Anti-Slavery Movement Before American Civil War

The factors which give rise anti-slavery movement can date back to 15th century. The blacks revolted against the cruelty of their captors. The timeline of slave revolt in US was clear evidence that the roots of abolitionist movement began much before its inception. Some of the important slave revolts in early America were the Stone rebellion, Louisiana revolt, Fort Blount revolt and Nat Turner revolt. In colonial America, Quakers and puritans had sharply criticized practice of slavery.
Christian Evangelicalism and the First Great Awakening during 1700s played an important role in ending the slavery. Christians were called upon ending the sinful practice of slavery. Some of the towering personalities who had influenced the generation were John Wesley, Lyman Beecher, Nathaniel Taylor, Charles G. Finney etc.
The enlightenment ideas of American and French revolution played a big role in ending slavery.
The Abolitionist movement fueled the anti-slavery movement in America. The early abolitionist movement can be traced back to the Second Great Awakening in America. The evangelists called upon the Christians to denounce the heinous practice of slavery.
American Anti-Slavery Society which was established in 1830 helped the growth of anti-slavery movement. Women played an active part in the American Anti-Slavery Society. Some of the women who had contributed to the cause were Aby Kelley, Susan B. Anthony, Maria Stewart, Sara Douglas, Margretta Fotten, Sarah Parker Remond, and Sojourner of Truth.
William Lloyd Garrison, the New England abolitionist contributed greatly for the anti-slavery movement. In 1831, he began to publish a weekly newspaper called the "The Liberator." His efforts resulted in the formation of organization known as American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS). It was successful in educating many people in North as well in the south and created a powerful force against slavery in the North.
The anti-slavery movement became powerful with the inception of systems like Underground Railroad. The people who were in the system helped the fugitive slaves in the south to escape towards North or Canada. Some of the prominent people associated with the system were Frederick Douglas, Henry David Thoreau, Charles Langston, Susan B. Anthony etc.
The run away slaves were housed in different stations and the conductors guided the blacks from south to safety. Harriet Tubman was one of the prominent conductors who had slaved around 300 blacks from the North. Other factors which helped foment the anti-slavery movement were growth of sectional politics, the publication of the book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", Kansas Nebraska Act and the formation of Free Soil Party. All the above factors played a crucial role in the growth of anti-slavery movement.