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Slavery in America
Slaves started in Jamestown, Virginia. It all started with 20 African slaves brought to the colonies by British settlers. The colonist used the slaves as indentured servants. Slaves also worked in the production fields of tobacco, cotton, and rice. -
Northerns Change
After the Revolutionary War, colonists in the North realized they were treating the slaves the same way the British treated them. The Northerners then called for a change and that was to abolish slavery. -
Three-Fifths Compromise
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Congress made the three-fifths compromise. This made slaves count as three-fifths of a person. This was used for taxation and the appointment of members for the House of Representatives. This increased the political power of the slave-holding states in the House. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise made Missouri part of the Union, which means they were a slave state. Maine joined as a free state. This compromise also made all western territories north of Missouri's southern border a free state or free soil. -
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of people who sheltered and aided slaves in escaping from the South. Many of the shelters were private homes, churches, and schoolhouses. Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were both slaves that escaped. They were also conductors of the Underground Railroad and helped many slaves escape. -
Nat Turner's Rebellion
Nat Turner was a slave who led a rebellion. First Turner and six other men killed the Travis family. Then 75 other men joined them in killing about 55 white men. This is one of the many rebellions that happened. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 did many different things. It allowed slavery in Washington, D.C., and got rid of the slave trade. California entered as a free state. Also, it stated you had to help capture runaway slaves and return them to their owners. You could also get in trouble for helping free slaves. This is known as the Fugitive Slave Act. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
When Kansas became a state they didn't know if it would become a free or slave state. This lead to the pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers fighting against each other which is known as Bleeding Kansas. They soon came up with the Kansas-Nebraska Act which let the settlers decide if they wanted to be a free or slave state. This is known as popular sovereignty. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was the slave of John Emerson in Missouri. Scott was later brought to Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory which were both free land. Scott tried to buy his freedom which didn't work. Then he filed a lawsuit to get his freedom. The court said the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and no black person could be considered a United States citizen. -
Civil War
Abraham Lincoln got elected president and that lead to seven states leaving the Union and forming the Confederate States. Later four more states joined the Confederates. The Confederates wanted to end slavery and the Union wanted to keep slavery. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln gave his Emancipation Proclamation. He gave this right after the war and it declared the Union won the Civil War and that there would be no more slavery. The Confederates did not like this because they wanted slaves. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment was ratified and added to the United States Constitution in 1865. This amendment ended slavery.
