Abolitionism Timeline

1433

Portuguese seafarers round Cape Bojador on the West Coast of Africa. The Portuguese explore the coast and discover a large native population.

1441

Portuguese sea captain Antam Goncalvez returns from exploring West Africa with two slaves, the first in Europe from this area.

1443

One of Goncalvez’s men, Nuno Tristao, captures 235 slaves. This is the beginning of the Portuguese slave trade.

1492

Columbus arrives in the New World. Spanish settlements are established in the Americas during the following years. Due to the large number of native deaths (caused by disease), the Spanish begin to import slaves from Africa.

1565

The Spanish introduce slavery in North America. They take slaves to St. Augustine, the first permanent settlement in what would become Florida.

1619

A Dutch vessel arrives in Jamestown (Virginia), an English colony, with twenty slaves. These are the first slaves in an English colony in America.

1641

The colony of Massachusetts Bay forbids slavery except in the cases of war captives or people willingly selling themselves into slavery.

1652

The colony of Rhode Island is the first to forbid all forms of slavery.

1701

The War of the Spanish Succession greatly weakens Spain and Portugal. England now becomes the main supplier of slaves.

1787

The Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade is founded in England. A small colony is established in Sierra Leone, Africa, for former slaves.

1807

England outlaws the importation of slaves.

1808

The United States outlaws the importation of slaves.

1814

United States and England agree to try to end slavetrade in Treaty of Ghent.

1822

Liberia is founded as an African colony for freed American slaves.

1833

England outlaws slavery in all British colonies and in England itself. The American Anti-Slavery Society is formed. Arthur Tappan launches the abolitionist newspaper, The Emancipator. Prudence Crandall accepts black students into her school.

1836

The gag rule, which prohibits the reading of anti-slavery petitions in the U.S. Congress, is passed.

1837

Abolitionilt Elijah Lovejoy is murdered on November 7, 1837.

1839

Cinque is captured from Sierra Leone and taken to Cuba. He leads a revolt aboard La Amistad on July 1. He and the other mutineers are captured on August 26 near Long Island, New York, and brought to New Haven, Connecticut. An investigation hearing is held on August 29. The Amistad Africans are charged with murder and piracy. In September, Cinque and the other captives appear in circuit court in New Haven.

1840

In January, the Amistad Africans appear in district court. The Liberty Party, established by abolitionists, has a candidate in the presidential election.

1841

On February 20, the Amistad case reaches the U.S. Supreme Court.

1850

Compromise of 1850

1854

Kansas-Nebraska Act

1857

“Bleeding Kansas”

1859

John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia

1860

Abraham Lincoln elected president

1861

Civil War begins with Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, South Carolina

1863

Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect

1865

13th Amendment to the Constitution outlaws slavery