Frederick Douglass c. 1850 by an unknown photographer
Below please find this week’s web questions written by your classmate, Tania Mock:
1. As the feminist movement emerged in the 1840s, why was it so hard for women to gain rights equal to men’s in the context of the society and culture of the antebellum era?
2. Why do you think the idea behind the American Colonization Society (ACS) was ultimately unsuccessful?
3. William Lloyd Garrison was perhaps the most famous abolitionist. But how much did his views affect the broader society? How much influence did he really have?
4. Frederick Douglass is one of the most famous fugitive slaves in American history. Do you think his life experience gave hope to other slaves?
AMERICA TO 1877 
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The ACS had many things going against it from the start. The most obvious and imposing of the obstacles was that of the logistical impracticality of such an undertaking. The number of slaves in America at this point was very large, and the idea of transporting them to Africa was absurd.
Apart from this, for the most part, the slaves themselves didn’t even want to go. They had been born in America, and so had many of their relatives for many generations, going to Africa wouldn’t be much of a homecoming for people who had never called it home.
Finally, there was also the issue of convincing slaveholders to agree to the release of their slaves. Although they would be compensated, they still depended on slave labor to sustain their plantations, and their way of life. Many plantation owners would be at a loss as to how to make their living without the plantation system.
I agree that the Acs was never going to work no matter how hard they tired there was to man obstcals in the way as nick says. I agree that the vast majortiy of the slave would not want to go back to africa becasue they had no expierance thier they did not have the technolgy availble in america they did not want to be returned to savagery they wanted all the trappings of civilzation i feel that the united stated would have had better luck in trying to assimalte all freed blacks in thier own state but at the same time we saw how well that worked with tthe indians so i guess the only real answer was to begin assmimlating them in tososiety and helping them prosper
4. I think Frederick Douglass definitely gave hope to other slaves. The fact that he went through what others were going through made others believe that freedom was just as much possible as people getting killed for their attempt. He became a voice for the people, something other freed slaves chose not to do. In this, he was brave and right in doing. His progress in picking up the English language also motivated others to do the same. If he could do it, then they could as well.
2) African Americans were at this time already felt that they were Americans. America’s solution was to always remove the people away from where they lived, such as the Indian Removal to move more westward. This did not work with the Indians and this solution would not work with Africans either of moving back to Africa.
4) It probably did not give hope to others because he was one of the few that were able to escape. Most slaves were illiterate and would be very difficult for them to escape. Fredrick Douglas was fortunate enough to become literate. As said in class, many probably did not know if one had escaped or not because you wouldn’t see them or wouldn’t get news like this.
Why do you think the idea behind the American Colonization Society (ACS) was ultimately unsuccessful?
I think this idea was doomed from the beginning. First it outright implies that blacks were the problem and they need to get rid of them. For the blacks and other abolitionists I think this spelled trouble. yes the ACS were fighting for the end of slavery, but it seems as if they may have had some prejudices against blacks but proposing the move them out. After all the slaves were not the problem, slavery was the problem. It was what was being done to the black man, not the black man causing the problem. Either way it would not have worked due to the cost and time it would take to complete. I wonder if they (ACS) thought of all those those who were born American slaves who lived here all their lives. They would be forced to move somewhere they did not know, almost like another form to slavery itself, maybe? As a stated before blacks were not the problem they ACS were looking for a solution that was not suitable for the problem of slavery.
4. Fredrick Douglas was probably the most significant abolitionist figure in the eyes of a slave. He had done something that most slaves had only ever dreamed to do. Being a former slave, he was probably one of the only popular figures that was able to relate to the slaves because he knew their pain, he felt what they been through, compared to the other abolitionist, though they had admiral intentions and fought for what they believed to be right, they still could not compare to his status in a slaves view. He was the voice of the slave, the loudest voice that had beginnings of their ancestors slavery, and when he did show face and was exposed to spotlight of society, he also Inspired other slave to standup and seek freedom,because he was proof that it was possible to be black and civilized and educated, and able to a positive member of society.
1. Women ultimately had a difficult time aquiring equality in America at that time because on some level they had something in common with slaves: they were not equal to white men, so they were never truly heard in the deliberation process customary to any form of change. In the context of a white woman being assaulted by a black man, a woman had the full force of law behind her. Ironically, that same law left her helpless at the feet of her husband.
