Map Showing How & When Slavery Was Abolished In The United States

Abolition of slavery during or shortly after the American Revolution (Vermont, 1777; Pennsylvania, 1780; Massachusetts [including Maine], 1783; New Hampshire, 1783; Connecticut [including the Western Reserve], 1784; Rhode Island, 1784)

The Northwest Ordinance, 1787: applied to what are now Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and northeastern Minnesota

Gradual emancipation in New York (starting 1799, ended 1827) and New Jersey (starting 1804; ended by Thirteenth Amendment, 1865)

The Missouri Compromise, 1821: applied to what are now Iowa, western and southern Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, the part of Kansas then belonging to the US, the northern part of Oklahoma, and the parts of Montana and Wyoming lying east of the Continental Divide; explicitly repealed in 1850, but efforts to introduce slavery were effectively foiled until the abolition of slavery in the territories, 19 June 1862

Effective abolition of slavery by Mexican or joint US/British authority:

• California: slavery was abolished by the constitution of Mexico, 1821, followed by statehood as a free state in 1850 without an organized territorial stage
• Oregon Country: slavery was not admitted by either US or British authority

Abolition of slavery by Congressional action during the Civil War (1861):

• Admission of Kansas as a free state, 1861 (efforts to admit Kansas as a slave state under the bogus Lecompton Constitution having failed during the 1850s)
• Organization of Colorado, Nevada, and Dakota territories without slavery
  • Nevada Territory: slavery was abolished by the constitution of Mexico, 1821, and never introduced by American settlers to any significant extent; organized as a free territory on 2 March 1861, Nevada became a free state on 31 Oct 1864
  • Colorado Territory: slavery was excluded by the Missouri Compromise (north and east) or abolished by the constitution of Mexico, 1821 (west and south), and never introduced by American settlers to any significant extent; Colorado was organized as a free territory on 28 Feb 1861

Abolition of slavery by Congressional action during the Civil War (1862):

• DC: abolition of slavery in District of Columbia, 16 April 1862
• abolition of slavery in the territories, 19 June 1862 (also Arizona Organic Act, 1863)
  • Utah Territory: slavery was abolished by the constitution of Mexico, 1821, but reintroduced by American settlers (officiously through the Compromise of 1850, then by statute in 1852) before being abolished in the territories, 19 June 1862
  • New Mexico Territory: slavery was abolished by the constitution of Mexico, 1821, but reintroduced by American settlers (officiously through the Compromise of 1850, then by statute in 1859) before being abolished in the territories, 19 June 1862

Emancipation Proclamation as originally issued, 1 Jan 1863

Subsequent operation of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863

Abolition of slavery by state action during the Civil War:

• Abolition of slavery in the portions of Virginia exempted from the Emancipation Proclamation (by the Restored Government), 7 April 1864
• Organization of Arkansas as a free state, 11 April 1864
• Organization of Louisiana as a free state, 19 Sep 1864
• Abolition of slavery in Maryland, 1 Nov 1864
• Abolition of slavery in Missouri, 11 Jan 1865
• Abolition of slavery in West Virginia, 3 Feb 1865
• Organization of Tennessee as a free state, 25 Feb 1865

Operation of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1864

Operation of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865

Thirteenth Amendment to the US constitution, 18 Dec 1865 (abolishes slavery in Delaware, Kentucky, and nationwide for all time to come)

Alaska and Hawai‘i: territory incorporated into the US after the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment

When did slavery start in the US?

Slavery in what is now the United States began in the early 17th century. The commonly accepted starting point is 1619, when a Dutch ship brought 20 enslaved Africans to the British colony of Jamestown, Virginia.

This event marked the beginning of institutionalized slavery in the American colonies, which would grow and evolve over the next two centuries.

Here are some key points about the early history of slavery in the US:

• 1619: The arrival of the first Africans in Jamestown, Virginia, who were initially treated as indentured servants but gradually became permanent slaves.
• 1641: Massachusetts became the first British colony to legally recognize slavery through the Body of Liberties.
• 1660s: Legal recognition and codification of slavery began to take shape in other colonies, such as Maryland and Virginia, solidifying the status of Africans and their descendants as slaves for life.
• 1700s: The transatlantic slave trade brought thousands of Africans to the American colonies, and slavery became an integral part of the colonial economy, particularly in the southern colonies where plantation agriculture was dominant.

