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The First Slaves
The first slaves arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. There were 20 slaves that were captured from Africa and brought back to Virginia. The slaves were forced to work as free laborers on plantations. They brought 310,000 slaves over from Africa before 1776. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Northwest Ordinance was a document that stated how to make states. This also stated whether the states would be part of the Union or the Confederacy. When states were added they prohibited slavery. -
The Liberator
The Liberator was an anti-slavery newspaper founded by William Lloyd Garrison. This newspaper was written and published in Boston, but soon began to spread across the United States. Since The Liberator began to spread nation wide it helped draw attention to the abolitionist group and movement. -
Republican Party Begins
The Republican party was put together to stop the spread of slavery. They did not want slavery crossing the line of the Missouri Compromise. The first meeting was held at a school house in Ripon, Wisconsin on March 20, 1854. -
Harpers Ferry
John Brown, who is an abolitionist, led a group to Harpers Ferry, Virginia. On October 16, 1859 Brown and his group of men headed to Harpers Ferry to start the raid. People found out about the raid and the confederate leaders came and stopped them on October 17, 1859. Ten of John Brown's men were killed during the raid. -
Civil War Starts
The Civil war started in 1861 and ended in 1865. The war was between the northern states, the union, and the southern states, the confederates. The Union wanted to abolish slavery, but the Confederates wanted to keep slavery. 11 southern states seceded from the Union which was a reason for the war to start. After the Confederates attacked Fort Sumter Lincoln declared war on them. -
Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1, 1863 President Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation. This document insisted that all slaves to be freed in states that had seceded from the United States. Although this document freed slaves it did not give them citizenship or make slavery illegal. -
Senate Passes 13th Amendment
The Senate passed the 13th amendment on April 4, 1864. They passed the amendment with a vote of 38-6. -
Black Codes
Black codes were laws put into place after the Civil War to restrict the freedoms of African Americans. In many confederate states Africans were forced to sign labor contracts, and if they refused they could be arrested, fined, or forced to do unpaid labor. Many Africans didn't know how to read so they wouldn't know what they were signing when signing these contracts. -
House Passes 13th Amendment
On January 31, 1865 The House passed the 13th Amendment. The amendment passed with a vote 119-56. -
Ratified by States
The 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865. In order to ban slavery 27 states need to ratify the amendment. Georgia was the 27 state to ratify the amendment which then made slavery illegal. On December 18, 1865 the amendment was put into place and enforced.
