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The Start
The first slaves arrive in North America in 1619, marking the start of the slave trade in what would be the United States. -
Bacon's Rebellion
In Jamestown of Virginia, Nathaniel Bacon refused to drive out Native American groups from West Virginia. The rebellion was mainly against Governer William Berkeley. -
Petition
The Germantown Quaker Petition was a petition that advocated against slavery. It was the first protest against African American slavery made in the English Colonies. -
Rice Plantations
In 1694 when rice plantations were established, slave demand doubled. The labor became more extreme, and slaves were treated even worse than they were before. -
Vermont Makes a Change
In 1777, Vermont's constitution bans slavery, and allows African American males to vote. -
3/5 Compromise
James Wilson proposed the 3/5 compromise, which declared that slaves were 3/5 of a person. This compromise was made so that states population counts were more accurate. Every 3 out of 5 slaves were counted. -
The Underground Railroad
From the late 1700's to the 1800's, the Underground Railroad served as a safe transportation method of slaves. Over 100,000 slaves became free from their plantations because of this. -
Canadian Freedom
Canada becomes a safe haven for slaves after they declare that any slave that enters their country not only gains freedom, but they cannot be returned back to their owners. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln declared the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." -
The 13th Amendment
On December 18th, 1865, the 13th Amendment was officially a part of the United States Constitution. The amendment completely abolished slavery across the nation, freeing more than 100,000 slaves in the U.S.