Has the Gag Rule Gagged You?
By Prakhar Gupta
What is the Gag Rule and How Has it Effected America Democracy
The gag rule did exactly what it's name says it does. It gagged petitions or really anything considering the abolition of slavery (When one man owns another). This is the complete opposite of democracy because it cuts off freedom of petition(which was one of the ways used to fight slavery).
Analyzing This Rule
This rule was used as a staller/stopper, it was there to stop things about abolition(which is another word for getting rid of slavery) of slavery so Congress didn't have to deal with it.
How Did This Rule Stay In Effect
This rule was kept alive because of the northern congressmen's vote. Driven by the Northerner passion about abolitionism the northern congressmen changed their vote on December 3, 1844
Who Influenced the End of the Gag Rule
Former president John Adams and a Joshua Giddings led the charge to start the end of the Gag Rule.
Why Was the End of the Gag Rule A Good Thing?
Well this allowed people to petition create memorials and papers touching the abolition of slavery. Plus, if it was there it probably would have denied the Emancipation Proclamation which gave the North a fighting chance against the South.