When viewing slavery there are two sides the proslavery and antislavery. In our fys class, the class discussed State V. Mann, and we also discussed proslavery events and antislavery events. So what is proslavery and antislavery? In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, it defines proslavery as "an idealogy that perceives slavery as a positive good idea or an otherwise morally acceptable institution." (Merriam- Webster) While antislavery is defined as "an opposed to the practice or system of slavery." (Merriam-Webster) Throughout history, there were different events that influenced slavery and played a big role in history.
Some important proslavery events were: the Kansas Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, and the Fugitive Act of 1850. The Kansas Nebraska Act was during the 1850s and lead by Sander Douglas. It was about the transcontinental railroad and relating to the Missouri Compromise Line due to popular sovereignty. The act dealt with one of the legislative decisions to keep slavery balanced. Going off the Kansas Nebraska Act it quickly transitions to Bleed Kansas. Bleeding Kansas had to when Kansas fought for proslavery and antislavery which resulted in a civil war. Lastly, the Fugitive Act of 1850 was about when slaves would run away and if they were found they would have to go back to their owners. The act supported slavery, was supported by Congress to find them within the United States, and to keep slavery alive. Essentially, proslavery was common and influential in the south.
The opposing side was antislavery and some certain events were: the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin, John Brown's raid, and the Underground Railroad. The publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin had to do with making slavery more personal for the readers and it was fiction. When people read the book the north was more opened minded to the idea, while the south was more hostile. John Brown's raid was when he would flood the newspaper publishing about the national crisis. He went to trial which became a turning point for slavery. Brown helped inspired many other abolitionists to take action and fight for what they believed about slavery. Last but not least was the Underground Railroad and that defined history giving slaves an opportunity to be free which was a turning point for slavery.
The picture to the right is the EOT group talking about John Brown's raid and how it impacted slavery.
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