Essay on Groups Opposed to Slavery in the United States in the 1800s

Slavery in America began in as early as the 1619s when the first batch of African slaves was taken to North America to help in the farms producing highly economical crops such as tobacco. In the 18th and the 19th centuries, slavery was practiced in all the American colonies, and particularly the African-American slaves were highly used to develop the economic foundation of the emerging nation. With the invention of the cotton gin in the late 17th century, the importance of slavery to the southern economy was solidified. The expansion of western America together with the slavery abolition movement in the mid-19th century provoked great debate over slavery, and this led to the American Civil War witnessed between 1861 and 1865. The legacy of slave trade continued to impact on the American history even after the Unions victory which freed more than 4 million slaves in America. There were some demographic groups in America during the 1800s which fought against slavery; among them included; slaves, freed slaves, white-church going women, Quakers, and white-property and non-property owners.

The groups opposed to slavery in the US in the 1800s had a common goal to achieve. Their goal was to ensure immediate emancipation of all those who were enslaved and also to bring to an end, racial discrimination and segregation. There were two categories of the groups; the abolitionists who advocated for the immediate stop to slavery and the moderate anti-slavery advocates who supported gradual control and confinement of slavery only to where it existed without spreading it further to the west. The religious fervor of the Second Great Awakening was the primary fuel for radical abolitionism, and this led to many people advocating for emancipation by religion. Northern churches and politics adopted immensely the abolitionist ideas. As a result, regional animosity was witnessed which caused the Civil War of the 1860s.

The Religious Society of Friends also known as the Quakers was the body in the US and Britain that condemned slavery on ethical and religious grounds. The group actively took part in trying to sway the public opinion in the US against slavery. The team was also responsible for ensuring the economic, political, and educational wellbeing of the freed slaves. On the other hand, the White Women Churchgoers also played a key role especially in ending segregation and discrimination which had spread even to worship centers. They advocated for inclusivity in the church regardless of race. Slaves and free slaves also took part in the abolition of slavery in the US. For instance, they took part actively in the Civil War as soldiers, which saw slavery come to an end by the end of the century. Frederick Douglass was a key person who influenced the African American involvement in the Civil War. Douglass was among the first slaves to settle as freemen in 1835. Besides being an abolitionist, he also took part actively in fighting for womens rights and equal rights in politics.

In conclusion, all the abolitionist groups above took an action which was aimed at ending slavery and slave trade in the US. Most of them faced hostility from the slave masters, political leaders, and traders. For example, Frederick Douglass at one point was beaten by a mob because of his fight against slavery and was saved by a member of the Quaker group. Some of the abolitionist members were also killed by the slave traders and the masters.