1301.11e - Anti Slavery and Abolitionism

Background and Definitions00:00:01

The video distinguishes between the general anti-slavery movement, which ranged from opposing expansion to gradual emancipation, and the more radical abolition movement that called for immediate freedom. It notes that these movements primarily targeted Northerners rather than Southerners.

Politics and Expansion00:03:26

Until the 1850s, most anti-slavery Northerners opposed slavery on political grounds, focusing on issues like the Three-Fifths Compromise and the expansion of slavery into new territories, rather than purely moral objections.

Gradual Abolitionism00:05:11

This section covers gradual abolition, including the American Colonization Society's plan to send freed black Americans to Liberia and the American Anti-Slavery Society's use of petitions and revival-style gatherings.

Radical Abolitionism00:10:08

The video examines radical approaches, including Henry David Thoreau's concept of civil disobedience to break unjust laws like the Fugitive Slave Acts, and William Lloyd Garrison's advocacy for immediate emancipation and working outside the political system.

Political Abolitionism00:14:12

A final group sought radical abolition through the political system, viewing the Constitution as an anti-slavery document, contrasting with Garrison's view that it was pro-slavery, though they accomplished little beyond keeping the discourse alive.