WMHSMUN V

That All Men Are Created Equal: The Abolitionist Movement

Committee Chairs: Rhea Maheshwari and Nikil Prabhakar

Crisis Staff: Farmah Jallow, Laurel Wang, Misheel Bolor, Riya Zushi Crisis Director: Aron Olegnowicz Jr. Secretary-General: Tejas Srinivasan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Committee Letter……………………………………………………………………….………...3 Meet our Staff……………………………………………………………………………………4 Position Paper Policy…….………………………………………………………………………5 Crisis Notes……………………………………………………………………………………....6 Overview………………………………………………………………………..………………..7 Delegate Positions………………………………………………………………………………..10 Sources…………………………………………………………………………………………...14

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Welcome Delegates!

Get ready to participate in the 2020 MUN conference hosted by Mason High School. A

great place to start is this background guide, but additional research for more information on

your delegate, position, and country is encouraged!

Who are we? We are a group of delegates like yourself who have been given the

wonderful opportunity to chair this committee! After being passionate delegates for the past few

years, we have invaluable experience with the inner workings of a MUN conference and hope to

provide you with a smooth, but challenging experience.

If you’re new to Model United Nations, get ready for a highly enjoyable and rewarding

experience where you build new friendships, work on communication skills, and learn the true

meaning of leadership. Essentially, each member takes the role of a delegate of a certain

organization and “acts in a play.” In this “play,” many issues will arise based upon the

circumstances at hand and the delegates will be forced to resort to their critical thinking and

teamwork to resolve the conflict. In this particular committee, you will have to work together to

resolve rising conflicts between the Confederacy and other nations, and you must be prepared to

deal with unexpected conflicts outside the scope of the background guide.

Sincerely,

Your Crisis Team

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Meet Our Staff Misheel Bolor (Crisis Staff) Hello, Delegates! I am currently a freshman this and this is my first year at MUN. Not only am I excited for this committee, but I am ready to create some fantastic memories from it. In addition to MUN, I participate in speech & debate, mock trial and the bowling team. Also, I enjoy spending my free time reading some manga or playing video games. I am thrilled to meet you all! Rhea Maheshwari (Chair) Greetings delegates! I’m very excited to be chairing this great committee and can’t wait to meet all of you. I am a freshman and this is my second year in MUN. I enjoy playing the piano and the viola. In addition to MUN, I’m also part of the Mason Science Olympiad team. I hope that this conference is a great experience for all of you! Nikil Prabhakar (Chair) Hello, delegates! I’m honored to be chairing this fabulous committee. I am a freshman at MHS. I enjoy MUN very much and plan to do it all throughout high school. I also enjoy playing guitar in my free time and am part of the Mason Boys Cross Country Team. I play Trumpet in Concert Band. I hope that all of you enjoy this conference! Aron Olegnowicz (Crisis Director) Hi, delegates! I’m a senior this year and MUN has definitely been a remarkable part of my high school career since my freshman year. I am also involved in the Teacher Academy here at MHS and I play the viola with the Mason Symphony. I’m also a calisthenics athlete and I love to read political theory. It is my pleasure to ensure you have a phenomenal experience here in our committee and our conference; if there is anything I can do to better your experience or address any concerns, please contact me at aron.olegnowicz69@masonohioschools.com.

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Position Paper Policy What is a Position Paper? A position paper is a brief overview of your position’s stance on the topics being discussed by a particular committee. Though there is no specific format the position paper must follow, it should include a description of the positions your role holds on the issues on the agenda, relevant actions that your position has taken, and potential solutions that your position would support. Delegates should write a position paper for each of the committee’s topics. Each position paper should not exceed one page, and should all be combined into a single document per delegate. Be creative but stick to your role! For a Crisis Committee, position papers are especially recommended, as it helps with organization and country position. Formatting Position papers should: — Include the name of the delegate, his/her country, and the committee — Be in a standard font (e.g. Times New Roman) with 12-point font size and 1-inch document margins — Not include illustrations, diagrams, decorations, national symbols, watermarks, or page borders — Include citations and a bibliography, in any format, giving due credit to the sources used in research (not included in the 1-page limit) Due Dates and Submission Procedure Position papers for this committee must be submitted by midnight on March 17th, 2017. Once your position paper is complete, please save the file as your last name, your first name and send it as an attachment in an email, to modelun.club@masonohioschools.com, with the subject heading as your last name, your first name — Position Paper. Both your position papers should be combined into a single PDF or Word document file; position papers submitted in another format will not be accepted. Each position paper will be manually reviewed and considered for the Best Position Paper award. Position papers are NOT mandatory.

