Anti-Slavery
Slavery is an abomination. It is the complete opposite of liberty. Slavery existed in various parts of the United States from the 1600s until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Slavery was irreconcilable with the principles of liberty expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. This hypocrisy was well understood by Americans both before and after the American Revolution. Throughout American history, a growing number of Americans spoke out and took action against slavery. Starting in the 1700's, slavery was banned in the Northern colonies and states. The conflict between the slave and non-slave states eventually led to a civil war, culminating in the end of slavery at the end of the Civil War with the ratification of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1868, guarantees equal civil and legal rights to all U.S. citizens.
The Development of Anti-Slavery through U.S. History
As James Madison noted during the 1787 Constitutional Convention: “It seemed now to be pretty well understood that the real difference of interests lay, not between the large & small but between the N. & Southn States. The institution of slavery & its consequences formed the line of discrimination.” [The Writings, vol. 3 (1787) | Online Library of Liberty and Avalon Project - Madison Debates - July 14]