Was slavery included in the US Constitution?

Yes, slavery was implicitly included in the original US Constitution through several clauses, although the word “slavery” was not directly mentioned. These clauses reflected the political compromises made between northern and southern states during the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Key provisions related to slavery include:

1. Three-Fifths Compromise (Article I, Section 2, Clause 3): This clause determined that for purposes of representation in Congress and taxation, each enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This gave slaveholding states more political power than if only free persons were counted.
2. Slave Trade Clause (Article I, Section 9, Clause 1): This clause allowed the importation of enslaved people to continue until 1808. It prohibited Congress from banning the transatlantic slave trade until that year, although individual states could and did pass their own restrictions.
3. Fugitive Slave Clause (Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3): This clause required that enslaved people who escaped to free states be returned to their enslavers upon claim. It reinforced the legal framework supporting slavery across state lines.

How many slaves were brought to the United States and where did they come from?

An estimated 12.5 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic during the transatlantic slave trade, but only about 10.7 million survived the Middle Passage to be sold into slavery in the Americas.

Of these, roughly 388,000 were brought directly to what is now the United States.

Here are some key points about the origins and destinations of enslaved Africans:

Origins

Enslaved Africans were taken from various regions in West and Central Africa. Major regions included:

• West Central Africa: Areas around modern-day Angola and Congo.
• Bight of Benin: Regions around modern-day Benin and Nigeria.
• Bight of Biafra: Regions around modern-day Nigeria and Cameroon.
• Gold Coast: Regions around modern-day Ghana.
• Senegambia: Regions around modern-day Senegal and Gambia.
• Windward Coast: Regions around modern-day Liberia and Ivory Coast.

Destinations

Enslaved Africans were distributed across the Americas, with the largest numbers going to:

• Brazil: Approximately 4.9 million enslaved Africans were brought to Brazil.
• Caribbean: Significant numbers were taken to British, French, Spanish, and Dutch Caribbean islands. For example, around 1.2 million were brought to the British Caribbean, and about 1 million to French Saint-Domingue (now Haiti).
• Spanish America: Including regions like Cuba and Colombia.
• United States: As mentioned, about 388,000 enslaved Africans were brought directly to the US. However, the population of enslaved people in the US grew significantly through natural increase, reaching approximately 4 million by the time of the Civil War.

Why were slaves brought to the United States?

Slaves were brought to the United States primarily to meet the labor demands of the burgeoning agricultural economy, especially in the southern colonies. The reasons for bringing enslaved Africans to the United States included:

1. Labor Shortage

• Early Labor Needs: The American colonies initially relied on indentured servants from Europe for labor. However, as the colonies expanded and the demand for labor grew, the supply of willing European laborers was insufficient.
• Agricultural Labor: The labor-intensive nature of cash crops like tobacco, rice, sugar, and, later, cotton required a large and consistent labor force.

2. Economic Benefits

• Profitability: Enslaved labor was highly profitable for landowners. The low cost of maintaining enslaved people compared to the high returns from their labor made slavery an attractive economic model.
• Trade and Commerce: The transatlantic slave trade itself became a significant economic activity, involving merchants, shipbuilders, and other tradespeople.

3. Establishment of Plantation Economy

• Southern Plantations: The southern colonies, with their warm climate and fertile soil, were ideal for plantation agriculture. Large-scale plantations producing cash crops became the economic backbone of the South, and these plantations relied heavily on enslaved labor.
• Cotton Boom: The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 by Eli Whitney made cotton processing more efficient, leading to a massive increase in cotton production and, consequently, an increased demand for enslaved labor.

