User:Csanchez06

16 Century This is when the triangular trade route began between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. At the time it seemed to be nothing more than trade routes used in order get raw materials back to Europe. In reality it had a darker side to it. This trade route is what would begin to be use in order to transport slaves into the Americas. The slave trade route known by a different name, the middle passage.

1607 The Virginia Colony is founded and begins to grow tobacco in order to sell to Europe. At this point in history slaves were present in America but it was an extremely rare commodity as the use of indentured servants was more cost effective at the time.

1619 The Virginia Colony began to see its slow but gradual change from indentured servant to slaves. As this process began it began to become clear that slaves were more cost effective in the long run than just using ordinary indentured servants.

1652 Rhode Island becomes the first colony to ban slavery. Much sooner than any other colony. Rhode Island would later go on to be a huge hub for abolitionist and their movement.

1708 Slavery begins to be implemented in South Carolina as a way to help in the growing of rice and indigo. Both of which go on to be very valued cash crops in America. The growing success of these cash crops leads to further use of slaves within the Americas.

1776 The deceleration of Independence is draft and slavery is left legal in all 13 colonies in the United States of America. This becomes important as history progress because the United States allows for slavery to be legal since the inception of their country.

1787 The 3/5th compromise is reached. Declaring that slaves only could as 3/5th of a person when being factored into population. This shows that the nation does not acknowledge slaves as people. Further cementing the idea that slaves are nothing more than property and inferior to white as they are not even counted as a whole person.

1793 Eli Whitney creates the cotton gin. This new piece of machinery revives the use of slavery throughout the south and makes the production of cotton much easier. This means that more slaves are brought into the south and the creation of the cotton gin lays the ground work for the massive plantation that would later be common throughout the south. The invention of the cotton gin would led to cotton becoming a cash crop as it was now much easier to harvest on top of being very easy to grow. Cotton becoming a cash crop would only lead to further use and capture of slaves.

1804 The first and only successful slave revolt occurs. Haiti is liberated by its slave population and this event brings fear into white slave owners eyes as it proves that slaves can be successful in their revolutions as they greatly out number their oppressors. Unfortunately this will be the first and last successful slave revolt as no other revolt will come close to succeeding.

1812 This is the year in which most historians believe the antebellum era to begin. This era incorporates a changing ideology of slavery. Slavery goes from being a morally questionable action to being an acceptable and almost heroic action. Slave owners begin to develop this idea of paternalism over their slaves. Slave owners begin to believe that their actions of owner slaves are not acceptable but right as they feel as if they are doing a sort of service to slaves This is also the era where we begin to see the massive plantations in the south emerge. These new and huge plantations bring with them more slaves being captured and brought into the United States.

1820 After much debate on the issue of the spread of slavery a compromise is met. The Missouri compromise outlaws any slavery above the southern border of Missouri. This compromise will hold off the growing conflict over slavery for some decades but will not be enough to resolve the issue of slavery in America.

1830s In an attempt to help slaves escape abolitionist and escaped slave Harriet Tubman begin the famous "Underground Railroad". Which was a network of abolitionist who aided slaves escape to the north in an effort to free as many slaves as they could.

1831 Cyrus McCormick invents the reaper. A machine designed to make plowing fields much quicker and more effect. Much like the cotton gin this invention brings with it the revival of slavery as it allows for whites to plow more fields and grow more cash crops. The same year Nat Turner, a slave preacher, led a rebellion against his slave master. He is able to overthrow his slave master and free his plantation. He takes to other slave plantations in hopes of free more slaves but his rebellion is soon struck down. Resulting in the hanging of Nat Turner and the slaves who assisted him in the revolution. This revolution strikes fear into the white slave owners and cause them to retaliate with stricter slave laws because of their growing fear of further slave revolts. Following Nat Turner's rebellion the Virginia General Assembly made it illegal to teach slaves how to read or write out of fr=ear of further revolts and as a punishment for slaves.

1850 The Compromise of 1850 is reached. This allows for California to enter the Union as a free state and establishes Utah as a territorial government. The slave trade is abolished in Washington D.C as it is in poor taste to be selling slaves near the white house. The southerns get the fugitive slave act which allows for slave hunters to return escaped slaves to their owners regardless of if they are in a free state.

1851 Former slave Frederick Douglas publishes his abolitionist news paper The North Star. This begins to bring slavery to the public eye and demonstrates the abilities of a former slave and Douglas' uniqueness. It shows America how proper and educated a black could truly be. Douglas begins to become a significant figure in the abolitionist movement.

1852 Uncle Tom's cabin is published. This story of a slave floods the public eye and makes slavery more of a pressing matter that cannot be ignored by the public eye. The publication of this book further fuels the fire of the abolitionists and begins to really call the question of slavery in America. With the flooding of slavery in almost every aspect of American life it becomes a matter that is much harder to be ignored.

1854 The events of Bleeding Kansas occur. In Kansas America gets its first taste of how much the nation is truly divided over slavery. A mini civil war breaks out in Kansas proving to everyone that the issue of slavery is not going to be resolved easily and in order to rid the country of it there may have to be a civil war. Later that year the Republican Party is founded and it is the first political part to take a stand against slavery and this is the platform by which the party is formed upon.

1856 The events of Bleeding Sumner occur. This is when Charles Sumner is beaten by Preston Brooks on the floor of the House. This exemplifies to America that the issue of slavery is no longer confined to just states but has also found its way into congress. It points out just how divided the congress and house are on the issue of slavery and further cast doubt on the idea that the issue of slavery will be resolved peacefully.

1857 The Dred Scott decision is released by the supreme court. Ruling that slaves were not citizens of America and not able to sue within he court of law. This decision would forever stain America's history as it was America's largest legal body declaring that since slaves were not citizen they were not entitled to any rights what so ever.

1861 President Lincoln is elected into office becoming the first ever republican president. Along with his election states such as Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and other states in the deep south succeed from the United States. This proves that the issue of slavery will and has divided the nation. The following actions will ensue a civil war in America. Shortly following Lincolns election their is an attack on fort Sumter and the nation is forced into a civil war. The south is pitted against the north and this war will drag on for 4 years. Causing for many causalities on both sides and at the end rendering the south nearly destroyed.

1865 The 4 year civil war is brought to an end when Robert E. Lee surrender to the Union and Ulysses S. Grant. The end to the conflict will bring about the end of slavery and the rejoining of the Union. By December of this year slavery is brought to its end by the ratification of the thirteenth amendment. As the thirteenth amendment outlaws any form of slavery within the United States.