Radical Abolitionists Colonizationalists AntiSlavery Gradualists Free Soilers Radical

Radical Abolitionists Colonizationalists Anti-Slavery Gradualists Free Soilers

Radical Abolitionists Believed that slavery was immoral and should end immediately Paid no concern to the economic or social consequences of abolition extremists eventually gave up hope that the government would end slavery; some openly advocated violence and upheaval

Noted Leaders Radical Abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison Frederick Douglas John Brown Publisher of the Liberator Publisher of the North Star Self-styled vigilante

Gradualists ► Believed that slavery was immoral ► believed that immediate emancipation would create more problems than slavery itself § economic devastation of South § social upheaval § lack of education for slaves; what would they do?

► Believed in emancipation spread out over a period of time § slave children could be freed first; or no new slaves allowed § set a final date by which all slaves would be freed § some suggested up to fifteen years

► Believed that slave owners should be compensated for their loss property § some government funding would be necessary § wealthy abolitionists would create a fund ► Noted leaders of this movement § Theodore Weld: split with Garrison § Tappan Brothers: wealthy philanthropists

► Believed that the government and politics played an important role in the fight for emancipation ► The Liberty Party would run several candidates for president

Colonizationists § Believed slavery was immoral § Believed there should be a gradual emancipation of slaves § Believed that slaves would be no better off if they were returned to their homeland in Africa

§ Government played a key role in assisting the founding of a colony in Africa = Liberia § Major problem: for the most part, free blacks and freed slaves did not want to return to Africa § Colonization efforts generally unsuccessful; about ten thousand people were resettled

Free Soilers n n n Believed that slavery was immoral Believed that the Constitution gave states the right to allow slavery focused their opposition by dealing with the issue of the spreading of slavery into federal territories

n n Believed that this issue was an issue for the federal government to solve; ran several presidential candidates from the Free Soil Party Movement becomes stronger in the 1850’s and becomes the foundation and central issue for the new Republican Party, created in 1854

Popular Sovereignty Advocates Anti-Abolitionists Pro-Slavery Doughfaces Fire Eaters

Popular Sovereignty Advocates l Did not evaluate slavery as a moral or immoral issue l Looked at individual slave owners as moral or immoral l Believed that the Constitution did give the states the right to allow slavery

l On the issue of slavery in the federal territories, they believed that the people of the territory should decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery l Position mostly will apply to Northern Democrats l Leading advocate: Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois

Doughfaces • Northern politicians who sided with Southern interests, especially in the area of slavery • This made them appealing candidates on the national level – Best example: Franklin Pierce, Democrat from New Hampshire, elected president 1852

Anti-abolitionists Took no significant position on the morality of slavery l Focused primarily on the economic and social implications of abolition l Common people of the North who were afraid of abolition l

l Fearful that freed slaves would all come up North and compete for jobs and work cheaper l many were immigrants new to America who needed to work l many simply disliked the idea of blacks and whites on the same social level

l Often made the work abolitionists difficult l destroyed printing presses of abolitionist papers l disrupted meetings of abolitionist speakers l Elijah Lovejoy: abolitionist editor in Illinois was killed by a mob when he was trying to protect his printing presses

Fire Eaters • Believed in the benefits of the slave system • Used every defense of slavery possible

Defenses of Slavery § Biblical references to support slavery § Economic concerns of slavery’s importance to Southern and national economy § Blacks were inherently less intelligent; would be unable to survive freedom § Slave owners were benevolent; slaves were better off where they were