1562

British slave trading to the New World begins.

1750’s

Quakers in PA, NJ, and New England prohibit slavery amongst their members. John Woolman, Journal

1776

Declaration of Independence

1784

Thomas Jefferson attempts to prohibit slavery after 1800 in new states. Clause struck by one vote. Question of extent of federal power in the territories opens

1786

Jefferson, "Letter to Jean Nicholas Démeunier."

1787

Northwest Ordinance: slavery prohibited, fugitive slave clause added. See Map.
Constitutional convention. Benjamin Franklin, "Closing Speech at the Constitutional Convention."

1787–1788

James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, Federalist Papers.

1788

VA ratification debates. Patrick Henry, "Against the Federal Constitution."

1789

Constitution ratified. "Great Compromise" between large and small states results in House and Senate balance of power. A slave counted for 3/5ths of a person for apportioning representatives, augmenting Southern voting power by 30%.

1792

Kentucky enters the Union a slave state. Slavery extended to Mississippi south of the Ohio River.

1793

Fugitive Slave Law enacted.

1797

Bingham, Columbian Orator 1st ed.

1798

Mississippi Territory organized with slavery permitted.

1800

Thomas Jefferson elected President (Democratic Republican).

1803

Louisiana purchase permitted to retain slavery throughout its extent. See Map of Louisiana Purchase.
Chief Justice John Marshall, in Marbury v. Madison, establishes Federal judicial review of Acts of Congress. Haiti declares itself a republic.

1807

British slave trade abolished.

1808

Importation of slaves into the U.S. prohibited.
James Madison elected President.

1811

Henry Clay elected to House, becomes Speaker. John C. Calhoun elected to House.

1812–1814

War with Britain.

1812

Daniel Webster elected to House as Federalist. Anti-war.
Clay and Calhoun support war with Britain.

1815

Arkansas territory organized with slavery permitted.

1820

Missouri Compromise accomplished by Clay: Missouri admitted as slave, Maine as free. Slavery prohibited in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory N. of 36°30´ (Thomas amendment). Controversy viewed as serious threat to the Union.
Jefferson, "Letter to John Holmes"

1821

Benjamin Lundy, a Quaker, begins abolitionist newspaper, The Genius of Universal Emancipation.
Lucretia Mott recognized as minister in the Society of Friends.

1824

John Quincy Adams, an ex-Federalist, elected President ("National Republican"). Andrew Jackson had plurality of electoral votes. Slavery abolished in Central America.

1825

John C. Calhoun Vice President under Adams.

1826

Death of Thomas Jefferson on 4 July.

1827

Slaves over 40 freed in NY, Sojourner Truth among them.
Webster elected to the Senate.

1828

Andrew Jackson elected President (Birth of Democratic Party).
Calhoun, South Carolina Exposition and Protest.
Garrison introduced to Lundy by Mott, becomes editor of Genius.

1830-1838

Removal of Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee from territory in GA, AL and MS to land beyond the Mississippi. "Trail of Tears".

1830

Webster-Hayne Debate over Federal tariffs.

1831

William Lloyd Garrison publishes first issue of The Liberator. Contains his statement "To the Public." Conventional date for beginning of radical abolitionism. Slavery abolished in Bolivia.
Nat Turner’s slave revolt in Southampton County, VA.

1832

South Carolina passes Nullification Ordinance. Calhoun resigns Vice Presidency to enter Senate. Force Bill gives Jackson more military power and compromise tariff gradually lowers rates. SC nullifies the Force Bill but accepts the compromise tariff. Texas War of Independence begins. Abolitionists, among them Benjamin Lundy, argue that Texas is warring with Mexico to reinstitute slavery.

1833

American Anti-Slavery Society formed by Garrison and Mott. "Declaration of Sentiments" published in The Liberator. Slavery abolished in Britain.
Formation of Whig party.

1835

Andrew Jackson asks for law prohibiting the mailing of "incendiary publications intended to instigate the slaves to insurrection."

1836–1837

"Gag Rule" controversy in Congress. John Quincy Adams agitates to admit abolitionist petitions.

1836

Van Buren (Democrat) wins Presidency in close election against Whigs. Texas wins independence from Mexico.

