From Slavery to Abolitionism

All the way throughout class on Tuesday there were same two (2) themes kept reappearing over and over; the abolishing of slavery and giving equal right s to all people regardless of color. There were many different groups and organizations that were working towards these goals such as "The American Colonization Society" (est. 1819) and later "The American Anti-Slavery Society" (est. 1833). Like I said earlier the main cause of liberation for black and the equal treatment of all people was noble but there were also many underlying reasons that were not and noble and just as you think.

For example, "The American Colonization Society" was against slavery and did want to abolish the practice but they did not like the idea of black men and women living and coexisting with white men and women. To make sure that would not happen the sent back some 40,000 black men, women, and children "back" to Africa. These were men and women that were born in the United States that knew just as little about Africa as the people that were rounding them up and sending them "home". To make it easier of a transition, the ACS bought land in West Africa and  made a colony which is the West African country of Liberia whose capital (Monrovia) was named after the American President at the time, James Monroe. 

At this time I want you to think; if you were a black person during this time, what would you do? If it meant being free would you completely leave the only life you knew behind in order to start fresh in a place you barely even know? 
Personally I dont think I would have been able to leave for the simple fact that I would be leaving the only thing I knew even though it was bad. But that is what these men and women of African decent had to deal with.

Further along the line once more and more Northeners could not get through to wealthy Southeners and other people that supported the enterprise of slavery, drastic measures were being taken by abolitionist as well as slaves. The biggest slave slave revolt in America was lead by a slave by the name of Nat Turner. He and his group of newly liberated slave went fro plantation to plantation murdering all whites that opposed their will. As they were killing slave owners, there would be more and more slaves that would join the cause of "Freedom by Any Means". Nat and his band of vigilantes were finally caught and killed. This revolt scared people up and down the Eastern sea board and more slave laws were put in affect afterward. This brings me to my next question.

If you were a slave during the time of Nat Turner's revolt, would you join the revolt or notify someone that they were near? Knowing that the punishment would be death, would your freedom mean that much or that little too you? Explain why or why not.

On the other hand of the coin, abolitionist were telling the gruesome stories from slaves about the inhumane treatment they were receiving from the "slave masters" and overseers. When people still were not able to quite comprehend the atrocities that were happening to these people in a place were all mean are supposed to be treated equal, the American Anti-Slavery Society started doing something that was completely unprecedented for that time. 
They would have former slaves and women both speak at conventions and other engagements. This had never been done before, blacks and women BOTH speaking out to white men about that abolishment of slavery and women's rights. One former slaves that told about his struggles of being a slave, his name was Fredrick Douglas. One of the most influential black abolitionist of the era. He was a former salve that taught himself to read and write and become the well spoken man that he was. He wrote about in his narrative called, "Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas: An American Slave. The things that he went through really opened up the eyes of white men and all men that what was happening was wring and that the institution of slavery had too come to an end.