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Crisis Notes Delegates,

In order to help you take action in the wake of any events, we need your cooperation for working with us. Throughout the duration of the committee, you can write notes to crisis to gain information or make decisions. These notes can be anything from mobilizing troops, gaining intelligence, establishing your viewpoint, or maybe even an assassination. ;) They’re definitely a lot of fun to use and are extremely encouraged in order to better your experience at the conference. But, before you send your notes, think about these 5 questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Make sure you establish these so that we can gain insight into what you’re actually trying to accomplish and guide you along the right path. An example of a subpar crisis note: “Send troops to X location.” While this note tells crisis what you want to do, it does not set a larger agenda or purpose. For example, if you were to send a note like this, ask yourself how you can make your note more specific before sending it. Think about asking yourself questions like:

How many troops are to be sent? When should they be sent? What is their short term objective? Is this action to be kept a secret, or are you going to put out a press release?

This subpar crisis note, but improved: “I would like to send X amount of troops to X location as soon as possible, but during the night so they will remain undetected. I would like to be sent a report before their departure with the final numbers, as well as the equipment they have brought with them. Upon their arrival, I would like an updated report on the surroundings and supplies. Please ensure this action is carried out with the utmost secrecy.” If you have more questions about crisis notes, we would recommend checking out Best Delegate, they have awesome resources about crisis and Model UN in general! Best Wishes, Your Crisis Staff

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Committee Overview Context

It’s 1863 and slavery persists as a major debate on the American agenda. Many abolitionists have been trying to persuade the people of the South to abolish slavery, but their efforts have been unsuccessful. The economy of the South is heavily reliant on free labor, making a world without slavery difficult to imagine. Many Southerners continue to exploit slaves, and racism is rampant. Slaves are expected to work in gruesome conditions such as long and hot hours in the sun. Slaves of all ages are expected to work no matter what sickness or injury they come across. On the other hand, the North’s economy is predominantly based in manufacturing, therefore, the North has little direct need for slaves. The differences between the two sides has fueled hostility.

Slavery in the South is integral for agricultural production, holding up the whole economy. Notably, the South one of the biggest producers of cotton which, in turn, has allowed the Southern farmers to make lots of profit because they didn’t have to pay for a large labor force and the slaves produced lots of crops and goods. The greater the demand for resources, the greater the need for labor to produce it. Since slaves are so crucial to the economy in the South, farmers are reluctant to give them up. The South does not want to stop having slaves because if they did it would result in a lower yield and profit. However, slavery in the North is not as prevalent. The climate in the North is not suited for agriculture and manufacturing goods out of the South’s resources became the main source for the economy. The North has less of a need for slaves, and some argue slavery should be banned, often from a moral standpoint. The main cause of the Civil War between the North and the South was born out of their disagreement over slavery.

This disagreement stands out as one dispute of many between the two areas of the nation. The tensions over holding people as slaves eventually lead to violence, as both groups were convinced they were right. The North considered itself the Union and the South branded itself as the Confederacy, each with its own military strengths. Right away, the Union had some advantages that gave them an edge

during the Civil War, such as a larger population. Another key advantage that the Union has its industrial edge.

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The Confederacy’s agricultural-heavy economy was the Union’s opposite. The Union has a lot of factories that they took advantage of to make bullets and guns for the war. This made sure the Union soldiers were well equipped with weapons on the battlefield. The population of the South was heavily slave-based whereas the North had fewer slaves. The Union claims to fight to keep the states together, while the Confederacy, proclaiming states’ rights, tries to preserve their lifestyle with slaves. One of the advantages that the Confederates have is that they were battling in home turf. The North is currently fighting on Southern territory in this Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln. This Proclamation officially changed the meaning and purpose of the Civil War. The war was no longer just about preserving the Union— it was also about freeing the slaves. Most of the South has taken the Proclamation as a threat to their economy because of the heavy reliance on manual labor, done by slaves, for farming. However, it also decrees that freed slaves could be enlisted in the Union Army, thereby increasing the Union's available manpower. Heightened hostility between the North and South has come as a result. Declaration of War and the Birth of the Confederate States of America

