Abolitionists in the US: for the abolition
Cotton plantation owners of southern US: against abolition
Fugitive Slaves: for the abolition
Slave traders: against abolition
- Abolitionists were a minority of Americans that advocated against slavery and defended the emancipation of the slaves and equal rights for all Americans.
- Cotton plantations used slave workforce. When Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin in 1793 it increased the demand for cotton, and this increased the demand for slaves, in 1803 over 20 thousand slaves were brought to the southern US to work in cotton fields.
- Fugitive Slaves were against slavery obviously because of all the horrible treatment and forced work they endured. Because of this they were forced to be fugitive and could be even sentenced to death because they ran away from forced labor.
- Slave traders were against abolition especially because slavery was their main business. Without slavery, they would not have profit.
