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In 1502 is the first report that we have of African slaves in the New World. Slavery had existed in Europe before this time, but the Atlantic Slave Trade didn't take off until the beginning of the 1500's.
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This marks the year of the first direct voyage from Africa the the Americas with slaves.
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Slavery becomes a regular thing. Between 2,500-6,000 slaves were being transported each year, which doesn't compare to the peak of the slave trade. At this time, only Spanish and Brazilian traders were making regular voyages.
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At this time, slavery was at it's peak. Slaves were being shipped around the world and they were being traded for different things like crops and textiles. Millions of slaves were being transported around the world.
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British Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade founded. They will become a major force for abolition, even though abolition still has a long ways to go.
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The Haitian Revolution begins with a slave uprising in the French West Indian colony of Santo Domingo. The revolution will eventually lead to the establishment of the black nation of Haiti ten years later.
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France emancipates all slaves in slave colonies. In the United States, Congress passed laws prohibiting anyone to be involved in the trading of slaves to different countries.
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Denmark is the first country to ban slaves. At this time, slavery was still a very common thing that was occurring and they were still being traded throughout many different countries. The impact on the slave trade is minimal, but it was a start.
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Britain bans the Atlantic slave trade. Also during this year, the United States passes legislation to ban the slave trade that will take into effect in the next year.
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At the Congress of Vienna, the British pressure Spain, Portugal, France and the Netherlands to agree to abolish the slave trade. However, Spain and Portugal are permitted a few years of continued slaving to replenish labor supplies.
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Britain and Spain sign a treaty to prohibit slave trade. This also gave them the right to search ships that they felt were breaking the treaty put into place.
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The last ever trans-Atlantic slave voyage occurred during this year. This marks the end of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
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Britain declares buying, selling, and owning of slaves illegal.
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After many centuries of buying and selling slaves, it finally came to an end in 1860. However, the buying and trading of slaves continues because as long as there was a market for slaves, people were going to trade them illegally.
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In 1865, the United States abolished slavery under the 13th amendment, which states that there will be punishments for anyone who owns slaves. This makes every slave a free man.