Immediately after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, hostility increased dramatically between the North and South. The executive order issued by Lincoln had created widespread controversy, causing a split between the United States. This brought Lincoln a new goal with the war, on top of maintaining/restoring the Union: abolishing slavery as a whole. Despite Lincoln holding anti-slavery sentiments, he avoided anti-slavery proclamations because he knew that there would be more conflict created. Instead, Lincoln decided to take a more cautious approach until he gained widespread support from the public. In 1862, Lincoln came to his cabinet informing them about issuing an Emancipation Proclamation. His cabinet held concern and recommended that he shouldn’t follow through with the Proclamation until the Union announced their victory. Lincoln took their thoughts into consideration so he

waited to issue the Proclamation till the Union Victory. Before that, Lincoln announced the Proclamation as a threat towards the Confederacy to back down stating that slaves within rebellion states would be set free within the next 100 days. Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, has interrupted the 3rd year of the Civil War. The announcement decrees freed slaves to enlist in the Union. This is a major advantage for the Union and Lincoln himself. It not only gives the Union a very beneficial advantage, but it can also change the mindset some people still held about working alongside blacks. Besides that, it provides the Union with a strong/large military against the Confederacy which gives them a greater chance of winning in future battle. After it was issued, the purpose of the war shifted to something more political than military.

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The Union’s increased manpower can bring them a step closer to abolishing slavery and uniting the country once again. On the other hand, the Confederacy is crippled by the Proclamation due to it mainly affecting only their economy and lifestyle. The Confederacy has made attempts to increase their army but can only dream to be near the size of the Union’s Army. Current Situation

The date is January 2nd, 1863. President Lincoln has just issued the Emancipation Proclamation (Executive Order No. 95) and Confederate leaders are stirring up military initiatives as brutal & merciless as ever. Southern governments are escalating force against fugitive slaves. The Union is at a strategic disadvantage and supplies are running low, additional support is desperately needed. A majority of the people in both the North and South are widely concerned with the state of their country, desperately seeking strong leadership in these struggling times. The people in the North see Lincoln as a worthy leader to rally behind, but the common Southerner is in doubt of his right to rule. Many Black Americans have joined the fight on the side of the Union for their freedom, but many in the South are still physically and mentally enslaved, as no one is enforcing the Executive Order. It’s possible for either side to conquer enemy cities, which could mean even more manpower for those in control. Objective: Together with your Union comrades, you must devise strategies to help the North emerge from the Civil War united, victorious. Seek alliances with outside groups/entities, assert the legitimacy of the Union across the country! Free as many slaves as possible and address internal unrest that impedes from unity within the Union; liberate war prisoners held by Confederates. Bring about equality for all those on American soil! Major Topics of Debate

● The liberation of enslaved people and how to handle them as citizens once they’re free ● Maintaining public morale and nationalism in the Union ● Military strategies to turn the tide of the war against the Confederacy ● Crushing smaller secessionist organizations within the North ● (Possibly) calling upon foreign nations to form alliances against the South ● Allocation of industrial efforts of factories and transportation coordination for the war plight

