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The first African slaves arrive in Virginia.
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Slavery is made illegal in the Northwest Territory.
The U.S. Constitution states that Congress may no ban the slave trade until 1808. -
A federal fuitive slave law is enacted.
A federal fugitive slave law is enacted, providing for the return slaves who had escaped and crossed state lines. -
Congress bans the importation of slaves from Africa.
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The missouri compromise bans slavery north of the southern boundary of missouri.
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The slave population in the U.S. numbers more than two million.
The slave population in the U.S. numbers more than two million, making the ratio of free to enslaved Americans approximately 5.5:1 -
Texas enters the union as a slave state.
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The slave population is now nearly four million.
The slave population is now nearly four million, making the ratio of free to enslaved Americans approximately 7:1 -
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation.
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring "that all persons held as slaves" within the Confederate state "are, and henceforward shall be free." -
On June 19 slavery in the United States ended.
The Civil War ends and Lincoln is assassinated. On June 19 slavery in the United States ended when 250,000 slaves in Texas finally received the news that the Civil War had ended two months earlier.