Women Fighting for Abolition: Their Impact and Importance

Abstract

The aim of my thesis is to analyze the significance of contribution of Sojourner Truth, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Harriet Tubman to the anti-slavery movement: what kind of challenges they faced, both because of their gender and the expectations put on them by society, and what actions they took that led to the abolition of slavery. My decision to focus on these three women was driven by the fact that, on the one hand, they are amongst the most iconic figures; on the other hand, I was interested in how their diverse backgrounds influenced their participation in the abolitionist movement. I aim to explore and prove that what women did was as important and effective as the actions of men. In my thesis, I also discuss slavery in the United States in general: its history, including, the Transatlantic Slave Trade; importance of slavery for Northern and Southern economy. I examine the lives of the slaves, their everyday struggles, the impact of slavery on people and the conditions that the enslaved people lived in as well. Additionally, my thesis deals with the abolitionist movement, its aims, key milestones and figures, and the challenges that the anti-slavery movement faced.