- Quakerism: Quakers, a religious group that emphasizes pacifism, humanitarianism, and simplicity, were among the first to speak out against slavery. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Quaker leaders such as George Fox and John Woolman wrote pamphlets and preached sermons condemning the practice.
- Methodism: Methodists, another Protestant denomination, also played a significant role in the antislavery movement. Methodist preachers such as John Wesley and Charles Wesley were outspoken critics of slavery, and the Methodist church officially declared its opposition to the practice in 1780.
- The Enlightenment: The Enlightenment, a philosophical movement that emphasized reason, science, and individualism, also contributed to the rise of the antislavery movement. Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that all people were created equal and entitled to certain natural rights, including the right to liberty.
- The French Revolution: The French Revolution, which began in 1789, also helped to inspire antislavery sentiment. The revolution's شعارات of "liberty, equality, and fraternity" resonated with many Americans, and led many to question why these principles did not apply to enslaved people.
- The Haitian Revolution: The Haitian Revolution, which began in 1791, was another important influence on the antislavery movement. The revolution was led by enslaved people who successfully fought for their freedom from French colonial rule. The Haitian Revolution proved that enslaved people were capable of fighting for their own freedom and inspired antislavery activists in the United States.
- The abolitionist movement: The abolitionist movement was a social and political movement that sought to end slavery in the United States. The movement began in the early 19th century and gained momentum in the 1830s and 1840s. Abolitionists used a variety of tactics to achieve their goal, including public speaking, writing, and political activism. Some abolitionists, such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass, advocated for immediate emancipation of enslaved people. Others, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, used their writing to expose the horrors of slavery. The abolitionist movement played a significant role in the outbreak of the American Civil War and the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States.