Cloud Atlas

The abolition of slavery in the US was a significant milestone in the fight for human rights and equality. The long and complex history of the abolitionist movement spanned several decades, involving social, political, and economic factors as well as the efforts of many individuals and organizations. Slavery in the US originated in the 17th century, when Europeans began to colonize the Americas. In the US, slavery was introduced in the southern colonies, where enslaved Africans were brought to work on tobacco, cotton, and rice plantations. In the Caribbean, Great Britain established colonies and enslaved African people to work on sugar plantations. However, in the late 18th century, the ideas of the Enlightenment, which emphasized the principles of freedom, equality, and natural rights, began to influence public discourse in both the US and Great Britain. These ideas laid the foundation for the emergence of the abolitionist movement, which aimed to challenge the institution of slavery.

In the US, the abolitionist movement gained traction in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, driven by the efforts of prominent abolitionists such as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Paine. These early abolitionists argued that slavery was incompatible with the ideals of the American Revolution, which proclaimed that all men were created equal and were endowed with certain rights, including liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, not until the early 19th century did the abolitionist movement gain significant momentum through the formation of several abolitionist societies, such as the American Anti-Slavery Society and the “National Negro Convention.” These organizations advocated for the immediate and unconditional abolition of slavery and used various methods—including public speeches, pamphlets, and petitions—to raise awareness about the cruelty and inhumanity of slavery.

The abolitionist movement in the US faced significant opposition from pro-slavery forces, particularly in the South, where slavery was deeply entrenched in the economy and society. Pro-slavery advocates argued that slavery was a necessary evil, essential for the economic prosperity of the South, and justified it for religious, moral, and social reasons.

The issue of slavery became a major point of contention in American politics, leading to heated debates in Congress and eventually culminating in the Civil War (1861-1865). The election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860, on a platform opposing the expansion of slavery, further heightened tensions between the North and South, leading to the secession of several Southern states and the formation of the Confederate States of America. During the Civil War, the issue of slavery took center stage, as the Union, led by President Lincoln, sought to abolish slavery as a means to weaken the Confederacy. In 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free. While the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t immediately free all enslaved people, given that it applied only to Confederate states that weren’t under Union control, it marked a significant step toward the abolition of slavery in the US.

In Cloud Atlas, Adam Ewing is an American lawyer living before the abolition of slavery. Through his diaries, he charts his journey toward becoming an abolitionist. Slavery and Freedom is a major theme throughout the novel, since many characters have their liberty or freedom restricted and Ewing fights for abolition for enslaved people.