• 1852, Uncle Tom’s 1852, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is a powerful Cabin, is a powerful portrayalportrayal of the of the condemnation condemnation of of slavery.slavery.

• an activean active abolitionist abolitionist, , featured Harriet Beecher featured Harriet Beecher Stowe, a Connecticut-born Stowe, a Connecticut-born teacher the character of teacher the character of Uncle Tom, a long-suffering Uncle Tom, a long-suffering black slave around whom the black slave around whom the stories of other characters stories of other characters revolve. revolve.

• The sentimental novel depicts the reality of slavery while also asserting that Christian love can overcome something as destructive as enslavement of fellow human beings.

EFFECTSEFFECTS:

• Spread compassion for people in the North on the plight of slaves;

• But, it infuriated people in the South.

Effects:Effects:

• White southerners responded White southerners responded by writing their own versions by writing their own versions of southern life:of southern life:

• Slaves were happy and Slaves were happy and carefree, gently cared for and carefree, gently cared for and taught Christianity by kind taught Christianity by kind masters.masters.

EffectsEffects::• Southerners claimed that Southerners claimed that only mentally ill slaves ran only mentally ill slaves ran away. A southern doctor away. A southern doctor called it the disease of called it the disease of “Drapetomania,” caused “Drapetomania,” caused slaves to flee. slaves to flee.