1. it was so hard for women to gain freedom during the antebellum movement because first of all it was hard for people to understand the concept at the time. Women were thought of as property and the men were superior. For women to be equal as men that was thought of as absurd. Women were known to stay at home take care of the kids and the house, their husbands, cook and clean, while the men were thought of as bringing home the bacon. For them to now be equal to men was not believable. Also if the women were equal now they can fight for the same jobs as men that meant less working opportunities for the men so that to them was a big nono. This is the reason why the women movement was so hard to endure.
#4. I do believe that Douglas’ life was inspirational to other slaves. It showed that there is hope out there for the slaves as well. Not only can they have their freedom but they can also have a way to educate themselves. Life for them and their future generation can get better than the current status. Being a former slave himself, the slaves were able to connect to him because of that. He not only knew but understood the pain and suffering a slave goes through on a daily basis. It is as if others seeked a spiritual refuge through Douglas’ ways and his ideas. It gave hope.
I think far fewer enslaved individuals were hopeful after learning of Frederick Douglass’ life experiences than people may believe. In a number of enslaved testimonies, personal narratives and such, a reader finds that so many were bound by more than the institution of slavery. Mental enslavement was as frequent in the community as was being whipped. Many of the enslaved people were just living to survive. While Frederick Douglass had fortunately embraced his courageous potential being insubordinate required a courage that the masses had forsaken. Among many was the belief that the institution of slavery was ever lasting and to think of any different day would be in vain. I do not doubt that Mr. Douglass’ life gave hope to some of the enslaved, but I am confident that his experiences were not recognized by a great number.
If we are viewing it from modern times, I think that Frederick Douglass had influenced many slaves. One must also assume that at the time his memoirs were written, many slaves were illiterate or prevented from reading anti-slavery or abolitionist articles and books. As previously discussed in the class, Douglass purposely wrote the memoirs to a white middle class northern population. It was done to awaken the conscious and provide how slavery is in fact anti-american to the lifestyle and societal life of Americans. Like Nnenna stated above, the slaves were just trying to survive, but the fate of slavery in general was placed between the slave owners and these middle white northerners who felt that slavery was immoral to the American ideology. To say that the book was written to inspire the slaves is somewhat likely but what is more likely is that the book was written on behalf of the slaves and the institution of slavery in general.
1)
It was hard for women to get the same rights as men because women were simply not counted as among the very wise. The belief was that women were bound to housework and motherhood alone. Giving birth was one of their primary roles. It seemed as though men were the only ones allowed to “exercise” their brains even though women were intellectually equal. As one classmate mentioned, women shared something in common with slaves-they were not equal, they were not appreciated very much either. One of the reasons for this was perhaps economic; men were the ones more trusted with bringing money and food home because they were viewed as the “bravest” and “physical.” And religion can be another reason why women did not have a much significant role in shaping society during the Antebellum period.
Women lived their lives in a very patriarchal society where the way they looked and represented themselves could have a significant affect on their husband’s social status. That is also why men selfishly gave themselves power and control over the women; it was convenient for them because the advantages were good even though abusive to women.
Fredrick Douglass was the greatest African American Abolitionist during the 1830’s up until the dawn of the civil war. Douglass having been born a slave in Maryland, escaped to Massachusetts in 1838. Douglass unlike many slaves under the horrible institution of slavery was taught how to read and write. These two skills helped Douglass to share his story of the physical, emotional, and psychological affects of slavery. Douglass also became one of the most electrifying orators of his time, black or white. After his escape Douglass toured England for two years lecturing to help gain support for the antislavery movement. Douglass garnered worldwide recognition for his autobiography ” Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass”. Douglass in the eyes of many slaves during this time period served as a symbol of hope. He represented all the wonderful things that African Americans could accomplish if given the same equal opportunities as whites. He was a living example of black potential in a white male dominated country. Many slaves agreed with Douglass demand for not only freedom but full social and economic quality. I believe Dubois would agree that Douglass was apart of the ten percent that would inspire the mass of blacks and led them towards full social equality.
2. The ACS wasn’t a logical plan to start off with. First from a plantation owners perspective, why would he give up his work force (even if compensated)? He needs workers to continue and the ACS would ruin that. Also from a slaves perspective, many slaves did not want to go to Africa because many were American born and had very little real ties with Africa. The ACS also was trying to create a solution for slavery but by asking the wrong questions. The slaves were not the issue in slavery it was the institution of slavery itself that was the problem.
3) Garrison gave a new perspective on why slavery was wrong. He spread the idea that it was naturally immoral. His perspectives were different from the soil party, who thought America should get rid of slavery, since it would take away jobs for white laborers. But Garrison brought up the real reasons why we should remove slavery because it was disgusting to human nature.