Freedom struggle: the anti-slavery movement, 1830-1865

By 1860 nearly 4 million black people were slaves in the United States. The lives of these people were very difficult and provided them no freedoms. In the early part of the 19th century, rumblings from people who felt that slavery was wrong began to surface. These people came to be known as abolitionists. Freedom Struggle tells the story of the fight they waged to end slavery in America. The reader will learn about leaders of the anti-slavery movement, including Frederick Douglass, the Grimkes, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown, among others, and how members of the Underground Railroad helped slaves escape the South to the free states of the North. The slavery debate took over and divided the nation, becoming one of the primary issues of the Civil War and threatening to destroy our country. Examples of arguments from opposing sides are found in this book. After many struggles and many years, constitutional amendments (the 13th and the 14th) were passed giving black Americans greater civil liberties and ended slavery in the U.S. The abolitionists had won! Like the other books in the series, Freedom Struggle is illustrated with period photographs, paintings and drawings. Also included are a glossary and an index.