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Slavery

Slavery is a policy of ownership of another person or persons for the purpose of forcing those individuals into a life of servitude. Proof of the existence of slavery dates it back to nearly the beginning of recorded history. In American history, it is believed to date back to the 1500's when European explorers and settlers brought slaves, most often from African Nations, to the Americas as they were creating colonies and homelands.

The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade

In 1787 a small group formed in London to fight for the end of slavery. They were opposed to the inhumane treatment of slaves and called for its complete abolition. At that time, the British controlled much of the slave trade and were responsible for bringing thousands of slaves overseas every year.

The newly formed group printed anti-slavery pamphlets, held lectures, circulated petitions and printed both posters and publications to showcase the horrific qualities of slavery. They continued to promote their message and achieved success slowly, culminating with a vote to end the process of slave trading in 1807 by the British Parliament. In America, however, slavery continued to flourish.

Slavery in America

By the early 1800's slavery was still an ever growing issue in the United States. The American Anti-Slavery Society was formed in 1833 to fight for the abolishment of slavery. The group produced pamphlets and literature that spoke out against slavery, perhaps the most notable work being Harriet B. Stowe's work, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Most historians consider the efforts of this group to have been a major factor in the elimination of slavery.

The Raid on Harpers Ferry

In 1859 John Brown started an artillery raid in West Virginia in the hopes of creating a massive slave uprising. His group overtook several buildings and collected buildings. They continued of to Charles Town, where the residents had been alerted of the raid and formed a militia to stop Brown's men. The militia managed to trap the group inside a fire house, and the military was called in to end the situation.

Robert E Lee led the military force that came after John Brown. They entered the fire house and put a quick end to the uprising. Although John Brown was later tried for treason and hung, his efforts called major attention to the problem of slavery, and his raid is considered to be one of the major factors for the start of The Civil War.

The Emancipation Proclamation

In 1862 President Abraham Lincoln issued The Emancipation Proclamation, which declared the freedom of existing slaves and the enforcement of this proclamation by the United States military. This was specified for "all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the executive government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom."

The Proclamation was a major factor in the attempted succession of the southern states which led to The Civil War. Once this began, the policy of freeing slaves was opened up to include slaves in every state of the union.

The Civil War raged on from 1861 to 1865 and is considered by many historians to be among the most important time periods in American history. The war caused the deaths of an approximated 620,000 lives. The end of the war and the success of the north is widely responsible for the end of slavery in the US.