Abolition and Religion

United States experienced abolition before and during the Civil War. It was a movement that was meant to end slavery. It was intended to set the slaves free. Evangelical protestant and the English Quakers did condemn slavery in the strongest way possible as they regarded it un-Christian. During this 18th century, most of the slaves were Africans but there were a thousand of the American natives that remained enslaved as well. There were a huge number of about six million African slaves who were not only subjected to unfair working conditions but they went through a lot of suffering (Ayers, 2009). The ever first abolition attempt was experienced in the 17th century in which it was a great awakening. At that time the rationalist thinkers were enlightened and condemned slavery as it was against human rights. The pursuit of abolishing slavery increased with time and became stronger in the 18th century where slavery was banned o humanistic grounds (Henderson, 2015).

After the American Revolution, there was widespread of the anti-slavery response in the late 18th century various States passed legislation that was meant to abolish slavery in the next two decades through a gradual process (Henderson, 2015). Massachusetts was one State that ratified the constitution that affirmed all men to be equal. It was meant to bring freedom suits and end slavery in the State. Virginia was also another State that made the anti-slavery declaration (Ayers, 2009). The anti-slavery movement expanded in the northern State of America that led to the formation of the union. In the year 1808, United States criminalized all slave trades and made it unconstitutional in the year 1865 due to the civil way (Henderson, 2015).

The abolishment movement aimed at social reforms. Some of the white activists were Lloyd Garrison and Harriet Stowe while black activists included Frederick Douglass and John Langston. They argued that slavery was a criminal act and it was a sin. They also condemned the act of black women being used as concubines and sex exploitation from them (Ayers, 2009). They did face challenges some of the people wanted the slavery to continue so that they can get free labor for their firms.  Some of the American also argued that the doctrine of abolishing slavery was dangerous to their social and political implication. They argued that historically slavery did exist in the bible among the Hebrews and God did not condemn it and that Jesus did admonish that all the slaves should honor their masters (Gouveia, 2009). Abraham Lincoln was an iconic leader that will be forever remembered for he called the troops to restrain the rebellion of slave trade (Henderson, 2015).  Lincoln also issued a proclamation that freed all the slaves that were held in confederate states. Slavery among the Indian tribes was also brought to an end. After many men were freed many of them started serving in the United States troops. Lincoln argued that it was logic and moral to abolish trade.

Religion transformation was the crucible in American slavery that was made up of protestant, catholic, Islam and indigenous traditions. The movement of the slaves nurtured the development of various religions. In the 18th century, African Americans who were the victims of slave embraced Christianity that led to independent churches (Gouveia, 2009). Communities were allowed to worship freely that led to the creation of structures such as the Episcopal Church. By the abolishment of the slave trade in America religion and worship become more common as one could choose where and who to worship. The church structures became significant arenas that did not only offer support for the people spiritually but also economic development, educational development and political activism (Gouveia, 2009).

Freedom of religion did yield positive result as the black religious institution were used in the African American context that made a meaning of the experience of them as slaves, creating a vision and interpolation their relationship with Africa was enhanced (Gouveia, 2009). Before the freedom of religion, the American colonies who were the missionaries of the gospel taught the slaves how t read the Bible and how they could save their souls. The ministry of the gospel taught the law of love and did more campaigns that advocated for human treatment and encouraged them to practice Christian ethics and the protection of their chattel. Religion did play a key part in the abolishment of slavery by a way of humanizing the rough frontiers of the slaves at that time (Henderson, 2015).

The revolutionary era of the 18th century had many reforms. As a way of slave abolishment morality and wisdom was experienced to those who were oppressed as fear of labor was eliminated, Christian’s visions were enhanced by a way of inspired principles of spiritual freedom, enlightenment of liberty and radical animosity was overcome (Gouveia, 2009). In conclusion, although the abolishment of slavery and religion transformation was achieved most of the whites saw it as a threat that could have to harm their peace between the States, abolishment had a huge impact as it made liberation of the moral imagination in the nation States that no vision of a Christian could be best fit at that time than the moral crusade to free the slave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Ayers, E. L. (2009). American passages: A history of the United States. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.

Gouveia Jr., W. (2009). Contract and Covenant in American Politics: Religion in the Abortion & Abolition Debates. Human Life Review, 35(4), 29-40.

Henderson, E. (2015). Slave Religion, Slave Hiring, and the Incipient Proletarianization of Enslaved Black Labor: Developing Du Bois' Thesis on Black Participation in the Civil War as a Revolution. Journal Of African American Studies, 19(2), 192-213. doi:10.1007/s12111-015-9299-8