Purpose: To examine and discuss major developments in the movement to abolish slavery from the founding of the nation in the late 18th century through emancipation during the Civil War. Use the textbook as a resource for this essay (Chapters 8-11). The primary objective is to be able to explain various strands of abolition and relate them to the larger historical context in which they were relevant.
Process: Reread/study Chapters 8-11 in the textbook and compose a chronologically driven essay that traces opposition to slavery from the late 1700s through the Civil War. Your essay should state a clear thesis in the introductory paragraph, followed by distinct paragraphs that address the following questions (not necessarily in this order):
What forms did opposition to slavery take?
What individuals and groups were involved in opposing slavery?
What was black nationalism?
What various aims were proposed by those involved in opposing slavery?
What major events fueled opposition to slavery?
How was the nature of slavery a catalyst to the abolition movement?
What forms of resistance to slavery developed?
What various tactics were employed by abolitionists?
How did the Civil War shift from a war to preserve the Union to a war to abolish slavery?
Product: A 1000 – 1500 word essay that traces the development of abolition to slavery. Remember to tie your essay together with a clear thesis in the beginning–an assessment of the movement as a whole. You only need use the textbook as a resource for this essay. Do not quote verbatim from the text unless you are quoting from one of the many primary sources in the text–these are located in the Voices sections in the text. Every quote must be accompanied by a citation, which includes name of author and page number where the quote appears in the text. For example: “anti-slavery friends were not very abundant in Indiana” (Douglas 215).Use the third person. Always make sure you provide an eye-catching title. Avoid rhetorical questions in your introduction. Make sure you have a clear thesis!
Citations and paper should be in MLA format. If you are a history major, your paper must be formatted in Chicago Manual of Style.
