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Vermont became the first state to outright ban slavery altogether. They even went as far as giving full voting rights to African American males. This was an early stop against slavery and inspired other states to start their journey in abolishing slavery in their state as well. -
Pennsylvania was the first state to start the process of getting rid of slaves in their state. The Gradual abolition of slavery was the first ever, and many northern states followed in Pennsylvania's footsteps, making a gradual abolition of slavery of their own. Even though this state started early to abolish slavery, slavery as a whole in the state did not get abolished until 1850 -
Even though the United States outlawed the African Slave Trade, the amount of slaves in the United States tripled over the next 50 years. By the year 1860, the number of slaves had reached almost 4 million -
In 1820 there was a debate about the power the federal government had to restrict slavery when Missouri was applying for statehood. So it ended in a compromise. Missouri was entered as a slave state, and Maine was a free state. Because of this compromise, all territories west of Missiouri's south border were to be free land. -
After the Mexican-American War, the process of becoming a free or slave state was now up to popular sovereignty. New territories could now dedice if they wanted to become a free or slave state when applying for statehood. -
The South reached a breaking point when Abraham Lincoln was elected president. After 3 months of Lincoln being the president, 7 states left to join the Confederate States of America. Four more would join after the start of the Civil War. -
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the third year of the Civil War. "All persons held as slaves are, and henceforward shall be free" This is important because it said people could no longer have slaves. -
The southern states wanted to find a way around the 13th Amendment. Slavery was banned except for when it was a punishment for crime. The southern states had people of color be criminals for things like standing around and talking to others. They also had to sign an agreement that they would get the lowest pay possible when working. -
The 13th Amendment was officially adopted on December 18, 1865. Although this abolished slavery, people of color would not be fully free until the whole reconstruction process, with the 14th and 15th Amendments. -
On April 9th, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate troops to the Union in Virginia. This would be the beginning of the end of the Civil War. But the Andrew Johnston would not declare the war over until August of 1866