As anti-slavery sentiment grew in the United States during the nineteenth century, so too did the force with which abolitionists tried to promote their cause. One of these abolitionists was William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was avidly opposed to slavery and felt that previous attempts to spread the abolitionist cause were not aggressive enough. In 1831, Garrison channeled his passion for the movement into creating The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper in which he voiced his opinion honestly and forcefully, without concern over whether readers were offended by his speech. His intense anti-slavery argument began to gather support, and Garrison went on to create several abolitionist organizations -- first the New England Antislavery Society, and then the American Antislavery Society.

Investigate the source using the zoom and navigational tools in the Flash player and then answer the questions below.

1			Who was the intended audience for this newspaper? Do you think Garrison's main purpose was to attract new followers to the abolitionist movement or to strengthen the resolve of those who were already involved?
2			Do you think Garrison's passion for abolitionism helped to further the cause or do you think his intensity caused people to turn away? Explain.
3			In terms of spreading the abolitionist message, do you think that Garrison was more effective than, less effective than, or equally effective as Frederick Douglass, who was a former slave and publisher of The North Star?