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Slavery Begins in America
The first African slaves were brought to North America to work in the Virginia colony to farm tobacco (PBS, 2004). (image: fineartamerica.com) -
First Colony Legalizes Slavery
The Massachusetts Colony is the first to legalize slavery in the new world (PBS, 2004). (image: mcla.digication.com) -
Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin
The patent for the cotton gin was aplied for on this date, howver it wasn't approved until March 14, 1795. The cotton gin made cotton an easy source of revenue, therefore increasing the need for free labor in the form of slaves (PBS, 2004). (image: en.wikipedia.org) -
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The Underground Railroad
Beginning in the early 1800s, the UGRR helped free aprocimately 100,000 slaves by 1850 (Bio, 2015). -
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American Civil War
Resulting from growing friction between the states over the issues of slavery and state rights, the American Civil War broke out between North and South (Hassler, 2015). -
Emacipation Proclamation
All of the slaves in rebellion states were freed. (image: en.wikipedia.org) -
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Black Codes Are In Action
Black Codes were passed by Southern states after the abolition of slavery as a way of keeping slavery in place within the guidelines of the Union's law. It kept blacks confined in the agriculture business, kept them from bearing arms and owning types of property, and greatly resembled slave codes. -
Thirteenth Amendment
Signed by President Lincoln, this amendment formally abolished slavery in the United States (Encyclopedia, 2015). (image: huffingtonpost.com) -
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Ku Klux Klan is Rampant
During this time, the Ku Klux Klan used violence and terror to resist Reconstruction in the South and further abuse freedmen. It began in 1866, however the peak of its Action was between 1868 and 1870. Lynchings, beaings, burnings, and threats were popular among members of the KKK. The majority of the action ended after the Force Act of 1870 (Legends of America, 2003). -
First Reconstruction Act
The First Reconstruction Act is passed. It divided the Confederate States into five military districts controlled by Union troops. States were made to pass laws giving rights and freedoms to freedmen, and the states were made to ratify the 14th amendment in order to be a part of Congress (Siteseen Ltd., 2015). (image: lajhsslab.com) -
Second Reconstruction Act
The Second Reconstruction Act gave directions on holding state constitutional conventions to the leaders of each military district. President Johnson tried to veto this, however Congress was able to override the veto (Siteseen Ltd., 2015). (image: www.impeach-andrewjohnson.com) -
Third Reconstruction Act
This Act gave the leaders of each military district the right to remove state officials from office as they saw fit for the good of the Union. (Image: www.snipview.com) -
Fourth Reconstruction Act
The Fourth Reconstruction Act stated that constitutions proposed by the state governments could be ratified by each state taking the Importantity vote (Siteseen Ltd., 2015). (image: usslave.blogspot.com) -
Fourteenth Amendment
The 14th Amendment is passed in the United States, abolishing slavery within all states (Ecyclopedia Britannica 2015). (image: tenthamendmentcenter.com) -
Fifteenth Amendment
This amendment guaranteed black people the right to vote, furthering their civil rights progression (Sheffer, 2013), 2015). (image: shestokas.com) -
Free
Artist: Emma Marie Cadwalder-Guild
Medium: Basswood
This work features a man still bound to his ties, slumped and downtrodden, contradictory to the title "Free".
(image: pinterest.com) -
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Jim Crow Laws
These laws regarding the legal separation of "colored people" from white society enabled racism to remain present long after slavery ended. "Separate but equal" accomodations were to be made for the separate races, however it was never equal. Blacks were discriminated, mistreated, and abused under the Jim Crow Laws (Urofksy, 2015). -
Negros Colgados (Hanged Black Men)
Artist: Jose Clemente Orozco
Medium: Lithograph
This work features black men being hanged freely in trees, as was often practiced during the time of the KKK, during and after Reconstruction.
(image: crystalbridgescollections.com) -
Harriet
Artist: Elizabeth Catlett
Medium: Linoleum print on paper
This work shows Harriet Tubman bravely rescuing slaves from their owners through the UGRR. She is portrayed as a great leader and driving force.
(image: crystalbridgescollection.com)
