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Ben Franklin and Abolition.
Benjamin Franklin was a major abolitionist. Before The Revolution, however, the Founding Father owned slaves, but at the same time denounced it and later condemed it in his personal correspondance. His final act was to submit to Congress a petition asking for the abolition of slavery and the end of the slave trade.The petition was introduced on Feburary 12th and was attacked by pro-slavery congressmen being sent to a comittee. The committee didn't pass it and two months later Franklin died. -
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James Forten for freedom
Though he was not a political giant, James was an inspiring public figure among African-American Abolitionists and businessmen. Born in Phildalphia, he served in the Revolution, did various odd jobs and later became a wealthy business man. He used this accumulated wealth to support equal rights, temperance, and woman's suffrage. He would go on to help found the American Anti-Slavery Society and financially contributed to the anti-slavery magazine the Liberator. -
Pennsylvania Abolition Society
The Pennsylvania Abolition Society is the first American abolition society, which was formed in 1775. After 1785, Benjamin Franklin took over as president of the society and brought up the topic of slavery -- by request of the society -- at the Constitutional Convention in 1790. The organization wasn’t particularly effective, but its ideals set up a framework for abolitionists in other states and it helped motivate others to support abolitionism. -
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William Lloyd Garrison the Liberator
Even in his early years, the passion for abolition was known to William Garrison. Garrison was a writer and editor for various anti-slavery and social reform articles and newspapers. William would later go on to establish his own journal, the Liberator. The journal supported emancipation for slaves, and would influence many in the North until the end of the Civil War. Willliam founded the Anti-Slavery society of New England and later co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society during this time -
Congress of the Confederation makes slave importation illegal
At a Congress of Confederation meeting in 1789, 3 slave states stated that they would leave the meeting if they were forced to get rid of slaves immediately. To satisfy everyone, they created a compromise that in 1808 (20 years later), Congress would have the power to ban the importation of slaves. This is an important step for the United States because it start to put the non-importation of slaves into a law across the country. -
Missouri Compromise
In 1819, the Missouri Compromise declared that all states above the 36˚30’ line would be free states, while those south of the line could remain slave states. This compromise showed the growing differences between the north and south, and also the resistance of the south to keep slaves. -
Second Great Awakening Sparks Fuse Between North/South
The Second Great Awakening, which became popular in 1820 inspired northerners to confront the south on slavery. The northerners decided that slavery was something they could not to take part in a country that they were a part of -- which was partially because of their religion. This further shows that the north and south were becoming more and more separated. -
A.C.S. (American Colonization Society) Creates Liberia Colony
In 1821, the American Colonization Society helped slaves and free African-Americans to move to Liberia in hopes of escaping racial persecution. The leaders of the society thought that it would be better in the long run for African-Americans, because they would not have to worry about being sold or being unequal. The society hoped that in the future they would be able to bring the African-Americans back to the U.S. where they would be considered the same as other Americans.