4. Social and Legal Structures

• Institutionalization of Slavery: Over time, slavery became legally and socially institutionalized. Laws were enacted that codified the status of enslaved Africans and their descendants as property, entrenching the system further.
• Racial Justifications: Racial ideologies were developed and propagated to justify the enslavement of Africans, portraying them as inferior and suited for enslavement. This facilitated the continuation and acceptance of slavery in society.

5. Indentured Servitude Decline

• Transition from Indentured Servants: Initially, many labor needs were met by indentured servants—people who worked for a certain number of years in exchange for passage to the New World. However, as the conditions for indentured servitude became less attractive and fewer Europeans were willing to become indentured servants, the reliance on enslaved Africans increased.

What efforts were made to end slavery before the Civil War?

Before the Civil War, various efforts were made to end slavery in the United States through legislative, social, and activist means. Here are some of the key efforts and movements that aimed to abolish slavery:

Legislative Efforts

1. Northwest Ordinance (1787)
   • Prohibited slavery in the Northwest Territory, which included areas that would become Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota.
2. State-Level Abolitions
   • Several northern states passed laws to gradually abolish slavery:
     • Vermont (1777): The first state to abolish slavery in its constitution.
     • Pennsylvania (1780): Passed a gradual abolition act.
     • Massachusetts (1783): Judicial decisions effectively ended slavery.
     • New York (1799): Passed a gradual emancipation law.
     • New Jersey (1804): Passed a gradual abolition law, the last northern state to do so.
3. The Missouri Compromise (1820)
   • Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to maintain the balance of power. Prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel in the Louisiana Territory.
4. Abolition of the International Slave Trade (1808)
   • Congress banned the importation of enslaved Africans into the United States.

Abolitionist Movements and Activists

1. Abolitionist Societies
   • Pennsylvania Abolition Society (1775): One of the first abolitionist societies, aimed to advocate for the rights of African Americans.
   • New York Manumission Society (1785): Worked to promote the gradual abolition of slavery in New York.
2. Prominent Abolitionists
   • Frederick Douglass: An escaped slave who became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement through his speeches and writings.
   • William Lloyd Garrison: Founder of the abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator, and a co-founder of the American Anti-Slavery Society.
   • Harriet Tubman: An escaped slave who led many enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad.
   • Sojourner Truth: An African American abolitionist and women’s rights activist who delivered powerful speeches against slavery.
3. The American Anti-Slavery Society (1833)
   • Founded by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan, it advocated for the immediate abolition of slavery and equal rights for African Americans.

Underground Railroad

• Underground Railroad
  • A network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved people to escape to free states and Canada with the help of abolitionists and allies.

Legal and Political Challenges

1. Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
   • Although the Supreme Court decision was a setback for abolitionists, it galvanized anti-slavery forces and increased tensions leading up to the Civil War.
2. Personal Liberty Laws
   • Northern states enacted laws to counter the Fugitive Slave Acts, providing legal protections to escaped slaves and free blacks.

Religious and Ethical Advocacy

1. Quakers and Other Religious Groups
   • Quakers were among the earliest organized groups to condemn slavery on moral and religious grounds. Other religious denominations and leaders also joined the abolitionist cause.

Anti-Slavery Literature and Media

1. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” (1852)
   • Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel depicted the harsh realities of slavery and influenced public opinion in the North against the institution.

Political Movements and Parties

1. Free Soil Party (1848)
   • Opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, advocating for “free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men.”
2. Republican Party (1854)
   • Formed from anti-slavery Whigs, Free Soilers, and other anti-slavery activists. Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860 as a Republican president, opposed the expansion of slavery, which ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the Civil War.

These efforts, while varied in their approaches and success, collectively contributed to the growing anti-slavery sentiment in the United States, setting the stage for the Civil War and the eventual full and final abolition of slavery.

Were Southern landowners compensated for the end of slavery?

In the United States, southern landowners were not compensated for the end of slavery following the Civil War. The emancipation of enslaved people was a contentious and complex issue, and the federal government did not provide financial compensation to former slaveholders.

