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Outline Notes – 2nd Great Awakening and Abolitionism
Second Great Awakening: Beliefs and Ideals
Many Americans experienced uncertainty and anxiety as they confronted a rapidly changing society that saw the rise of the
Market Revolution (i.e. and the decrease of the “moral economy”) and the increase of urbanization and immigration. The 2 nd
Great Awakening addressed these feelings.
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Movement preached spiritual rebirth, individual self improvement, and perfectionism
Ignited a sprit of change with its idea that moral rectitude (i.e. integrity) could lead to salvation.
Its emphasis on the ability of individuals to amend their lives engendered a wide variety of reform movements
(prison reform, temperance, education, treatment of mentally ill, slavery, women)– not only as a means of personal
salvation but as a mandate for reform and control of the larger society
Combined a more active piety (believers) with a belief in God as an active force in the world whose faith could be
attained through good words
Equality before God
Challenged indifference; preached devotion to the moral well-being of others
Practiced sobriety
At least rhetorically, racial and gender equality
Roots of Abolitionism
1) Abolitionism (largely borne out of the 2nd Great Awakening) – (belief that everyone has the ability to attain salvation –
equal before God)
o Many became traveling and lecturing abolitionists
o Tremendous level of commitment (often came after a conversion experience not unlike religious
soul searching - concluded that slavery was morally wrong
 Henry B. Stanton and wife (Elizabeth Cady Stanton)
o Liz also active in women’s movement
o Came from upper middle class northeast
 Sarah and Angelina Grimke
o Daughters of a wealthy, conservative slave holding southern family
o Became outspoken abolitionists
o Controversial b/c insisted to be active in “political sphere”
William Lloyd Garrison – best known abolitionist
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Characteristics of Garrison:
o Radical, Baptist, Militant in demands (but pacifist)
o Set out to break the “conspiracy of silence” in North (end apathy)
o Lived in New England, Publisher of the Liberator
o Directly read by abolitionists and written about in southern press (i.e. southern press blamed the
Liberator for Nat Turner’s revolt)
The American Anti Slavery Society (1833)
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First national abolitionist org. (Garrison 1st governor) –funding from NY merchants such as Arthur Tappan
Attacked the idea of colonization (back to Africa)
“moral suasion” (anti-slavery societies in every city, town, etc., petitioned Congress & mailed pamphlets)
South exploded in rage (tried to stop mail - Andrew Jackson publicly denounced these abolitionist mailings)
Also resistance by northern whites who held onto racist beliefs (i.e. white supremacy)
1836 Gag Rule – Congress “tabled” all anti-slavery petitions (abol. Responsed with huge petition)
abolitionism now moving away from its religious roots to more ideological and political stance
John Quincy Adams - formerly content to let slavery stay in South – saw this as an opportunity to attack old
enemies
o Opposed slavery, gag rule
Garrison began to become more radical - denouncing the union, strong support of feminist movement and
Grimke sisters when speaking together, too radical for Society
July 1840 – at the annual meeting - Garrison succeeded in getting a women elected to the executive committee
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Garrison’s opponents left the Society
Some joined Lewis Tappan to form the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society to move abolitionism
back towards its religious roots (i.e. no gender equality politically)
Liberty Party
o Grew out of the abolitionist movement
o 1840 – James Birney ran for president
o lost to William Henry Harrison (Whig)
o but forced the northern candidates to become more critical of slavery
o forced people to confront to morality of slavery and its implications within a so-called free country
o inc. sectionalism