Abolitionism
This page is about the abolition of slavery. For a page on the general concept of abolition, see abolition.
Abolitionism started with The Enlightenment and became a large movement in several nations of the 19th century that sought to abolish slavery and the slave trade.
Saint Patrick, the 5th-century British bishop who popularized Christianity in Ireland, was perhaps the first writer to advocate the abolition of slavery.
For details see the main articles Second Great Awakening and Origins of the American Civil War.
Although some prominent American writers were advocating the gradual abolition of slavery much earlier, in the 18th century, the abolitionist movement in the USA was largely an outgrowth of the Second Great Awakening of the early nineteenth century, which encouraged Northern Protestants - especially those among the emerging middle classes - to assume a more active role in both religious and civic affairs. Belief in abolition contributed to the foundation of some denominations, such as the Free Methodist Church.
The abolitionism of the mid-nineteenth century was generally close to the era's other influential reform movements, such as the temperance movement, anti-Catholic nativism, public schooling, and prison- and asylum-building. Although the movement was quite diverse, from the standpoint of the mainstream abolitionists, slaveholding interests went against their conception of the "Protestant work ethic". Abolitionism was a feature of an era marked by various approaches to deal with society's outcasts.
A statesman named William Wilberforce led the antislavery movement in England, and in 1807 he helped persuade Parliament to pass a bill outlawing the slave trade throughout the British Empire. The ban was enforced by the Royal Navy. Even after 1807 slaves were still held, though not sold, within British states.
A concerted campaign led by William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson led to the abolition of all slavery throughout the empire in 1833. ÃÂã20 million was paid in compensation to plantation owners in the Caribbean.
Although serfs in the Imperial Russia were techically not slaves, they were nonetheless forced to work and were forbidden to leave their assigned land. The Russian emancipation of the serfs on March 3, 1861 by Tsar Alexander II of Russia is known as 'abolition of slavery' in Russia.
Slavery was abolished in these nations in these years:
Slavery still exists in many parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Concerted campaigns to rid the world of slavery are ongoing.
On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 4 states:
In the United States, abolitionists were involved in the conflict between North and South. While the Quakers were particularly noted for activity in this movement, it was by no means limited to Quaker participation. This issue was one of several that led to the creation of the Free Methodist denomination, a group which split from the Methodist Episcopal Church in the 1860s.
Many American abolitionists took an active role (made illegal, by the federal Fugitive Slave Law of 1850), putting their principles into practice, by supporting the Underground Railroad.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, American abolitionists continued to pursue the freedom of slaves in the remaining slave states, and to better the conditions of black Americans generally. From these principles the US civil rights movement was to eventually take form.
Roots of abolitionism
Abolition of slavery in various countries
France
France first abolished slavery during the French Revolution in 1794. Slavery was then restored in 1802, but was re-abolished in 1848 in France and all countries in its empire.England
Although slavery was never widespread within England, many became wealthy through the slave trade. Slavery was abolished in 1772 by the ruling of Judge Lord Mansfield, but English corporations were allowed to continue trading slaves in British colonies. Between 1782 and 1807, Britain traded in over one million human lives. Russia
Other nations
International abolition
Abolitionism in the United States
For further details see Origins of the American Civil War.Notable American abolitionists
British abolitionists
Historians working in areas connected with abolitionism
Literature relating to abolition in the United States
Other movements described as abolitionist
External links