Abolition Leaders
Who wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
Who is Harriet Beecher Stowe
What is passive resistance?
Passive resistance is quiet or hidden actions used to push back against slavery.
What is overt resistance?
Overt resistance is open and direct actions taken against slavery.
How did abolitionists make more Americans pay attention to slavery?
By giving speeches, writing books, and publishing newspapers.
What does abolition mean?
The movement to permanently end slavery.
Which abolitionist published anti-slavery newspapers such as The Liberator?
Who is William Lloyd Garrison?
Give one example of passive resistance used by enslaved people.
Working slowly
Pretending not to understand orders
Secretly learning to read or write
Maintaining cultural traditions
Singing Negro Spirituals
Who led enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad?
Who is Harriet Tubman
What was one national result of abolitionist activism?
It increased debate and brought national attention to slavery.
What is testimony?
A personal story or firsthand account of an experience.
How did Frederick Douglass use his personal experiences to influence Americans?
He shared his testimony about being enslaved, wrote about his experiences, and showed that slavery was cruel and unjust.
Why were Negro Spirituals an important form of passive resistance?
They expressed hope and faith, preserved culture, and sometimes contained hidden messages about escape.
What was Nat Turner’s rebellion?
A slave rebellion in 1831 led by Nat Turner.
How did Harriet Tubman’s actions directly weaken the system of slavery?
By helping enslaved people escape and challenging slaveholder control.
What is reform?
An effort to improve or fix problems in society.
Why did abolitionists focus on changing public opinion before trying to change laws?
Because they believed if they could change how people thought about slavery, laws would eventually change too.
How did passive resistance help enslaved people survive under slavery?
It helped preserve dignity, culture, identity, and hope while quietly undermining slaveholder control.
What happened after Nat Turner’s rebellion?
Stricter slave laws were passed and fear increased among slaveholders.
Why did slaveholders become more fearful after acts of overt resistance?
Because it showed that slavery could be openly challenged.
What is activism?
Actions taken to bring about social or political change.
How did abolitionist activism help turn slavery into a national issue instead of just a Southern issue?
They spread anti-slavery ideas through speeches, books, and newspapers across the country, increasing debate and forcing Americans to take sides.
Why was passive resistance still dangerous even though it was hidden?
Because enslaved people could still be punished severely if they were caught, including whippings or being sold away from family.
How did overt resistance increase national tension over slavery?
It caused fear, led to harsher laws, and increased debate between the North and South.
How did abolitionist activism and enslaved resistance push the nation toward social and political change?
They increased debate, changed public opinion, and made slavery harder to ignore across the country.
How are reform and activism connected?
Reform is the goal of improving society, and activism is the action taken to achieve that change.