Harriet Beecher Stowe 1811-1896
Wrote About the Injustice of Slavery
When Harriet Beecher Stowe was a girl in Connecticut, she was already a skilled writer. She wrote about religion and other topics. As an adult, Stowe visited a plantation in Kentucky. There, she learned about the cruelty faced by enslaved African Americans.
A law passed in 1850 made it easier to force runaway slaves to return to their slaveholders. Stowe was angry that some people supported this law. She decided to write a book to show people how horrible slavery was.
Stowe's book, Uncle Tom's Cabin, describes the life of enslaved African Americans. This book sold thousands of copies throughout the country and in England. Uncle Tom's Cabin was translated into different languages and was made into a play. Because this book told how terrible it was to be enslaved, it helped turn people against slavery before the start of the Civil War.
In the 1860s, Stowe continued to fight against injustice. She began spending winters in Mandarin, Florida, near Jacksonville, where she helped start schools for African Americans.
Critical Thinking
In what ways did Harriet Beecher Stowe use her writing to try to influence other people?