Historical Abolitionist

The second abolitionist movement was led by William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison also despised slavery, but saw the white southern aristocrats as the main problem by presenting this moral dilemma in America. Garrison sought a future that abolished slavery and integrated newly freed African Americans into the American way of life. Garrison’s goals were more mainstream and realistic and his determination grabbed a huge following. Brinkley states, “The true aim of foes of slavery, he insisted must be to extend to African Americans all the rights of American citizenship” (331). Unlike the first movement Garrison presented the idea of moral equality to everyone living in America. This second movement would have the strength and determination presented by a leader who opposed the southern aristocrats. Brinkley states, “ Garrison soon attracted a large group of followers throughout the North. The following was enough to enable him to found the New England Antislavery Society in 1832 and a year later after a convention in Philadelphia, The American Antislavery Society” (351). The first abolitionist movement was an organization that lacked the morals and goals of a true leader. The large scale uprising of this second movement grew so powerful that it would eventually lead to division of America and the outbreak of the Civil War. The white aristocracy of the deep south was beginning to interfere with northern politics and idealism. The new vision of industrialized America in the north did not constitute the need for slaves. Many southern slave owners who owned large plantations resented abolitionist and feared that there way of life was threatened. Though most white southerners did not own slaves they sided with the rich white slave owners.

There is no doubt that the earlier abolitionist movement provided the spark that ignited the flame of the second movement. The second movement was much more organized and deeply affected the politics in America. It is easy to see the beginnings of the civil war the division in America. The second abolitionist movement would make its way deep into the politics and the government in America. The conflicting attitudes over the South’s rebellious attitude and the unwillingness to change with this movement would promote a division in America that would lead to the Civil War and the eventual lead to abolishment of slavery in America.

Works Cited:

Alan Brinkley, McGraw and Hill Inc. Untied States, 2007