American Slavery in the 1800s

Any discussion of 19th century American history that omits slavery is incomplete, because slavery was such a significant fact of life during that time period that it impacted all people, whether slave or free, and whether they lived in a slave state or a state that prohibited slavery. The impact of slavery on the people of the United States during that time period was multi-faceted and complex. First, slavery expanded during that time period, which created political pressures that led up to the most significant conflict in United States history: the Civil War. Second, slavery in the 1800s was a troubling moral issue that aroused the sentiments of abolitionists on one side, but also focused on property and due process rights on the other side. Third, slavery in the 19th century had racial overtones that had been present, but less significant, in America prior to...
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