Abolitionist\'s Proposals and Methods Are Distinguishable From

¶ … abolitionist's proposals and methods are distinguishable from those of earlier anti-slavery movements. The former were substantially more fervent and contained a degree of organization focused on legalities that the primarily disparate attempts early in the history of the United States lacked. However, the unifying factor that describes the difference in methodology between the abolitionists and that of earlier anti-slavery movements is that the former had the formation of the U.S. republic as a basis for resistance, which most abolitionist efforts utilized.

The political importance of the founding of the U.S. As an egalitarian republic must be considered when contrasting the efforts of abolitions from those of the early slave movement, for the simple fact that abolitionism substantially increased after the Republic was founded. The abolition movement was created in the early part of the 19th century 1, although its roots extended to the latter portion of the 18th century. It is significant that the British soldiers, in waging the Colonial war, were some of the precursors to the abolition movement by liberating slaves and urging them to defect 2. These efforts, as well as some of those on the part of the Quakers midway through the 18th century, were largely disjointed. More importantly, they did not seek the sort of legal change that would effectively abolish slavery.

The true strength of the abolitionist movement after the republic of the U.S. was founded came from applying the newfound egalitarianism to the law related to slaves -- or to as much of it as was possible, depending on where in the country a particular state was located. There were a number of different states, primarily in the North, but also in the Chesapeake Bay region, in which abolitionists invoked some of the intellectual and religious principles of the day and applied them to the republican atmosphere of the time to effectively outlaw slavery. For instance, the principles of the Enlightenment had affected the thinking of many of the founding fathers. As a result, some abolitionists were intellectually opposed to the institute of slavery, as the following quotation demonstrates. "John Locke had argued that ideas were innate but stemmed from a person's experiences in the world. Accordingly, Enlightenment-influenced Americans suggested that the debased condition of blacks reflected their oppressive captivity" 3. These ideological grounds would eventually lead to legislative change.

Other ideologies that opposed the institution of chattel slavery during abolitionism pertained directly to religion. As previously noted, Quakers had opposed slavery on moral grounds. This same sentiment intensified during the period of abolition, and, by aggregating sentiment based on Enlightenment philosophies, resulted in concrete legal change. Many states passed laws that either ended slavery or that significantly freed a percentage of the slave population 4. It is important to note that virtually all of the slaves to do so were located in the north of the country. Attempts were made to liberate slavery in parts of the south (some of which enjoyed limited success), but the agricultural-based economy was used to justify the tolerance of this iniquitous institution. Changes in legislation circumscribing slavery were primarily effected in the North 5, although the true egalitarian principles of the age never practically extended to blacks.