1837

Calhoun, "On Reception of the Abolition Petitions."
Wendell Phillips, "The Murder of Lovejoy"

1840-1855

Massive immigration from Germany and Ireland into Northeast and upper Midwest. These immigrants become the first tenement laborers and will serve disproportionately as Union foot soldiers in the Civil War.

1840

Mott and Stanton attend London Anti-Slavery Society, where women delegates were excluded. American Anti-Slavery Society splits, in part over issue of women delegates.
Beginnings of Liberty Party, espoused by reform or "political" abolitionists.

1841

Harrison (Whig) dies soon after taking office. Replaced by Tyler, a state rights Whig.

1842

Prigg v. Pennsylvania. Prigg convicted of kidnapping in PA for retrieving slave without certificate. Conviction reversed.

1843

Sojourner Truth begins public career.

1844

Clay (Whig) loses Presidential election to James Polk (Democrat).

1845

Texas annexed as slave state. War declared with Mexico.
Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

1846-1848

War with Mexico.
Lincoln serves in House as Whig.

1846

Wilmot Proviso, an amendment to territorial legislation prohibiting slavery in territories acquired from Mexico, fails. Southerners claim that only states are sovereign, and Congress has no right to exclude some states from equal access to territorial property.

1847

Stephen A. Douglas (Democrat,Illinois) elected to Senate.
Frederick Douglass begins career as newspaper publisher and journalist.

1848

Oregon territory organized with slavery prohibited.
Zachary Taylor elected (Whig).
Founding convention of Free Soil Party. Free Soilers disavow interference with slavery in the states. Seek to preserve Western lands free for white labor.
First National Women’s Rights convention at Seneca Falls, NY. Organized by Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Lucretia Mott.
Mott, "The Law of Progress." Douglass, "We Have Decided to Stay."
Widespread anti-monarchist revolution in Europe.
Slavery abolished in France and its colonies.

1850

Henry Clay returns to Senate.
1850 Compromise resolves dispute over territories seized from Mexico. Admits CA with slavery prohibited. No restrictions on UT and NM. Prohibition of domestic slave trade in DC balanced by strengthened Fugitive Slave Law.
Clay, "On the Compromise Measures." Webster, "On the Compromise Measures (The Seventh of March Speech)." Douglass, "American Slavery."
Death of John C. Calhoun

1851

Sojourner Truth, "A’n’t I a Woman?"
Whigs begin to break up over slavery issue. Charles Grant Sumner, former Whig, joins Senate as a Democrat.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

1852

Death of Daniel Webster.
Franklin Pierce elected President (Democrat).
Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"

1853–1856

Know-Nothing Party flourishes (anti-foreign, anti-Catholic). Takes many seats from Whigs, competes with Republicans.

1854

Kansas-Nebraska Act is held to repeal the Thomas amendment. Kansas admitted under Stephen Douglas' doctrine of "popular sovereignty."
Founding of the Republican Party from Whigs, Free Soilers and anti-slavery Democrats. Lincoln elected to Illinois State Legislature as Republican. Slavery abolished in Venezuela.

1855

"Bleeding Kansas": Kansas erupts in armed attacks as Free Soilers compete with Missourians over slavery clauses in rival constitutions.

1856

James Buchanan elected (Democrat). Demise of Whig Party. Sumner is severely beaten in Kansas by Preston Brooks, congressman from South Carolina, for anti-slavery speech.

1857

Dred Scott decision. Chief Justice Roger Taney writes majority decision holding that African Americans are not citizens and endorsing consitutionality of popular sovereignty.

1858

Lincoln, "A House Divided." Douglas, "Popular Sovereignty." Lincoln-Douglas debates. Lincoln loses Senate campaign to Stephen Douglas.

1859

John Brown’s insurrection at Harper’s Ferry. "Speech to the Court."

1860

Lincoln, nominated for President by Republicans, defeats Douglas. South Carolina leads move toward secession (Sep. 20, 1860);

1861

MS (1/9) FL (1/10); AL (1/12) GA (1/19); LA (1/26); TX (2/1) follow SC in seceding from the Union. Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States written in convention on Feb. 9; Jefferson Davis elected President.
March: Lincoln, First Inaugural (March). In April, Confederates fire on Fort Sumter.