Slavery in the United States was the legal institution of human chattel slavery that existed in the United States of America in the 18th and 19th centuries after it gained independence and before the end of the American Civil War. Slavery in the United States had been practiced in British North America from early colonial days, and was legal in all Thirteen Colonies at the time of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Slavery begins in the America
The first slaves in the American colonies arrived on a Dutch ship in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Over the next 200 years, around 600,000 more slaves were brought to the American colonies, most of them to work the tobacco and cotton fields.
Must Read: Brief History of United States of America
Where did the slaves come from?
Slaves were brought over from the continent of Africa. Most of them came from the west coast of Africa where the main ports for the slave trade existed. The conditions on the slave ships were terrible. Often slaves were “packed” tightly in the ship’s hold where they were chained up and unable to move. Many slaves died during the trip due to disease and starvation.
Also Read: Unknown and Surprising facts about Slavery
Slave Codes
The colonies established laws regarding slaves called slave codes. Some of these laws detailed the punishment for slaves who tried to escape. Other slave codes made it illegal to teach a slave to read, to help a slave to hide, and to pay for a slave to work. Slaves were not allowed to have weapons, leave their owner’s plantation, or lift their hand against a white person.
Abolitionism
After the American Revolution, many northern states outlawed slavery. By 1840 most slaves who lived north of the Mason-Dixon Line were set free. Many people in the north felt that slavery should be illegal in all the United States. These people were called abolitionists because they wanted to “abolish” slavery.
Have a Look at: Things You May Not Know About Abraham Lincoln
Slave States and Free States
The slavery in the United States became divided between slave states in the north and free states to the south. When new states were added, one of the major issues was whether the new state would legalize slavery or not. When Missouri wanted to become a state, many people were upset because it was a slave state. In order to even things out, Congress admitted Maine at the same time as a free state. This was part of the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
Underground Railroad
Slaves escaped from the South to the North by using the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a network of homes, people, and hideouts that helped slaves to make their way in secret to the North. Around 100,000 slaves were able to escape this way between 1810 and 1865.
Civil War
When Abraham Lincoln was elected president, the southern states were afraid that he would outlaw slavery. They seceded from the United States and made their own country called the Confederacy. This started the Civil War. Eventually, the North won the war and the southern states rejoined the Union.
Read Also: War Provoking moments in Indo-Pak Relationship
Emancipation Proclamation
During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln gave the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that the slaves in the South were free. Although, this did not free all the slaves immediately, it set the precedence for all slaves to be set free.
The 13th Amendment
In 1865, the 13th Amendment outlawing slavery was added to the U.S. Constitution.
Interesting Facts about Slavery in the United States
- The international slave trade was outlawed by Britain in 1807 and the United States in 1808. However, slavery was still legal and slaves were smuggled into the country up until the end of the Civil War.
- According to the U.S. Constitution, slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person when the state’s population was counted to determine how many Congressmen represented the state.
- Some slaves were treated well by their owners, whiles others were treated horribly. They were sometimes beaten, whipped, branded, burned, and imprisoned.
- Children of slaves were owned by the slave owner. They were often sold to other owners and the parents had no say.
- There were free black people who lived in the South before the Civil War. Some of them even owned slaves.
Also, Read: