Abolitionism and The Women’s Rights

Movement

Abolitionism and The Women’s Rights

Movement

Women’s rights emerges from the Antislavery movement?

Women’s rights emerges from the Antislavery movement?

AbolitionismAbolitionism

Movement to abolish slaveryHad existed since the founding of

the new United StatesDifferent strains:

Colonization (early on)GradualistImmediate

Movement to abolish slaveryHad existed since the founding of

the new United StatesDifferent strains:

Colonization (early on)GradualistImmediate

Abolitionists’ TacticsAbolitionists’ Tactics Moral Suasion- most popular tactic

Slave narratives- Frederick Douglass (1845), Harriet Jacobs

Newspapers- William Lloyd Garrison (President of American Anti-Slavery Society- AASS) pub. The Liberator

Speeches: Maria Stewart, Angelina Grimke Weld, Sojourner Truth, Abby Kelley

Pamphlets- “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (Angelina Grimke- 1836)

Meetings- Philadelphia, England, etc. Radical- calls for slave rebellions

David Walker’s Appeal Radical- open rebellion, attempts to arm

slaves

Moral Suasion- most popular tactic Slave narratives- Frederick Douglass (1845),

Harriet Jacobs Newspapers- William Lloyd Garrison

(President of American Anti-Slavery Society- AASS) pub. The Liberator

Speeches: Maria Stewart, Angelina Grimke Weld, Sojourner Truth, Abby Kelley

Pamphlets- “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (Angelina Grimke- 1836)

Meetings- Philadelphia, England, etc. Radical- calls for slave rebellions

David Walker’s Appeal Radical- open rebellion, attempts to arm

slaves

Abolitionism- SupportAbolitionism- Support Most Americans, even in the North, did

not want immediate abolition Even most members of Abraham

Lincoln’s Republican Party advocated gradual and/or colonization

Democrats were against it- Southern party, also Northern immigrants who feared competition from newly freed slave migration to the North.

Racism throughout the US, even among immediate abolitionists (eg. Garrison encouraging former slaves to speak in a less educated manner)

Most Americans, even in the North, did not want immediate abolition

Even most members of Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party advocated gradual and/or colonization

Democrats were against it- Southern party, also Northern immigrants who feared competition from newly freed slave migration to the North.

Racism throughout the US, even among immediate abolitionists (eg. Garrison encouraging former slaves to speak in a less educated manner)

“Our Countrymen in Chains”By John Greenleaf Whittier

“Our Countrymen in Chains”By John Greenleaf Whittier

“Our countrymen in chains!Slaves-in a land of light and law!Slaves-crouching on the very plains!Where rolled the storm of freedom’s war!…Up now for Freedom!- not in strifeLike that your sterner fathers sawThat awful waste of human life-The glory and the guilt of war:But break the chain- the yoke removeAnd smite to earth oppression’s rod,With those mild arms of Truth and Love,Made mighty through the living God!…”

“Our countrymen in chains!Slaves-in a land of light and law!Slaves-crouching on the very plains!Where rolled the storm of freedom’s war!…Up now for Freedom!- not in strifeLike that your sterner fathers sawThat awful waste of human life-The glory and the guilt of war:But break the chain- the yoke removeAnd smite to earth oppression’s rod,With those mild arms of Truth and Love,Made mighty through the living God!…”

Image Source: http://www.assumption.edu/users/mcclymer/His130/P-H/Grimke/PhiladelphiaRio

tdefault.html

Image Source: http://www.assumption.edu/users/mcclymer/His130/P-H/Grimke/PhiladelphiaRio

tdefault.html

Women and AbolitionismWomen and Abolitionism

Maria StewartSarah and Angelina GrimkeSojourner TruthAbby KelleyLucy StoneElizabeth Cady Stanton

Maria StewartSarah and Angelina GrimkeSojourner TruthAbby KelleyLucy StoneElizabeth Cady Stanton

Women and AbolitionismWomen and Abolitionism

Arguments over women’s role in the movement split the abolitionist movement in 1840

Garrison wing- full female participation Theodore Dwight Weld (Angelina

Grimke’s husband) & both Grimke sisters- restrained their beliefs on women’s rights to focus on abolitionism

Talk of women’s rights “in the air… throughout the 1840’s”

Arguments over women’s role in the movement split the abolitionist movement in 1840

Garrison wing- full female participation Theodore Dwight Weld (Angelina

Grimke’s husband) & both Grimke sisters- restrained their beliefs on women’s rights to focus on abolitionism

Talk of women’s rights “in the air… throughout the 1840’s”

Women and AbolitionismWomen and Abolitionism Key Moment: Philadelphia Anti-Slavery

Convention in 1839 Mob attacked because women were

speaking in public and because they were against abolition

Angelina Grimke gave an impassioned speech (see document)

But she was not the first woman to speak before a mixed gender (“promiscuous”) audience

Maria Stewart was, but she is often ignored- why? (see document)

Key Moment: Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Convention in 1839

Mob attacked because women were speaking in public and because they were against abolition

Angelina Grimke gave an impassioned speech (see document)

But she was not the first woman to speak before a mixed gender (“promiscuous”) audience

Maria Stewart was, but she is often ignored- why? (see document)

The Women’s MovementThe Women’s MovementPauline Wright DavisMaria StewartAbby KelleyElizabeth Cady StantonLucy StoneSojourner TruthSusan B. AnthonyThomas Wentworth Higginson

Pauline Wright DavisMaria StewartAbby KelleyElizabeth Cady StantonLucy StoneSojourner TruthSusan B. AnthonyThomas Wentworth Higginson

Abby Kelley Foster

Sojourner Truth

Paulina Wright Davis

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Image Source: http://www.abbyshouse.org/images/panel/abby.jpg

Image Source: http://www.sacs.csd109.k12.me.us/HLANE/Famous_Women/Pictures/ElizabethCadyStanton.jpg

Image Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html

Image Source: http://z.about.com/d/womenshistory/1/0/x/A/paulina_wright_davis.jpg

Cult of True WomanhoodCult of True Womanhood4 pillars- dominant society’s view

of how women should be Reinforced in literature, magazinesEg. Children’s “cautionary tales”

4 pillars- dominant society’s view of how women should be

Reinforced in literature, magazinesEg. Children’s “cautionary tales”

Worst of all is what happened to Pauline who persisted in playing with matches.

Pauline's story is about the dangers of playing with fire, both literally and figuratively. Her mother and nurse both warned her. But, as soon as she found herself alone, she determined to light a match or two. Her pet cats call out to warn her, but Pauline pays them no heed. The fire is too pretty. She runs about and fails to put it out. A spark gets on her apron, and Pauline finds herself ablaze. The illustration strongly suggests a sexual theme to the story.Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html

Seneca Falls ConferenceSeneca Falls Conference

1848, Seneca Falls, NYWomen met to discuss rightsWrote “Declaration of Sentiments”“All ________ are created equal”

1848, Seneca Falls, NYWomen met to discuss rightsWrote “Declaration of Sentiments”“All ________ are created equal”

Seneca Falls ConferenceSeneca Falls Conference

1848, Seneca Falls, NYWomen met to discuss rightsWrote “Declaration of Sentiments”“All men and women are created

equal”

1848, Seneca Falls, NYWomen met to discuss rightsWrote “Declaration of Sentiments”“All men and women are created

equal”

1850 Convention Worcester,MA1850 Convention Worcester,MA

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- beginning of movement for women’s rights

The first National ConventionNominated Pauline Wright Davis

PresidentSojourner Truth- famous speechAbby Kelley was the most

controversial speaker (see doc)

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- beginning of movement for women’s rights

The first National ConventionNominated Pauline Wright Davis

PresidentSojourner Truth- famous speechAbby Kelley was the most

controversial speaker (see doc)

Abby Kelly Foster-Abby Kelly Foster-“I do not talk of woman's rights, but of human

rights, the rights of human beings. I do not come to ask [for] them, but to demand them; not to get down on my knees and beg for them, but to claim them. ‘Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ We have our rights, and the right to revolt, as did our fathers against King George the Third--the right to rise up and cut the tyrants' throats. On this subject I scorn to talk like a woman. We must give them the truth, and not twaddle.” From the NY Herald account

(Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html)

“I do not talk of woman's rights, but of human rights, the rights of human beings. I do not come to ask [for] them, but to demand them; not to get down on my knees and beg for them, but to claim them. ‘Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ We have our rights, and the right to revolt, as did our fathers against King George the Third--the right to rise up and cut the tyrants' throats. On this subject I scorn to talk like a woman. We must give them the truth, and not twaddle.” From the NY Herald account

(Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html)

Reaction of the Dominant Society:

Reaction of the Dominant Society:

Newspaper Account of Worcester Conference

“THE NEW YORK HERALD, Friday, October 25, 1850WOMAN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION. AWFUL COMBINATION of SOCIALISM, ABOLITIONISM, AND INFIDELITY.The Pantalettes Striking for the Pantaloons. Bible and Constitution Repudiated.”

Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html

Newspaper Account of Worcester Conference

“THE NEW YORK HERALD, Friday, October 25, 1850WOMAN'S RIGHTS CONVENTION. AWFUL COMBINATION of SOCIALISM, ABOLITIONISM, AND INFIDELITY.The Pantalettes Striking for the Pantaloons. Bible and Constitution Repudiated.”

Source: http://www.assumption.edu/whw/old/NarrativeGuide.html

Political Cartoons Satirizing Women’s

Changing Roles

Political Cartoons Satirizing Women’s

Changing RolesFrom Scraps, no. 1, 1849 (book

published in BostonAvailable on the Gilder Lehrman

Institute of American History site http://www.icue.com/portal/site/iCue/iCueSearc

hResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms=women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCED#

From Scraps, no. 1, 1849 (book published in Boston

Available on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History site

http://www.icue.com/portal/site/iCue/iCueSearchResultsNavItem/?showResults=yes&terms=women%20cartoons&selectedValue=ADVANCED#