An abolitionist symbol
Abolitionism was a movement that sought to end slavery, starting in the late 18th century when American Quakers began to question the morality of slavery. Opponents of slavery often invoked Christianity to prove that slavery was against God's messages, and that all men were created equal under God. The movement spread to the rest of the Western world, with France outlawing slavery in 1791 and the United Kingdom outlawing slavery in 1809. The abolitionist movement in the United States was also strong, operating the "Underground Railroad" to smuggle slaves to freedom in non-slave states and making fiery speeches, pamphlets, and books that opposed the practice (such as Uncle Tom's Cabin). Ironically, the USA would be one of the last Western nations to outlaw slavery, doing so with the Emancipation Proclamation of 1862 during the American Civil War.