-
1441
African Slaves First Brought to Portugal
Slavic people were the first slaves and that was where the word "slave" came from. Many people felt disturbed by the fact that people would own other people. West African peoples known as the Moors were the first enslaved people to land in Lisbon in 1441. -
First Africans Brought to Virginia
More than 20,000 slaves had been bought and sold into slavery by 1619. The crops of newly colonized Virginia were in desperate need of workers and it was against English custom for men to work and most of the Virginian colonists were men. Without slaves, most of the colonies would have failed and the colonists would've starved to death. -
English Seize Jamaica
The royal families of Europe had a lust for land and were looking for new areas to conquer. France had Martinique and the English began to look at Jamaica for economic gain. In 1655 they took over the island and began to take the money from crops and exports. -
Virginia law makes slavery hereditary
In 1662, the General Assembly of Virginia declared that any child born to an enslaved woman would also be a slave. -
Royal African Company founded
The Royal African Co was founded by the Duke of York and powerful merchants in London in order to regulate the English portion of the slave trade. Coming and going from West Africa several times a year, these slavers would only run the Middle Passage. The company would then run other ships for other parts of the trade. -
Period: to
King Williams War
France and England battle on the northern frontiers of New England and New York. -
Virginia prohibits interracial sexual contact
Although Maryland passed a law before this, it left out many possible matches and in 1691 Virginia fixed any confusion. The Virginia ban prohibited ANY pairing of interracial marriage. Maryland soon adopted that policy and later the British colonies would put bounties on the heads of ministers who performed interracial marriages. -
Spanish declare Florida a refuge for escaped slaved
The Spanish forces in Florida wanted to annoy their British neighbors to the north and so they declared that any slave who got to Florida would be known as a "free man" in any Spanish territory. What actually happened is if the Seminole tribe didn't kill them or force them to join the tribe, the Spanish would turn them into house slaves in the houses of the rich -
Wool Act
Forbade the selling of wool in the colonies -
Period: to
Queen Anne's War
England fights France and Spain in the Caribbean and on the northern frontier of New France. Part of the War of Spanish Succession. -
Virginia Slave Code established
In 1705 Virginia passed laws that state that any child born to slave parents would automatically be considered a slave. In this time parents who were slaves did not even have rights over their own children. Slave owners could sell peoples children to other properties and take the money for themselves. -
Period: to
Robert Walpole leads British Cabinet
Walpole was the first Prime Minister of England after they redid the monarchical system. -
Hat Act
Forbade the selling of hats in the colonies. -
Period: to
War of Jenkin's Ear
Great Britain versus Spain in the Caribbean and Georgia. Part of the War of Austrian Succession. -
Period: to
King George's War
Great Britain and France fight in Acadia and Nova Scotia. Round two of the War of Austrian Succession. -
Iron Act
Forbade the selling of Iron in the colonies for that time. -
Georgia officially opened to slavery
After years of saying no to slavery for years, Georgia finally said yes to slavery. South Carolina's slave owners began to move into Georgia and so they caved and then slaves became allowed. -
Period: to
French and Indian War (seven years war)
Last of the great colonial wars pitting Great Britain against France and Spain. Known in Europe as the Seven Years' War. -
Period: to
Height of English slave trade
During this decade the English imported the most slaves they had ever brought into the Americas. -
Importation of slaves into the United States ends
After 1808 slaves were no longer allowed to be brought into the United States. Those that were here already were allowed to stay and were not able to be freed.