Carl Schurz, The Revolutions of 1848, and Abolition: The Forty‐Eighters in America

Abstract

This project determined the connections between the Revolutions of 1848 and the radical changes in politics in the United States before, during and after the Civil War, as well as the significance of these connections. Also, this analysis examined how did German "Forty- Eighters," specifically Carl Schurz, influenced the American abolitionist movement through politics, social policy, and culture. The radical nature of Carl Schurz's view of slavery as an institution, as well as his view of African Americans in post- slavery America was determined. This view was analyzed through Schurz's participation in the Revolutions of 1848 and any other contributing factors. Finally, conclusions were drawn on the success of Schurz's views on the abolitionist movement, as well as the influence of the forty- eighters on American politics before, during, and after the Civil War. Through this investigation of the radical nature of Schurz's stance on the American abolitionist movement, a novel facet of the European influence on the United States was be analyzed.