Abolitionists

The Abolitionists are a faction dedicated to help free and house escaped slaves in the Capital Wasteland of 2277. They are a very fragile faction, with few combative capabilities. It owes its survival mainly to the remote location of its headquarters.

Background
This faction consists mainly of a small settlement, centered around the severed head of Abraham Lincoln, a portion of the statue from the Lincoln Memorial, and a random block from the memorial's inscription. The Temple's residents revere the head as a symbol of the Abolitionist movement. The entire compound is a haven for freed slaves and anti-slavery activists.

The Abolitionists' leader, Hannibal Hamlin, dreams of a safe haven for would-be slaves, away from the slavers. Their respect of Abraham Lincoln is almost reverent, and they wish to set up their temple in the Lincoln Memorial - not only because it would be easier to defend, but because he is known to them for freeing all men from slavery in America. Because of this, Hannibal Hamlin will offer to buy any of Lincoln's artifacts.

The Abolitionist Movement, dedicated to the aid and welfare of fugitive slaves, has always had its place in local history, dating back to the years of the Underground Railroad. Abraham Lincoln was a staunch supporter of the cause, eventually ordering an end to slavery in the southern United States with the Emancipation Proclamation. He later put an end to the practice within the entire Union by signing into law the 13th Amendment during his time in office as president.

In recent years, with the Great War causing the collapse of organized society, the slave industry has started up again in what was once the land of the free and home of the brave. In the 2270s, Paradise Falls has become a major slavery hub in the Capital Wasteland, capturing defenseless wastelanders and selling them to wealthy clients for labor. Many of these innocent civilians forced to work have eventually gotten tired of being treated as tools and managed to escape the captivity of their masters. These fugitive slaves later joined together to form small bands of rebel parties that became the pioneers of a new abolitionist movement that seeks to put an end to slavery in the Capital Wasteland.

The more experienced members of these loosely-connected groups of abolitionists are known to take on bounties against known slavers in the area. One of the larger groups of abolitionists, led by Hannibal Hamlin, operates out of the Temple of the Union, a major hub for anti-slavery activists in the region. Hamlin's group seeks to occupy the Lincoln Memorial and restore it to its pre-war glory to inspire slave rebellions and to honor Abraham Lincoln.

Interactions with the player character

 * Head of State: The Lone Wanderer has the option to help Hannibal Hamlin and his followers secure and settle the Lincoln Memorial or side with Leroy Walker and sell out the slaves, causing an attack on the Temple of the Union by the slavers. If the Lone Wanderer decides to assist Hamlin, they will have to eliminate Leroy and the slavers camped at the memorial. They will also have to bring Caleb Smith a picture of the location in order to restore the statue of Abraham Lincoln. When both of these tasks are complete, Hamlin's group will take over the memorial and turn it into their home. They also restore the statue and the plaque atop it. The Wanderer can also decide to sell the artifacts of Lincoln, found inside the Museum of History, to the abolitionists. They will pay high prices for the items' symbolic meaning.
 * Initially, the members of the Temple treat the Lone Wanderer with suspicion, not knowing whether or not they are a spy for the slavers. However, since the Lone Wanderer can express interest in scouting the Lincoln Memorial for Hannibal Hamlin and finding a picture of the Lincoln Memorial for Caleb Smith, they will befriend the Lone Wanderer and accept them inside the Temple.
 * Alternatively, the Lone Wanderer can side with the slavers and kill the slaves at the Temple of the Union. The Lone Wanderer can also double-cross the slavers by killing them after selling out the slaves. Once the slavers are dead, one can continue on the original quest, helping the slaves get to the Lincoln Memorial.
 * There are various random encounters that involve fugitive slaves.

Appearances
The Abolitionists appear only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes
The names of its members, along with the slaver Leroy Walker, are allusions to historical figures of the American Civil War.