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Women's Rights Movement In The Abolition Movement

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The abolition movement transpired between 1770-1865, and consisted of those who wanted to end slavery completely (Benson,664-665). The movement contained two eras. The first being the Early Movement, where the goal was to eliminate the African Slave Trade in order to restrict slaves from being imported by other countries in hopes to abolish slavery. The slave trade ended in 1808. The second era was in the 1830s and resolved around “New Abolitionism,” the goal of eliminating slavery completely (Benson,4). Sisters, Sarah and Angelina Grimke grew up when slavery was prominent, and female rights were not. Sarah was the eldest, born in 1792, with Angelina being born thirteen years later in 1805. They grew up in Charleston, South Carolina on a slave plantation, giving them first hand experience with slavery, which created their disgust of it (Benson,663). Sarah had a huge influence on Angelina’s perception of slavery and women’s rights, teaching Angelina to think for herself (Todras,16). The sisters held a strong bond throughout their life and together became huge participants in the women’s rights and the abolition movement, like they had longed to as children. The Grimke sisters background made their speeches and writings during the abolition movement more legitimate and influential toward slave rights, as wells as women's rights.

Sarah and Angelina’s speeches were influential to slave and women rights because of their first hand experience with discrimination and repression.

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