The growth of abolitionist sentiment in the North: political leaders such as William Seward; activists such as John Brown; popular literature and the press; the cultural and economic influence of European immigrants arriving in the northern states
Abolitionism — the demand to end slavery — grew steadily in the North before the Civil War. Politicians, activists, writers, and newly arrived immigrants all pushed this anti-slavery feeling forward.
Real World
Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) sold 300,000 copies in its first year, doing more to shift Northern public opinion against slavery than a decade of political speeches — Lincoln reportedly greeted Stowe as 'the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war'.
Exam Focus
Distinguish between causes operating at different levels: political leaders, grassroots activists, and cultural forces each carry different weight in the mark scheme.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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