Key Points on Compensation:

1. Emancipation Proclamation (1863):
   • Issued by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation declared all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory to be free. It did not provide compensation to slaveholders.
2. Thirteenth Amendment (1865):
   • The Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in December 1865, abolished slavery throughout the United States. It made no provisions for compensating former slaveholders for the loss of their “property.”
3. Confiscation Acts:
   • During the Civil War, the Union passed the Confiscation Acts, which allowed the seizure of Confederate property, including enslaved people. These acts also did not provide for compensation to slaveholders.

Comparison to Other Countries:

• In contrast, some other countries that abolished slavery did compensate slaveholders. For example:
  • British Empire (1833): When the British Empire abolished slavery with the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, the government paid £20 million (a substantial sum at the time) to slaveholders as compensation for the loss of their enslaved workers.
  • French Colonies (1848): France also compensated slaveholders when it abolished slavery in its colonies.
  • Brazil (1888): Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery in 1888, and it did not compensate slaveholders.

Post-War Context in the U.S.:

• After the Civil War, the Reconstruction era saw various efforts to rebuild the South and integrate formerly enslaved people into society. However, there were no significant measures to compensate former slaveholders.
• Instead, the focus was on ensuring the rights and freedoms of the newly emancipated African Americans, though this was met with significant resistance and led to various challenges during Reconstruction.

What impact does the legacy of slavery have on the United States today?

The legacy of slavery has profound and far-reaching impacts on the United States today, affecting various aspects of society, including social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions.

Here are some key areas where the legacy of slavery continues to influence contemporary America:

1. Economic Disparities

• Wealth Gap: There is a significant wealth gap between African Americans and white Americans, partly rooted in the historical economic disadvantages imposed by slavery and subsequent discriminatory practices such as segregation, redlining, and exclusion from many New Deal programs.
• Employment and Income Inequality: African Americans often face higher unemployment rates, lower wages, and fewer opportunities for economic advancement.

2. Educational Inequities

• School Segregation: Despite desegregation efforts, many schools remain de facto segregated due to residential segregation and disparities in school funding.
• Achievement Gap: African American students often have less access to high-quality educational resources, leading to lower educational attainment and achievement gaps.

3. Criminal Justice System

• Mass Incarceration: African Americans are disproportionately represented in the prison population. This is often linked to systemic biases, including harsher sentencing for similar crimes compared to white individuals.
• Police Violence: African Americans are more likely to experience police violence and discrimination within the criminal justice system.

4. Health Disparities

• Access to Healthcare: African Americans often have less access to quality healthcare and experience higher rates of chronic illnesses and lower life expectancy.
• Environmental Racism: Communities of color are more likely to be situated in areas with environmental hazards, contributing to poorer health outcomes.

5. Housing and Urban Development

• Redlining and Housing Discrimination: Historical practices of redlining and housing discrimination have led to segregated neighborhoods and limited homeownership opportunities for African Americans.
• Gentrification: Modern gentrification can displace long-standing African American communities, exacerbating economic and social inequalities.

6. Political Representation and Disenfranchisement

• Voter Suppression: Tactics such as voter ID laws, purging of voter rolls, and gerrymandering often disproportionately affect African American communities, limiting their political influence.
• Underrepresentation: African Americans are underrepresented in political offices at various levels of government.

7. Cultural and Social Impacts

• Systemic Racism: The legacy of slavery has ingrained systemic racism into American institutions, impacting social attitudes and reinforcing racial hierarchies.
• Cultural Contributions: Despite these challenges, African Americans have made significant cultural contributions in music, art, literature, and other fields, shaping American culture in profound ways.

8. Psychological and Social Trauma

• Generational Trauma: The trauma of slavery and ongoing discrimination has psychological effects, including stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges within African American communities.
• Identity and Representation: The struggle for positive representation and the acknowledgment of African American history and contributions continue to be important issues.

Efforts to Address the Legacy of Slavery

• Reparations and Restorative Justice: There are ongoing debates and efforts to address the economic and social impacts of slavery through reparations, policy changes, and restorative justice initiatives.
• Educational Initiatives: Increasing awareness and education about the history and legacy of slavery are crucial for fostering understanding and promoting racial equality.

Also see: Simplified Map Of The The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

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