Essay Questions

Why does Angelina direct her treatise at the Christian women of the South in particular?

Angelina believes that, as a Christian woman, her belief tells her that Jesus was opposed to slavery and the enslavement of one man to another. She also believes that this opposition is well documented in many passages of the Bible but particularly within the Gospel of Luke. It stands to reason, then, that if she, a good Christian woman, can see this opposition from Jesus, then her fellow Christian women must be able to see it as well. She believes that once she points this out to them, they will realize that they too should be wholehearted and steadfast in their opposition to slavery, just as Jesus teaches.

She also understands that even if the Southern women are actually supporters of slavery, they are also often guided by their Christian faith. She can in some ways guilt them into changing their perspective and their opinions, by making them understand that their support of slavery is actually against the teachings of their Savior. With prayer, and introspection, Angelina believes that they will ultimately do the right thing, and get behind the Abolitionist cause that she has laid out in the pamphlet.

How does this pamphlet demonstrate Angelina's views on women's suffrage?

Angelina's frustration stems from the fact that women are essentially powerless when it comes to legislation and government. This means that the only way in which they can precipitate change is with prayer, and heavy pressure exerted on the male members of their families. Angelina rightly sees that women are subservient in a society that asks so much of them, but gives nothing in return. To her, their options are almost as limited as the slaves that she is trying to free, and it is this realization that prompts her dedication to women's suffrage.