Slavery was a debate because prior to the musings of the natural rights philosophers (john Locke, Hobbes...) people did not believe it was morally wrong to own another human being. But after people began questioning their social status, and writers began to explore the concept of equality...slavery began to be questioned as well.
Slavery is a debate because it involves fundamental ethical questions about the dignity and rights of individuals. It challenges societal norms, historical legacies, and economic interests, leading to differing perspectives on its morality, legality, and lasting impact on society. Debates about slavery often reflect broader discussions on power, inequality, and human rights.
The abolitionists fought against the expansion of slavery and believed that it was morally wrong. They advocated for the end of slavery and argued that free labor was more beneficial for the economy. This movement played a significant role in shaping the debate over slavery in the United States.
William Miller, a prominent leader in the abolitionist movement, was fervently against slavery. He believed that it was morally wrong and a violation of human rights. Miller played a key role in advocating for the abolition of slavery in the United States.
John C. Calhoun, a prominent political figure in the 19th century, argued that each state should have the right to decide on the issue of slavery for themselves. This concept became known as "popular sovereignty" and was a central point of debate leading up to the Civil War in the United States.
Slavery provided economic and social resources that fueled the development of science, philosophy, and arts during the Enlightenment. The exploitation of slave labor facilitated wealth accumulation for powerful individuals who could then patronize intellectual endeavors. However, the Enlightenment also prompted increased scrutiny and debate on the morality of slavery, ultimately contributing to its abolition in many countries.
Pro-slavery refers to the belief that owning slaves is acceptable or beneficial, while anti-slavery refers to the opposition against slavery and the belief in the equality and freedom of all individuals, regardless of race.
Stephen A. Douglas
Slavery
William Wilberforce
For the most part, the national debate on slavery was not whether to abolish it. Most Americans, especially in the North, did not want slavery to spread to the western frontiers.
It was also a debate about the issue of slavery.
The main constitutional arguements during the debate over slavery were representation in Congress, importation of slaves, and the Bill of Rights.
Some possible results of the growing sectional debate over slavery include humanitarian results. For example, when people treat others fairly, all will be educated and respected and slavery will stop growing.
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were the two participants in the great debate over slavery prior to the election of 1858.
Both had a strong position in the Anti Slavery debate. They both were against slavery and agreed that there should be no more slave states.
Republican
A law that prohibited the debate and discussion of slavery in Congress.
It claimed that slavery was legal in every state of the Union, if the Constitution was interpreted in a certain way. This delighted the South, as much as it angered Northern Abolitionists, and raised the temperature of the whole slavery debate nationwide.