What have historians evaluated abolitionism as?

Answer 1

Historians have evaluated abolitionism as a complex movement driven by a diverse array of social, political, and moral factors. They recognize it as both a grassroots effort and a political campaign that mobilized individuals from various backgrounds, including free blacks, white abolitionists, and religious groups. Additionally, historians have examined the impact of abolitionism on the broader struggle for civil rights and its role in shaping public opinion leading up to the Civil War. Overall, abolitionism is seen as a crucial catalyst for social change and a precursor to later civil rights movements.