Opposition to Slavery DBQ

APUSH: Growing Opposition to Slavery DBQ

During the time span of 1776 to 1844, the opposition to slavery grew immensely in the United States of America. There were many contributing factors and reasons as to why this happened, including both underlying forces and specific events. Some people or groups made efforts to fight against slavery in hopes that it would be abolished completely in the United States. They did so by organizing groups, meetings, and even developing escape routes for slaves—an example is the Underground Railroad. The North feared its practice spreading throughout America. However, there were other people—mostly from the South—who viewed slavery as a positive in society and believed it benefitted the country as a whole. These people didn’t understand that slavery was morally wrong and went against the principles of democracy, and the Declaration of Independence; instead they worried about how slavery could benefit themselves. In 1793, the United States Congress enacted the first Fugitive Slave Act. The Fugitive Slave Acts were a pair of federal laws that allowed for the capture and return of fugitive, or runaway, slaves within the territory of the United States. The first Fugitive Slave Act authorized local governments to capture and return escaped slaves to their owners, and imposed penalties on anyone who aided in their escape. If a person was caught helping slaves escape, they would be fined, and runaway slaves were forbidden to testify on their behalf in court. An example of a person who helped slaves escape was Harriet Tubman—escaped slave; born into slavery in the state of Maryland. She was the most famous woman conductor of the Underground Railroad because of how successful she was. Tubman’s “rescues became legendary” and she had “extraordinary determination and skill.” (Out of Many, page 327). She made about thirteen to fifteen trips to the South and led approximately 60 to 70 slaves in total to freedom. Many people were realizing the severity and inhumanity of slavery and decided to become devoted abolitionists. William Lloyd Garrison was a radical abolitionist, publisher of the Liberator, harsh critic of the Constitution for condoning slavery, and founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society. The American Anti-Slavery Society was formed to create groups that would encourage abolishing slavery. “We shall organize Anti-Slavery Societies, if possible, in every city, town, and village of our land.” (Document E). In the “Declaration of Sentiments of the American Anti-Slavery Society”, Garrison expressed his thoughts on how the Declaration of Independence is the foundation of antislavery and abolitionist thought, how slavery is a deadly curse and stain on the nation—America—and how abolitionists are willing to become martyrs. (Document E). Between the years 1777 and 1804, northern states showed a growing opposition to slavery. Many northern states, motivated by both political and religious opposition to slavery, began to get involved in emancipation. The states that experienced early emancipation by state constitution were Vermont (1777), Maine (1780), Massachusetts (1780), and New Hampshire (1783). The states that experienced early emancipation by state law (gradual emancipation) were Pennsylvania (1780)—due to Pennsylvania’s large Quaker population, this state had a relatively early emancipation—Rhode Island (1784), Connecticut (1784), New York (1799), and New Jersey (1804). New England states were the first states to emancipate slaves, which show that these high northern states were eager to free slaves. The map, Early Emancipation in the North (Document A), shows the division between slave states and free states and territories by 1804, and also shows that slavery was prohibited in the Northwest Territory because of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The emancipation of these nine states acted as a catalyst for the growing opposition to slavery. (Document A). A court decision upholding the abolition of slavery in Massachusetts claimed that “all men are born free and equal…and that every subject is entitled to liberty…” (Document B). All men, regardless of race or physical attributes, are equal. Frederick Douglass—an African-American former slave—yearned for this “equality”. Douglass was one of the most famous antislavery activists, publishing the North Star. He was an effective writer and speaker, which influenced followers to oppose slavery. In one of his writings, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, 1845, Douglass describes his fight with a white overseer, Mr. Covey. This fight represents a turning point in his life as a slave, rekindling his desire for freedom, and he explained that it “revived within me a sense of my own manhood.” (Document G). Frederick Douglass is a great example of one of the slaves that fought for his rights as a human being instead of conforming to the limitations that were put on slaves. Slavery destroys a slave’s body, soul, and spirit, and still, many had the courage to fight for equality which would lead to a better future for upcoming generations. Other brave men that refused to be treated like animals and made efforts to fight back against the whites were Gabriel Prosser, Nat Turner, and Denmark Vesey. Prosser is known for Gabriel’s Rebellion. Vesey is known for the Denmark Vesey plot which took place in Charleston in 1822.Turner, a lay preacher and a slave, along with five other slaves revolted on the night of August 20, 1831—this revolt is known as Nat Turner’s Revolt. “Gabriel’s Rebellion, the Denmark Vesey plot, and Nat Turner’s Revolt were the most prominent examples of organized slave resistance…” (Out of Many, page 327). The debate over slavery, or “peculiar institution”, has helped to define much of United States history. The growing opposition to this “peculiar institution” of human oppression exemplified the obvious human suffering the slaves endured and how certain measures needed to be taken in order to abolish slavery and grant equality to all humans. The years 1776 to 1844 were crucial in American history because of all the events that occurred during this time period that led up to what people had been striving to achieve—freedom and equality.