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Delegate Positions Harriet Tubman Born into slavery in Maryland, Harriet Tubman escaped on the Underground Railroad and became one of the most prolific and famous conductors, risking her own life and safety to free over 300 slaves over 10 years as she crossed the border to lead slaves to freedom. During the civil war, she worked for the Union army as a spy and became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in war. Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth was an advocate for abolition, temperance, and civil and women’s rights. A year before New York’s law freeing slaves was to take effect, Truth ran away with her infant Sophia to a nearby abolitionist family, the Van Wagners. The Van Wagners bought her freedom and aided her in winning a case for the return of her son who had been illegally sold into slavery. A year later, Truth moved to New York and worked as a local minister. She became a very well known figure in the women’s rights movement and temperance activist. Truth was well respected, and she will be a crucial delegate in this movement. Fredrick Douglass Fredrick Douglass was a prominent leader of the abolitionist movement. He was a distinguished activist in abolition, human rights, and women’s rights that traveled over the world to spread his ideas. He was also an author and public speaker. After obtaining freedom from slavery by running away and reaching a free state, he began to focus on ending slavery. He joined many church groups and abolitionist groups in order to change the way people thought about slaves. As a leader of the abolitionist movement, he peacefully persuaded people to change and free slaves. Elizabeth Cady Stanton Although Stanton remained committed to efforts to gain property rights for married women and ending slavery, the women’s suffrage movement increasingly became her top priority. Stanton met Susan B. Anthony in 1851, and the two quickly began collaboration on speeches, articles, and books. Their intellectual and organizational partnership dominated the women's movement for over half a century. The delegate in this position should advocate for women in parallel as they advocate for abolition. Henry Highland Garnet Henry Highland Garnet, a victim of of slavery himself is an abolitionist leader. He escaped slavery at a young age with his family. He was a well educated man himself attending many schools himself. As an abolitionist, he didn’t just focus on freeing slaves, but he also had a major belief in religion. Because of that drive, he decided to be a minister and preach his belongings to

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all. Known for his skills as a public speaker, he urged African Americans to help him fight for a change and to take action for their own destinies. John Brown* John Brown was a militant abolitionist, a zealot for black justice, and a key figure in the U.S. abolitionist movement. After the horrific murder of minister and anti-slavery advocate Elijah P. Lovejoy, an outraged Brown became a known activist. He is quoted saying, “Here, before God, in the presence of these witnesses, from this time, I consecrate my life to the destruction of slavery!” In 1855, he committed his first violent abolitionist act. Confident in his family’s ability to bring Kansas into a free state and part of the Union, he and his sons counter-attacked a group of pro-slavery settlers in an event known as the Pottawatomie Massacre where 5 pro-slavery settlers died. Brown works closely with Black abolitionists such as Tubman and Douglass to coordinate militant strikes on slave owners and advocates. His voice and actions ring a strong hatred of the institution of slavery and a fierce passion for its abolishment. William Lloyd Garrison William Lloyd Garrison was an American journalistic crusader who helped lead the successful abolitionist campaign against slavery in the United States. In 1828 Garrison was offered a position as an editor at Genius of Emancipation in Vermont, which he accepted. This anti-slavery press marked Garrison’s passion for the abolitionist movement In 1830 he created his own abolitionist paper, The Liberator. The Liberator was responsible for forming Garrison’s reputation as an abolitionist. About 2 years later, Garrison helped contribute to a better-organized society known as the New England Anti-Slavery Society. William Still A brilliant, energetic mind of the time, Still is a renowned historian & writer who is responsible for coining the term “Underground Railroad.” Still was a free-born American, never a slave himself, but nonetheless his fire for abolition radiates to those around him. Still, as a successful businessman, articulates his influence in the Northern business sphere to promote the image of fugitive slaves as bold & fearless, helping obliterate the prejudice that many whites hold regarding fugitives as savages & criminals. He serves as a prominent “conductor” of the Underground Railroad. William Tecumseh Sherman William Tecumseh Sherman is the leader of the Union Army during the Civil War. He leads the First Battle of Bull Run, one of the first major battles of the war, in which the Union was beaten badly. He was then put on leave and fell into a depression. He returned to service later that year, providing logistical support for Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant's capture of Fort Donelson. Sherman served in west Tennessee alongside Grant who was able to scatter confederate troops.

