The Slave Trade By nikki11 Jan 1, 1492 Christopher Colombos founded America in the name of spain Jan 1, 1742 The first blast furances are used in England Jan 1, 1765 James Watts invents the steam engine Jan 1, 1770 Captain Cook first sights the east coast of Australia Jan 1, 1772 A test case heard in England addresses the fate of the runaway slave James Somersett Jan 1, 1787 Slavery was banished from most of the northern states in America Jan 1, 1788 The first fleet arrives in Botany Bay Jan 1, 1789 The french revolution begins Jan 1, 1807 Parliment passes a bill abolishing the trading of slaves in British territories This made it illegal to buy slaves but people could still own the ones they had already Period: Jan 1, 1845 to Jan 1, 1857 Potato blight in Ireland creates widespread famine Jan 1, 1847 Freed American slaves found the Republic of Liberia in West Africa Jan 1, 1851 The Victorian gold rush begins Jan 1, 1861 The American Civil War begins Jan 1, 1863 Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation Jan 1, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation This declared that all slaves here forever free Jan 1, 1865 The American Civil War ends Jan 1, 1883 All slaves in the British Empire were freed Jan 1, 1901 Australia celebrates Federatio