EOTO Presentations, Pro-Slavery vs. Anti-Slavery

Abraham Lincoln presenting the Emancipation
Proclamation to his cabinet in 1862.

Reflecting on the Pro- and Anti-Slavery Debate

During class, we explored different perspectives on slavery through video presentations and research, focusing on both the pro-slavery and anti-slavery arguments that defined the Antebellum period. These discussions helped me understand how deeply divided the United States was morally, politically, and economically before the Civil War.

Portrait of John C. Calhoun,
a leading defender of slavery and
 states’ rights during the Antebellum era

John C. Calhoun and the Defense of Slavery

One of the most striking figures we studied was John C. Calhoun, a politician who became the intellectual architect of pro-slavery ideology. Calhoun wasn’t just defending slavery out of habit he built an entire political philosophy around it. He claimed slavery was a “positive good,” arguing it benefited both enslaved people and society. Through his ideas about states’ rights and the “concurrent majority,” he gave the South constitutional justifications for protecting slavery and even for secession. Learning about Calhoun helped me see how ideas and politics were used to disguise cruelty as order and morality.

The Harsh Reality of Enslaved Life

While Calhoun and other defenders spoke about “benefits,” the reality for enslaved people was nothing but suffering. They worked from sunrise to sunset under brutal conditions, living in fear of separation and punishment. Families were torn apart in slave markets, and people were treated as property bought, sold, and traded based on age and strength. Despite this, enslaved communities developed ways to resist though faith, storytelling, and music. The Liberty of congress WPA Slave Narratives document countless firsthand accounts of these hardships and acts of resilience. Learning about their endurance reminded me that history is not only about laws and leaders it’s about human strength in the face of injustice.

Depiction of the 1627 Turkish Raid on Iceland

The Turkish Raid on Iceland

Learning about slavery also made me think about an event from my own country’s history the Turkish Raid of 1627, when North African pirates from Algiers and Morocco attacked the southern coast of Iceland. They captured hundreds of Icelanders, taking them across the sea to be sold as slaves in North Africa. Families were torn apart overnight, and many never returned home. According to the National Museum of Iceland and historical records from the University of Iceland, these events are remembered as Tyrkjaránið, or “The Turkish Abductions.” It’s strange to imagine that even in a small, isolated country like Iceland, people once experienced the same kind of fear and loss that enslaved Africans did. This connection reminded me that slavery isn’t just an American tragedy it’s a global one that has touched nearly every part of the world.

Frederick Douglass, a formerly enslaved man

Voices of Resistance and Reform

On the other side of the debate, abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, Fredrick Douglass and David Walker fought fiercely to expose slavery’s moral corruption. Walker’s Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World called for direct resistance, even violence if necessary, which terrified Southern states. Meanwhile, Garrison’s newspaper, The Liberator, demanded immediate emancipation and equality. Their courage showed me that moral change often begins with individuals willing to risk everything for justice.

Final Reflection

What stood out most to me through all this is how complex the debate over slavery really was. Political figures like Calhoun defended it as law and tradition, while abolitionists risked their lives to fight for freedom. Between these extremes were millions of enslaved people whose daily suffering fueled both sides’ arguments. Studying these perspectives and remembering stories like the Turkish raid in Iceland made me realize how fragile justice can be when law and morality collide, and how vital it is to remember the human cost of oppression everywhere.