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Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony is an advocate for women’s rights and for abolition. Anthony has given many speeches about slavery and women’s rights. Anthony raised money and was an editor for The Revolution which is a newspaper that supports the women’s suffrage movement. She also leads the National American Women’s Suffrage Association. She was arrested and fined for voting. Anthony is one of the main faces of the Women’s suffrage movement. The delegate in this position should advocate for women in parallel as they advocate for abolition. Sarah Parker Remond Sarah Parker Remond is a daughter of the most prominent African American family in Salem, Massachusetts. Remond took a speaking tour, describing the horrors of American chattel slavery by arguing the ethical and economic case for British support of the Union. She delivered 45 lectures across England, Ireland, and Scotland. After her first year of speaking engagements, she enrolled in Bedford College for Women, and continued to pursue her studies and lecture tours. Remond is a crucial international activist for human rights and women’s suffrage, and her opinions will not be taken lightly. The delegate in this position, should do their best to advocate for women’s rights as well as abolition. Sitting Bull Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Lakota leader played a crucial role for the unseen Natives. He is best known for his resistance against white domination. There were many new settlers that wanted to take the land that Native Americans owned. Sitting Bull was one of the main leaders that stood up to white imperialism about land territories. He also traveled around the country and became friends with Annie Oakley and fought in the Civil War. He was an important war leader that had control over all the Sioux Indians. Ambrose Burnside Ambrose Burnside received a brevet second lieutenant position in the 2nd Artillery, and served during the Mexican-American War mostly on garrison duty in Mexico City. After the war, he briefly served in garrison duty in the southwestern United States, and resigned his commission in 1853. Burnside was appointed as a major general of the Rhode Island militia, and received a nomination to Congress.At the Battle of First Manassas, Burnside commanded a brigade of infantry, and was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers for his actions. Burnside was given command of three brigades known as the North Carolina Expeditionary Force, and launched an attack against the North Carolina coast. His force was successful in achieving a foothold in North Carolina, resulting in Burnside’s promotion to major general of volunteers. Ambrose is well respected and has a great deal of military experience.

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Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant performed well as a captain during the Mexican War (1846-1848), winning two citations for gallantry and one for meritorious conduct. However, he resigned in 1854. Grant spent the next six years in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife. After several short-lived pursuits, including a brief episode as a farmer. When the Civil War began in 1861, he jumped at the chance to volunteer for military service in the Union army. His first command was the colonel of the 21st Illinois Infantry, but he was quickly promoted to brigadier general in July 1861, and in September was given command of the District of Southeast Missouri. His accomplishments at Fort Henry were well recognized, and has a fair amount of military experience. *In history, abolitionist John Brown was executed in the year 1859 after his epic Raid on Harpers Ferry. However, for the purpose of the committee, the timeline in which you will partake will feature a John Brown who escaped his execution, along with his sons, and who are working as fiercely as ever to abolish slavery in the United States.

~We have worked hard and put in much research to provide a strong background guide for all delegates to use diligently in preparation for the conference. However, it is only a good starting point for your research. We encourage you to investigate further on the historical era and your

role as a delegate to get the most out of the committee and come in as ready as possible.~

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Works Cited:

“The Immediate Effects of the Emancipation Proclamation.” Historical Society of Pennsylvania, hsp.org/education/unit-plans/the-immediate-effects-of-the-emancipation-Proclamation.

Michals, Debra. “Sojourner Truth.” National Women's History Museum, 2015, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sojourner-truth.

Hayward, Nancy. “Susan B. Anthony.” National Women's History Museum, 2018, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/susan-b-anthony.

“William Tecumseh Sherman.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 June 2019, www.biography.com/military-figure/william-tecumseh-sherman.

Michals, Debra. “Elizabeth Cady Stanton.” National Women's History Museum, 2017, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/elizabeth-cady-stanton.

“Harriet Tubman.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 4 Nov. 2019, www.biography.com/activist/harriet-tubman.

“John Brown.” American Battlefield Trust, 25 Mar. 2019, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-brown.

History.com Editors. “Ulysses S. Grant.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/ulysses-s-grant-1.

History.com Editors. “Frederick Douglass.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 27 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/black-history/frederick-douglass.

“William Lloyd Garrison.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 19 June 2019, https://www.biography.com/writer/william-lloyd-garrison.

Richardson, Marilyn. “Sarah Parker Remond: An African American Woman in Nineteenth-Century Europe: Women = Books Blog: Women's Review of Books: Publications Wellesley Centers for Women.” Sarah Parker Remond: An African American Woman in Nineteenth-Century Europe | Women = Books Blog | Women's Review of Books | Publications Wellesley Centers for Women, www.wcwonline.org/Women-=-Books-Blog/remond.

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“Ulysses S. Grant.” American Battlefield Trust, 23 Apr. 2018, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/ulysses-s-grant.

“Ambrose E. Burnside.” American Battlefield Trust, 24 May 2019, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/ambrose-e-burnside.

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