Describe the methods used by the Abolitionist movement in their campaign against slavery in the 1840s and 1850s.

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Describe the methods used by the Abolitionist movement in their campaign against slavery in the 1840s and 1850s.

Abolitionists used many different ways to get their point across, and try to make changes to the allowance of slavery in the United States of America. One of the more radical, even fanatical abolitionists was John Brown. This man did not plan carefully; he was almost certainly psychotic; yet he is remembered to this day in the song ‘John Brown’s Body’, therefore he must have made an impact on the views of people about slavery. He was very violent – in 1856 he had five pro-slavery men butchered on Pottawotamie Creek. However, Northerners glossed over the murders, claiming Brown was a hero who had acted in self defence. This started up a bout of ‘tit-for-tat’ killings. Meanwhile, Brown gathered round him a gang of anti-slavery marauders, and planned revolution. He chose to begin his uprising at Harper’s Ferry, near Washington DC. This was the site of an arsenal belonging to the government. On 17 October 1859, Brown and 21 men tried to raid it, steal the weapons and then free slaves by force. However the army besieged them there for 36 hours. Joseph Brown was subsequently captured and hung. Although this may sound like he failed, he did not mind dying, and indeed he became a martyr for the cause – the song is evidence of this. He also brought the issue of anti-slavery forwards.

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A much more practical abolitionist was Harriet Tubman. She wasn’t as concerned with how to deal with the problem of slavery in the future, as helping slaves there and then. She herself was an escaped slave, and she devised an organised system of helping slaves to escape  - ‘The Underground Railroad’. She led 300 slaves to freedom, and was aptly named the ‘Moses of her people’. Her solution was not really practical long term as it didn’t resolve the issue of slavery, but it certainly helped many of the slaves to gain their freedom, and gave others hope. Slaveholders obviously ...

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