Abolition

Abolition means ending something, and the abolition movement worked to end slavery. Abolitionists believed that no person should own another person. They wrote books, gave speeches, and helped enslaved people escape. Their hard work helped bring an end to slavery in many countries.

Leaders of the Movement

Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and became a powerful speaker against it. Sojourner Truth spoke out for both Black rights and women's rights. William Lloyd Garrison published a newspaper that called for the end of slavery. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the famous book "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

Abolition Around the World

Britain abolished slavery in its colonies in 1833. France ended slavery in 1848. In the United States, it took a civil war to end slavery. The 13th Amendment, passed in 1865, finally made slavery illegal in America. The abolition movement showed that people can change unjust laws.

Fun Facts

• Frederick Douglass taught himself to read and write while still enslaved.
• Harriet Beecher Stowe's book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" sold 300,000 copies in its first year.
• Haiti was the first country founded by formerly enslaved people after a successful revolution in 1804.

Did You Know?

When President Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe, he reportedly said "So you're the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war."