Short Answer Note: Your teacher will grade your responses to the following question to ensure you receive proper credit for your answer. Some historians say that attacks by abolitionists actually strengthened sectionalism in the South instead of weakening it. How might the abolitionists have been contributing to the tensions arising over slavery? Provide two specific examples of the Southern response to the abolitionist attacks. (3 points)
The abolitionists contributed to the tensions arising over slavery in the South in several ways. Firstly, their vocal criticism and condemnation of slavery ignited a defensive reaction among Southern slaveholders and their supporters. The abolitionists' call for the immediate emancipation of slaves threatened the economic and social order of the Southern states, as slave labor was the foundation of their agricultural economy.
One specific example of the Southern response to abolitionist attacks was the passage of laws to restrict abolitionist activities. For instance, in 1836, the state of South Carolina enacted laws that made it illegal to distribute abolitionist literature or speak against slavery. This was done to suppress the spread of abolitionist ideas and ensure the preservation of slavery.
Another example was the violent backlash against abolitionists. Pro-slavery mobs in the South attacked abolitionist speakers and destroyed their printing presses and meeting halls. A notable incident occurred in 1837 when a mob in Alton, Illinois, killed abolitionist newspaper editor Elijah P. Lovejoy and destroyed his printing press. Such violent reactions demonstrated the intense Southern opposition to the abolitionists' message and further escalated tensions between the North and the South.