Use your own
knowledge to assess how far the sources support the interpretation that the
campaign for the abolition of slavery failed to win popular support in America
before 1850?
On assessing the sources it is evident that there are
sources which support and others that oppose the interpretation that the
campaign for the abolition of slavery failed to win popular support. Source A is
written by the fiercely established abolitionist Garrison who states, “Slavery
cannot be abolished without a struggle: we must expect a collision with many a
heartless being.” Through the statement “With many a heartless being” appearing
the dominant phrase of this extract considering the question, source A relates
directly to source B where Robinson states that his “abolition society of about
40 members” opposed “300 ruffians.” This implies great resentment and
opposition to the abolitionist movement and thus supports the interpretation
that the campaign for abolition failed to win popular support based on the
ratio of those for and those against Robinson in source B and the fact that
Garrison is enlightened that there are “many” people who do not condone his
believes and are ready to fight against them.
This further reinforced by the fact that in source B
Robinson was urged to leave “immediately and never return” in the northern
state of Connecticut where the north has a reputation of supporting the
abolitionist movement. This is in correlation with the interpretation of the
letter in source E where it states, “Abolitionists talk twaddle” and the
sources being 12 years apart while entertaining the similar view that
abolitionists have no place and should squash their beliefs can be evidence to
suggest that the abolitionist movement has lacked support before 1850 by both sources
belittling the work of abolitionists. It can further be debated that there was
greater force from the pro slave approach rather than the abolitionist movement
with ruffian domination of abolitionist events or could suggest that people
north, and thus not as heavily affected by slavery, do not believe it is their
problem and thus are not concerned about the issue of slavery and the
abolitionist campaign as a whole.
When assessing both source A and Source E, colonization
appears to be a prominent factor in the infrastructure of both sources. While
Garrison attempts to persuade the colonization society on why slavery “should
no longer be tolerated” and the rights of blacks, the anonymous author of the
letter in source E claims, “Colonization is to be the great cure of Negro
slavery.” As Garrison is trying to persuade a colonization society in 1829
rather than address an established abolitionist society while 20 years later
people in Pennsylvania, a northern state, continue to exercise the idea that
colonization is a “great cure” creates grounds to suggest that colonization was
more popular than the abolitionist movement before 1850; thus meaning
abolitionists failed to win support while many believed in colonization with
established societies as proof. However,
this interpretation can be countered by the fact that the first firmly
established abolitionists society was set up in Pennsylvania which can limit
source E and challenge its ideas where the majority of the people in that state
support abolition and the author of the anonymous letter is a minority view
when placing the source in context.
In contrary, source C and source D share an unorthodox
relationship in portraying their belief that the abolitionist campaign did win
popular support. Source C reveals Calhoun, a southern senator who believes
slavery is a “positive good” enlightening his audience on the “fierce spirit of
abolitionists” while former slave Grady claims in source D that, “abolitionists
boldly stood up for us… they always took our part against abuse.” This would
suggest that the abolitionists had popular support as they were able to conjure
up “fierce spirit” to “disturb slavery.” This point is enhanced by the fact
that Calhoun was an experienced senator speaking in congress and therefore he
feels passionate and arguably intimidated by the strength of the abolitionist
movement as he believes it has the capacity to corrupt the institution of
slavery which he supports so dearly. However, Calhoun may be exaggerating the
force of abolition for the sake of congress and to safeguard slavery from
abolition to a more heightened extent, which could thus mean that abolition did
not really receive popular support.
Furthermore, Grady depicts abolitionists as brave and
inspiring people who “boldly stood up for us” through his literature and people
prepared to fight strongly in the corner of slaves oppressed by the ominous
persona of slavery. This is evidence to suggest that abolitionists were
individuals to be inspired by and therefore give them your support and their
actions were persuasive in encouraging people that they are doing what is
right. In addition, he claims abolitionists acted in the “midst of scorn and
anger” which implies that they held popular support as they were able to stand
up what they believe in and not be bullied by opposing forces which can be seen
as a strong example of popular support for abolitionists.
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