What was the Abolitionist Movement?

The goal of the Abolitionist Movement was to have immediate emancipation for black slaves. The idea of immediate emancipation is what separated Abolitionists and normal anti-slavery advocates who wanted emancipation over time. This idea became prominent in the 1830's through Northern Churches and Politics. Beginning the separation between the north and south.

The Missouri Compromise was signed in 1820, it stated that slavery was not allowed above the parallel 36 degrees. The Underground Railroad was a network of meeting places,safe houses, secret routes and passageways that lead slaves to free states in the North. The most famous "conductor" was Harriet Tubman. She escaped slavery in 1849 but then continued to return and free slaves. She risked her life 19 times to help free slaves. Even when the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed stating that slaves could be caught back into slavery, she lead slaves even more north to what is now Canada. She was nicknamed "Moses" and freed about 800 slaves.

The Fugitive Slave Act was a huge set back in the Abolitionist movement and many Northerners were furious. There were many other Abolition defeats and victories. One victory was the Combahee River Raid in 1863. Lead by Harriet Tubman under the command of Colonel James Montgomery, the Combahee River Raid freed 700+ slaves. Basically what happened is Harriet steered three Union gun ships along the Combahee River picking up hiding fugitive slaves and avoiding torpedoes set up by rebels. Confederate soldiers tried attacking the boats but only managed to keep one slave from freedom.

Another major victory was when Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860. He promised the emancipation of slaves in America. Many Northerners were pleased and many southerners were mad. Some southern states tried to leave the United States. Eventually the Civil War broke out and there was the Union and the Confederacy. The Union fought for emancipation and the Confederacy fought for slavery. At first the Confederacy had a bunch of victories but then the Union began to have many victories like Fort Henry.

There were many people that influenced and spread the idea of Abolitionism. Like Susan B. Anthony that had up to 100 speeches a year dedicated to abolitionism. An escaped slave Fredrick Douglas educated people about what the struggles are of slavery. At one of the speeches he said," Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property is safe."

At the end of the Civil War the Union won and the rebel states stayed with the Union. And on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. Abraham Lincoln states, " All persons held as slaves are and henceforward free."