001) southerners feared race-mixing and collapsing of the economy if slavery ended. The Yankees did not want to lose jobs to the freed African-Americans (Ericson, 2001). The southerners favored the legal proposal because they could meddle with justice and keep their slaves. As per Pease & Pease (1972) political antislavery embraced in politicking in 1850s and 1860s by Lincoln in his debate with Stephen Douglass agitated the northerners. These issues escalated hostility resulting to civil war.   

If the abolitionists had chosen to adhere to legal approach and dialogue, there could have been no bloodshed in the American soil. However, the blame can only be cast on lack of confidence over judiciary. For instance; in the case of Dred Scott v Stanford denied African justice citing Missouri Compromise of 1820 as unconstitutional (Pease & Pease, 1972). In the 1860's abolitionists stayed persuading Lincoln to end slavery through emancipation proclamation which finally succeeded.

References

Ericson, David F. (2001).The Debate over Slavery: Antislavery and Pro-slavery Liberalism in   Antebellum America. New York: New York University Press.

Newman, Richard S. (2002).The Transformation of American Abolitionism: Fighting Slavery in   Early Republic. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Pease, J., & Pease, W. (1972). Confrontation and Abolition in the 1850s. The Journal of     American History, 923-923.