Which sentence best expresses the primary claim of the early abolitionist quotes in Thoughts and Sentiments?

• A. Slavery is a monstrous evil and contradicts Christian principles.
• B. Slavery is a necessary institution.
• C. Slavery should be expanded to other colonies.
• D. Slavery is a purely economic issue.

Answer: (A)

The main idea tested here is that abolitionist writing grounds opposition to slavery in moral and religious terms, not in economics or policy. In Thoughts and Sentiments, the quotes present slavery as a monstrous evil that directly contradicts Christian principles—the obligation to love one’s neighbor and the belief that all people are equal before God. This framing aims to shift the issue from a political or economic debate into a moral judgment about right and wrong, which helps mobilize support across religious communities. The other options don’t fit because they treat slavery as a necessary institution, something to be expanded, or solely an economic matter, whereas the strongest abolitionist argument rests on its intrinsic moral wrongness.