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Event 1
The first African American indentured servants arrive in the American colonies. -
Event 2
Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin increased the need for slaves. -
Event 3
Congress bans further importation of slaves. -
Event 4
In Boston, William Lloyd Garrison publishes the anti-slavery
newspaper "the Liberator" and becomes a leader in the Abolitionist Movement. -
Period: to
Event 5
The Underground Railroad was used by approximately 75,000 slaves to escape into the north. -
Event 6
Frederick Douglass publishes the anti-slavery newspaper, "the North Star", and became a prominent abolitionist. -
Event 7
Harriet Tubman escapes slavery and becomes a leader in the Underground Railroad. -
Event 8
Congress passes the Fugitive Slave Act, which mandates government participation in the capture of escaped slaves. -
Event 9
Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation proclaims that all slaves in rebellious territories are forever free. -
Event 10
Massachusetts 54th regiment of African American troops led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (1837 – 1863) marches out of Boston on May 28th. -
Event 11
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution, prohibiting slavery, is ratified. The era of Reconstruction begins. -
Event 12
The 14th Amendment is ratified, defining citizenship of African Americans born in the United States -
Event 13
The 15th Amendment is ratified, giving African Americans the right to vote. -
Event 14
A deal is made with southern democratic leaders which makes Rutherford B. Hayes president in exchange for the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, and puts an end to efforts to protect the civil rights of African Americans. -
Event 15
Thousands of African Americans migrate out of the South to escape oppression.