The main objective of the abolitionist movement in the 19th century was to end slavery and the slave trade. Abolitionists sought to achieve this through moral persuasion, political advocacy, and, in some cases, direct action. Key figures in this movement included Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and William Lloyd Garrison, who worked tirelessly to raise public awareness about the injustices of slavery. The movement gained significant traction throughout the 19th century, leading to landmark events such as the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which shifted the legal and social status of enslaved individuals in the United States.