United States History Student Edition

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The American Anti-Slavery Society The American Anti-Slavery Society was founded in 1833 by William Lloyd Garrison. The society was made up of numerous smaller state and local societies throughout the United States that fought for the abolition of slavery. These groups gathered signatures for antislavery petitions to be sent to Congress, published journals, and distributed antislavery literature to people living in the North. In the mid-1800s, businesses and political organizations often published broadsides to announce public meetings, advertise products, or express political opinions. Broadsides were printed on large sheets of paper and distributed like newspapers. In 1840, the American Anti-Slavery Society published a broadside of political cartoons showing how slavery affected the country. This political cartoon focuses on Southern attitudes toward slavery.

PRIMARY SOURCE: POLITICAL CARTOON

EXAMINE THE SOURCE 1. Identifying How are the enslaved people portrayed in the cartoon? What tasks are they carrying out? 2. Drawing Conclusions How does the artist portray white Southerners in the cartoon? What is the couple’s attitude toward the enslaved people? 3. Interpreting What message do you think the artist was trying to convey in this cartoon?

The New England Anti-Slavery Almanac for 1841, published by J.A. Collins. Retrieved from www.hathitrust.org.

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