7.2 Ideals of Liberty and Equality: Contradictions and Opportunities

The American Revolution's ideals of liberty and equality sparked hope for change among African Americans. However, the stark contradiction between these principles and the reality of slavery created a complex landscape of opportunities and challenges.

This tension between revolutionary rhetoric and the institution of slavery laid the groundwork for early abolitionist efforts. While progress was slow and uneven, it set the stage for future struggles for freedom and equality in the United States.

Enlightenment Ideals and the Declaration of Independence

Foundations of American Independence

Top images from around the web for Foundations of American Independence

• 

  File:Writing the Declaration of Independence 1776 cph.3g09904.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America; July 4th 1776 by Asher ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:United States Declaration of Independence.jpg - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Writing the Declaration of Independence 1776 cph.3g09904.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America; July 4th 1776 by Asher ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Foundations of American Independence

• 

  File:Writing the Declaration of Independence 1776 cph.3g09904.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America; July 4th 1776 by Asher ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:United States Declaration of Independence.jpg - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:Writing the Declaration of Independence 1776 cph.3g09904.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  File:The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America; July 4th 1776 by Asher ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Declaration of Independence articulated the colonists' grievances against British rule and justified separation from the crown
• Natural Rights philosophy underpinned the document, asserting that all individuals possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
• Enlightenment ideals influenced the Declaration, emphasizing reason, individual liberty, and limited government
• Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration, drew heavily from John Locke's concepts of natural rights and social contract theory

Contradictions in Revolutionary Rhetoric

• Declaration's proclamation that "all men are created equal" conflicted with the reality of slavery in the colonies
• Thomas Jefferson's paradox embodied the contradiction between espousing liberty while owning slaves
• Many Founding Fathers, including Jefferson, recognized the moral dilemma but failed to resolve it during the nation's founding
• The rhetoric of natural rights and equality provided a philosophical basis for future abolitionists to challenge slavery

Impact on African Americans

• Revolutionary ideals inspired some African Americans to petition for freedom based on natural rights arguments
• Enslaved individuals in New England sued for their freedom, citing the contradiction between revolutionary principles and their bondage
• Some states began to reconsider slavery in light of revolutionary ideology, leading to gradual emancipation laws in the North
• The Declaration's principles, while not immediately applied to African Americans, laid groundwork for future civil rights movements

Early Abolitionist Efforts

Emergence of Organized Abolitionism

• Abolitionist movement gained momentum in the aftermath of the American Revolution
• Quakers played a significant role in early abolitionist efforts, advocating for immediate emancipation
• Gradual emancipation laws passed in Northern states (Pennsylvania 1780, Rhode Island and Connecticut 1784, New York 1799)
• Pennsylvania Abolition Society, founded in 1775, became the first organized anti-slavery society in America
• New York Manumission Society, established in 1785, worked to end slavery through legal and political means

Key Figures and Strategies

• Benjamin Franklin served as president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society in his later years
• Abolitionists employed various strategies including petitioning legislatures, publishing anti-slavery literature, and assisting fugitive slaves
• Free African Americans like Richard Allen and Absalom Jones founded the Free African Society in 1787 to support their communities
• White abolitionists like Anthony Benezet established schools for free Black children to promote education and social advancement

Challenges and Limitations

• Early abolitionist efforts faced significant opposition from pro-slavery advocates and economic interests
• Gradual emancipation laws often included provisions that extended slavery for decades (New York's law allowed slavery until 1827)
• Many abolitionists advocated for colonization, proposing to send free African Americans to Africa
• The movement struggled to gain widespread support in the South, where slavery remained deeply entrenched in the economic and social fabric